I was in my twenties before I discovered and fell in love with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. A little later in life than many other Tolkien fans, perhaps, but it was absolutely the right time for me — reading his richly layered and beautifully crafted universe opened the door to new worlds…
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Random Acts of Kindness Week, or ‘RAK Week’ for short, celebrated every February, is all about making small, intentional acts of kindness a part of your routine. But more than that, having an entire week dedicated to kindness means we have the opportunity to inspire those around us to do the same. Because a funny…
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“It’s the most magical word of all. And it’s also the most varied – simple or complex, hidden or revealed, painful or joyous… That word is love.” THE WISDOM OF MERLIN: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life Love is magical. In one or all of its varied forms — the unconditional love of a…
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At this time of year, the idea of Gratitude — one of Merlin’s most potent magical words — is never far from my mind. After all, with a holiday named “Thanksgiving”, it’s only natural that the holiday season inspires us to recall our blessings and take a moment to reflect upon how grateful we are…
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Generosity, as described by Merlin in The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life, is not giving others what they want. Rather, it’s giving away what you yourself want. When you think about very young children learning to share, this idea of generosity becomes quite apparent. The reason youngsters tend to struggle…
Continue reading →Each year, The Barron Prize celebrates outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. These inspiring, public-spirited young people from across North America are doing amazing work for their communities and the environment. I am deeply inspired by the work of these young people,…
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Merlin has been a part of my life for more than 20 years. Though he may be but a mythical being to some, and a great character in an epic story for many more, after 12 books devoted to his life and the telling of his story, he is truly much more than that for…
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“Belief is a powerful elixir. It offers strength, renewal, and peace to those who drink it. And your cup can be forever refilled.” Belief, one of Merlin’s seven most magical words in the universe, can give us comfort in times of chaos, strength in moments of weakness, And direction when we feel lost. Our beliefs…
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Hope requires courage. Darkness, despair, anger, destruction—the images of these things feature daily in our media. No matter where we look, we’re met with images that leave us questioning. We’re left feeling hopeless, without options or solutions to the things that plague us. The many enemies that challenge our hope—doubt, fear, sorrow—bind together with our…
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“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” —Albert Einstein Knowledge, one of Merlin’s magical words, is so much more than just the things you learn by sitting in a classroom. The truth is, Knowledge is just as much about what you don’t know than what you do, and it’s about your journey to fill…
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