Contemplating Life: Inspirational Words To Live By

by Allen W. Smith

Allen Smith has been making people smile, and do some serious thinking about life, for decades. Through both his syndicated weekly newspaper column, Contemplating Life, and his books, Allen has been providing comfort and inspiration to people who feel burdened with worry over problems, both real and imagined. Feedback from readers has led Dr. Smith to believe that many people have been helped by reading and thinking about his inspirational essays. In a recent reader review, Lynn put it this “Makes us smile. Picked this up for mom. She tells me stories from it and they make me smile. Gets you going through the day.” Below are excerpts from unsolicited reader letters, spanning over a period of two decades, which suggest just how helpful Allen’s columns have been in the lives of these individuals. “For years I have checked books on positive thinking from our library….I can truthfully say your articles have helped me more than anything I have ever read.”—Wilda Sherron, Paducah, KY “I have found vicarious advice, guidance, and sometimes peace of mind since having access to your column. Many thanks!”—Margaret Maasch, Fort Pierce, FL “I have enjoyed these wonderful materials immensely! The writings have really encouraged me and help me cope with life….God bless you for helping all of us people who desperately need encouragement and positive help.”—Judy Arnold, Tucson, AZ “I wanted to let you know how uplifting your articles are to me. I can’t thank you enough for being able to read something positive and uplifting when we read so much bad news that brings us down.”—Jeannie Hartley, Tipton, IN “I enjoy your articles every week. I have cut out several and put them in a scrap book with the hope that my kids and grandkids will someday read them and apply the lessons to their lives.”—Rosemary Hardy, Paris, IL “I really enjoy reading your column…I always cut the article out and save it. If I hear of a person in my community who is having a difficult time, I go to your columns and pick out one that is suited for their problem.—Wanda Faye Hance, Dandridge, TN “I collect every column. I almost have a book! I teach a practical Christianity Sunday School Class and all your articles are exactly the attitudes we are striving for.”—Mary Lucille Warren, Auburndale, FL Life is filled with problems for almost everyone. We can’t get rid of all the problems, but the writings of Dr. Allen Smith can help us deal with those problems, so we can find happiness despite those pesky problems. This book includes 52 inspirational essays, which are designed to help us deal with life, one day at a time. Some people use them for daily and weekly devotions. These essays can stimulate a lot of deep thinking about life. Benjamin Franklin strongly believed that we, as individuals, have the power to improve ourselves, and our lives, by focusing on self-improvement, one fault at a time. Franklin would focus on one of his shortcomings every week and concentrate his effort on improving himself all week long. These essays lend themselves to working on our thoughts, one thought at a time. They are “thought boosters” that stimulate our thinking and help us understand life better, one step at a time.

116 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2014

About the author

* Source: Amazon author page

Allen W. Smith, Ph.D., has devoted much of his adult life to battling economic illiteracy and promoting economic education. He taught economics to college students for 30 years before retiring as Professor of Economics at Eastern Illinois University in 1998 to become a full-time writer. Over the years, Smith has written numerous books in his effort to help readers understand economics and government economic policy. Understanding Inflation and Unemployment, Smith's first book, became an alternate selection of Fortune Book Club when it was published in 1976. Understanding Economics, published by Random House in 1986, was used in more than 600 schools in 48 states.

In recent years, Smith has focused his research and writing on government finance and Social Security. He published The Alleged Budget Surplus, Social Security, and Voodoo Economics in 2000, The Looting of Social Security: How the Government is Draining America's Retirement Account in 2004, and Social Security: The Attempt to Kill It in 2005. In 2008, Dr. Smith published a third edition of his popular layman's guide to economics, Demystifying Economics: The Book That Makes Economics Accessible to Everyone.

Dr. Smith has discussed economics and Social Security on national television, and he has been a guest on more than 100 radio talk shows. He holds a B.S. in Education degree from Ball State University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Indiana University.