Inspiration can come from so very many places. Like friends and family. Preachers and poets. Books and movies. I watch a lot of the latter. And every now and again, while totally absorbed in the latest flick, I hear something that strikes a chord like in the movie “New Year’s Eve” when Hilary Swank’s character Claire Morgan addresses the crowd. It’s that awful moment in Times Square when the ball refuses to budge, and Swank’s character is forced to face the cameras. And she does so with grace, and heart, and words of hope.

With the clock ticking towards a new year, she speaks of second chances and new beginnings, reflecting on what was and what will be. She calls it, “A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more. And stop worrying about what if and start embracing what would be.” That’s when the ball dropped to, “remember to be nice to each other, kind to each other. And not just tonight but all year long.”

I’d say that’s good advice.

The other day, my sis Cherryl Hessling and I were enjoying a rare day off together, browsing a local craft store; I’m blessed with great siblings and thoroughly enjoy their company. I hear Cherryl’s voice from the far side of the store saying there’s this picture I just have to see.

It was so simple; it was profound. A wizened old tree took up the largest part of the canvass. Beautiful in and of itself, it wasn’t really the picture that touched me but the words which were penned underneath. It was “Living Life Ex-Large” by artist Bonnie Mohr.

It spoke of “being honest, working hard,” and having “your handshake mean more than pen and paper,” all sound advice that a parent or grandparent might share. It spoke of building people up instead of tearing them down. To say “thank you” and “great job” to at least one person each and every day.

Not bad advice, huh?

So, what’s the best advice you’ve ever been given …

Woodloch Pines Resort owner and family member Steven Kiesendahl says the best words of wisdom he’s ever been given came from his mom, the late Mary Kiesendahl. Though he didn’t realize it at the time, the words were straight from the Bible: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31). “That quote has stuck with me through all aspects of life. It is a basic truth that fits business, friendships, relationships and even when meeting a stranger. We all want to be treated respectfully, and when we treat others well, it eventually comes back to us tenfold.

“My mom lived her life with this verse as a central truth,” he says. “Thank you for setting a good example, Mom!”

The Golden Rule also rings true for Woodloch Day Bus Groups Coordinator Sharon Bedrosian, timeless advice given by her beloved Grandma, the late Catherine Waylen.

Additional words of wisdom? “Hold your head up, and give your smile to someone,” says Sharon.

Woodloch family member Brooke James says, “Give nice a chance. That’s the advice that was given to me about meeting Mr. Right.” Happily married for almost two years, Brooke and husband Mark are blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Annie.

“You can look at that on a worldly scale. Give everything in life a fair opportunity,” Brooke said.

Brooke says she’s always telling people: “What you put out there will come back to you full circle.”

She continues, “Let go and let God. Let go of all of your fears and anxieties, and let God handle them. God has a plan for you and will work it all out in the end.”

“My mother showed me that faith and family are the two most important things in life,” said Reservationist Alexa Peregrim.

While her mom’s advice is soulful, it’s her dad’s advice that brings a chuckle. Ever since she was a little girl, Alexa says her dad made her recite the words, “Boys are scum. And if girls weren’t dumb, boys wouldn’t be scum.”

“My father knows how boys think, and he taught me to stand up for myself and not be dumb,” she says.

Advice came from all corners of the close-knit caring family. It was her late Italian great-grandfather Marino Sebastianelli who always said, “Don’t be afraid, nighttime will come. No matter what the day throws at you, night will arrive, and a new day will come. The world is not going to end.”

Front Desk Manager Jill Marston says, “Live everyday as a ‘happy day’ because you don’t know if this is your last day. And you don’t want your last day to be a bad day. And that’s how I live my life.”

Reservationist Sara Hoey says, “I think my biggest thing is I’m always thinking about the future and worrying about the future. And the best advice I was ever given was to take everything one day at a time.”

Woodloch Front Desk Manager Tess Murray says, “You can’t change people’s reaction; you can only change how you react. It’s my choice how I react.”

Her dad, the late Vince Taninies, always said, “Life goes fast, and you should live every moment.”

He’d tell Tess, “I had a great life. I loved my wife. We traveled. We got to do everything we wanted to do. But it goes very fast. You should live every moment to the fullest.”

Every moment. To the fullest.

So, what’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Please feel free to post your thoughts. You never know who you’re going to inspire.