Our Acres of Diamonds Temple University

Temple University was founded by the great Russell Conwell in 1884 with the official "Temple College" charter being issued in 1888.

Russell Conwell was a lawyer, newspaper reporter, and ultimately a baptist minister.  He was a college graduate that while after giving a sermon one day was approached by the young members of his congregation and asked if he could teach them college courses.  He agreed and began teaching courses out of the church.  As more word spread and more of the youth began requesting his teaching services, he came across a story called Acres of Diamonds and after sharing with his congregation decided to go around the country giving the very same talk to thousands of others to raise money for the founding of Temple University.

Acres of Diamonds 
A South African rancher heard of the diamond boom going on in the country at the time, similar to our California gold rush, and decided that he was going to seek his fortune by selling his ranch and going off to find his share of  the diamond fortune.  After several years of futility, he gave up without ever finding his diamond jackpot.

Meanwhile, the person that bought his old South African ranch was entertaining a friend one day, and the friend commented on the beautiful stones that rested on his fireplace mantle. His friend asked him where he found the stones, and the rancher stated that the creek that ran through his property was filled with many of the very same crystals.

The friend smiled softly and explained that the stones were not crystals but in fact diamonds, and that the diamonds were some of the largest discovered. The rancher listened in disbelief and amazement that he was the owner of a rich diamond mine.

Of course, the irony is how the original rancher sold his property to look for diamonds when they were literally in his backyard the whole time.

Our Fortune
The rancher like many of us was always running and seeking fame and fortune outside when in fact it already existed within him. We just have to look for the "diamonds" that are sprinkled at our feet. The love of friends and family, our health, the tremendous abundance we enjoy in living in the world today, of the very gift of life given to us each day, and the freedom to pursue our joy, our happiness, and our inspiration.

We all have these diamonds but we must become aware of them, acknowledge them, and mine them. And when we ultimately use and share them with a humble gratitude, we tap the fortune within us that provides a joy, abundance, and contentment that remains with us always.

Thank you Russell Conwell for teaching us about "diamond mining" and giving us the wonderful Temple University.

You can check the Acres of Diamonds book out here

http://books.google.com/books/about/Acres_of_diamonds.html?id=O44DAAAAYAAJ


With Love,

Tom Kaufmann
Coach K
tkaufmanncoaching.com