Photo by Nick Castelli on Unsplash
Download PDF
Download DOC
Download JPG
The Loretto Chapel, in the heart of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is built from warm earthen adobe, with a small nave and, above it, a choir loft. But at the beginning, the two weren’t connected.
Legend has it that when the unfinished chapel needed a staircase to access the choir loft, the nuns offered a novena — nine days of prayer — to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. After the nine days, a carpenter arrived on a donkey, carrying a toolbox, and set to work.
When the stairs were completed, the stranger vanished without accepting thanks or payment. Some research indicates that a man named Rochas was paid for wood. But not much else is known about the man, except that he was a member of a French secret society of highly skilled craftsmen and artisans called the Compagnons du Devoir, which had existed since the Middle Ages. Many believe him to have been St. Joseph himself.
The staircase is shaped like a helix and is connected only with wooden pegs. The result is one of the most stunning architectural accomplishments in the New World. The staircase floats upward in a spiral as if to Heaven, with no center support, only a delicate curve of treads that seem to defy gravity, adding to the mystery of how one man could accomplish such a feat of artistry.
“One hundred and fifty years ago, it took a very well-trained, seasoned, experienced master craftsman,” says Seattle-based stair design consultant Shawn Christman. “The fact that somebody showed up out of the desert might be a miracle, but he knew exactly what he was doing.”
It is such a beautiful work of art and craftsmanship that stair-builders from around the world visit the site dubbed the Miraculous Staircase.
“We all like to think we create creative stair designs and nice curved staircases, but to think how they did it that long ago and still attain the same quality is breathtaking,” says Greg Chamberlain of stair-builders Star South Inc., of Eatonton, Georgia.
Art and craftsmanship are the human way of expressing gratitude for the world we live in, trying to capture that little bit of the divine in each of us. The decades it takes to perfect a craft are a testament to the human drive to express beauty.
While only a few achieve legendary levels of artistry, each of us can find daily ways to make our world more pleasant to look at: a kind act, a simple smile, an expression of gratitude. While many artists are well known, perhaps the ones who make the most impact on our lives are those who remain anonymous, like the mysterious artisan who arrived in a desert town unannounced and slipped away unheralded.
Create Beauty, Anonymously… PassItOn.com®
Copyright ©2024 The Foundation for a Better Life. All rights reserved. Available under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License (international): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Download PDF
Download DOC
Download JPG
The Foundation for a Better Life, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, gives your newspaper permission to publish these stories in print and electronic media (excluding audio and video), provided the stories are published in their entirety, without modification and including the copyright notice. For any modification, permission must first be obtained from the Foundation by emailing media-relations@passiton.com. Thank you.
We add new stories each month. If you'd like to be notified when we publish new stories, enter your information below.
A Lesson We Should Never Forget.
The incredible story of American POWs smuggling rations to Russian prisoners at Stalag-B.
From the Beach to the Desert.
How a group of ambitious kids from Laguna Beach High School in California are digging wells in Kenya.
The Mistakes We Learn From and Build On.
Every year, a handful of students in prisons across America take stock of their lives and make changes. Many earn their diplomas, ensuring better options and choices when they get out.
The Friendship Heard Round the World.
Luz Long and Jesse Owens struck up a friendship at the 1936 Olympics that transcended sport, race and history.
Never Give Up.
Lessons learned from Preston Tucker, creator of one of the most innovative cars in American history.
The Taming of the West Featuring Diamond Kitty.
It’s time to give cowgirls their due. Kitty Canutt was a bronc rider in the early 1900s who wore a diamond in her tooth that she occasionally removed and pawned when she needed contest entry money.
Respecting Your Customers.
As the Great Depression impoverished the country, many families stretched their budgets by making clothes out of flour and seed sacks. What companies did next may surprise you.
Friendship Dispels the Darkest Nights in Alaska.
How two men find hope in friendship to prevent suicide.
Taking Responsibility.
How one high school student supported her family during the pandemic.
The Birth of Superman.
How two awkward teenage boys dreamed up the world’s most popular superhero.
Laughter is the Best Teacher.
How humor and history go together in this classroom.
Taking Care.
How one woman turned a life of neglect into a lifetime of taking care of people.
Caitlin Clark and the Importance of the Supporting Cast.
The all-time NCAA scoring leader is more than a great shooter.
A Good Father Goes a Long Way.
Ron Howard’s father made a few suggestions to Andy Griffith. The result is an endearing father-and-son relationship that millions still watch today.
Taking the Fear Out of Surgery.
How one doctor helps children face their hospital fears by dressing them up as superheroes.
The Calm in the Storm.
Being that one voice of encouragement in a community makes all the difference.
The Future Belongs to Kids.
So far, things look pretty bright.
Love Rules.
How Rick Moranis shrunk his role as an actor to be with his kids.
Bear with Me!
The story of Wojtek the bear, who joined the Polish Army in WWll.
Listening to the Music Inside.
The long journey of Maria Tallchief from the Osage Nation in Oklahoma to prima ballerina in New York City.
From Homeless to Johns Hopkins.
Life is never fair. But if you work hard enough, and help someone along the way, you give yourself a better chance to make it.
Born to Make a Difference.
Kids who are changing their world.
Living Alone doesn’t Mean you Have to be Lonely.
How a community in Maine supports those who want to be left alone.
Let the Music Move You.
Bob Geldof has spent a lifetime seeking harmony in the world.
If You Love Dogs, You’ll Love this Story.
A German shepherd slept at his owner’s gravesite.
More Than Just Dancing
How inclusion helps overcome mental illness.
Give Peace a Chance.
How a Mexican-American Marine negotiated peace speaking Japanese during WWll.
Milton Wright, Father of Famous Fliers.
The stern man who believed humans were never meant to fly was overcome with emotion when Wilbur took him on his first flight.
To the Coaches of Pint-sized Athletes.
All year round, you’ll find brave dads and moms standing in the rink, on the field and in the gymnasium — surrounded by eager eyes and short attention spans. Here’s to the volunteers in our communities who teach our kids life lessons and never forget the orange slices.
53 Olympic Gold Medals.
How one athlete overcame a genetic disorder and a tragic accident to become a treasure worth more than gold.
Understanding Our Universe.
In a suburban neighborhood, the angst of the world still reaches a group of elementary kids. Bob stares at the stars with them and explains the universe and how there is order to everything.
The Last American Explorer.
Norman Vaughan trekked Antarctica with Admiral Byrd, completed the Iditarod 13 times and climbed the 10,000-foot, icy mountain named after him at age 89.
The Key to Life.
Father-and-son locksmiths Phil and Philip Mortillaro share the simple wisdom of being happy. From the StoryCorps collection.
Including Everybody Means Everybody.
How Inclusion Films is making movies using crew with developmental disabilities.
Doubling Back for a Friend.
Two teammates paused their 5K race to help a fellow competitor.
Everyone Needs a Good Teacher. Even Einstein.
Ernst Mach, the forgotten professor who influenced Einstein and developed a method for measuring aircraft velocity.
An Impossible Journey.
How John Wesley Powell navigated the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in wooden boats.
Going the Distance from the Farm to the Record Books.
Cliff Young showed up to the most grueling footrace in Australia — 875 kilometers — in overalls and gumboots. He went on to win in record time.
A Most Unlikely Friendship.
How the war in Ukraine brought two families together from opposite sides.
If You Don’t Know Anything About Orangutans, You Don’t Know Jack.
Meet Jack Dalton, Gloria Barron Prize Winner and the nature conservationist who started by saving the orangutans at age 8.
Courage in a New World.
The story of Stagecoach Mary, the first Black woman to deliver mail in the Wild West.
Overcoming Our Own Worst Mistakes.
Kaelin Clay made an unpardonable error in football. And he owned it.
Bee Productive.
17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Anna Devolld is helping small things make a difference: Pollinators.
Photographs that Changed the World.
How the searing photographs of Walker Evans’ America during the Depression created a national change in attitude toward the poor.
Trusting Those Who Guide Us Through Life.
The amazing brotherhood of aviation navigators.
Shakespeare and Love.
The bard speaks of love over 2,500 times in his collected works. He knows a thing or two about the transformative power of our deepest emotion.
No Matter Who You Are, You Can Always Help.
The day Muhammad Ali rushed to save a stranger who was about to take his own life.
Education is for Everyone.
Reading and writing are the basics of an education. See why a 90-year-old Kenyan great-grandmother went back to primary school.
The Brotherhood in Sports Goes Beyond the Field.
How a men’s rugby team supported one of their own.
Cross Safely.
How one man made sure his retirement years were spent helping kids move safely through life.
The History of Us.
How a football coach develops young men by teaching them their own history.
Playtime is for Everybody.
A dad sells off his business and builds a theme park for disabled kids.
The Legacy of Dorothy Vaughan.
The Hidden Figure who Helped Put a man on the Moon.
Wheels of Good Fortune.
One hundred sixty years ago, a man with a bold mustache and a bicycle with a huge wheel dreamed of pedaling around the world. Meet Thomas Stevens, the first human to circumnavigate the globe on a bike.
Reach for the Stars…
No Matter How Long it Takes.
Turning Tough News Into Hope.
How 11-year-old Jordan Phillips raised $120,000 to help fund cancer treatment.
Bringing the Moon to your Living Room.
How 14-year-old Philo Farnsworth tinkered his way to the technology that broadcast the moon landing.
Let the Kids Give it a Try
How 17-year-old Dasia Taylor developed sutures that detect infection.
For Soccer Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Every Day is Mother’s Day.
Fortune and fame have allowed the soccer great to take care of his mother after all she has done for him.
Finding a New Family at the Mountain Man Rendezvous.
How a Vietnam vet pulled himself out of drug addiction by going back in the past.
Being a Mother…
The roundabout journey to a dream fulfilled.
A Legend On and Off the Court.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sold his four championship rings and three MVP trophies for $2.8 million. Then he donated all of the money to support youth education programs
Reforesting the Amazon, 100 Million Trees at a Time.
How skydiving legend Luigi Cani’s daring stunt is aimed at breathing new life into our world.
Dream Big.
How a young artist from a remote mountainous tribe came to illustrate one of the most popular books of our time: ‘The Archer,’ by Paulo Coelho
Our Local Heroes in Scrubs.
How health care workers saved the day.
Going the Distance.
Why top collegiate and professional athlete Dillon Shije will never stop running for his people.
The Least Likely to Help.
How a bedridden attorney still fights for the rights of others.
For the Cost of a Box of Cereal.
How just noticing makes all the difference in the world.
The Secret Ingredient to a Good Meal: Family and Friends.
Bernetta McKindra pays tribute to her grandfather, the Barbecue King of Kansas City. A StoryCorps story.
Taking Care of the Most Vulnerable.
Pam Tully dedicates 6 months a year to rescuing baby flying foxes alongside the volunteers who help her.
No Strings Attached.
How a 7-year-old girl brings joy to neighbors with her violin.
Harmony in Hardship.
Glenn Miller dropped out of college to become the swingingest band leader in the world.
Hope. Dream. Become.
Expressing emotions in a healthy way helps us see the world for what it is and, more importantly, how we choose to engage with it. Check out these young poetry winners from the WPSU poetry contest in Pennsylvania.
Find the Good in Everybody.
Dolly Parton has made us feel loved and appreciated for decades. The singer/songwriter is a part of each of us who desires to be our best.
Ramping Up to Help those in Need.
How a community came together in a time of tragedy.
The Woman Who Talks to Trees.
Understanding the power of relationships in the natural world will help us heal the people we share our communities with.
Are You Smarter Than a Seventh-Grade Business Owner?
How Kidpreneur Alejandro Buxton is making money for college and helping others.
Everybody Gets on Base.
Measuring the victories of life, one single at a time.
Never Too Small to Make a Big Difference.
Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick was the first woman to jump from an airplane using a parachute.
Fix it Yourself.
How one couple moved hundreds of miles from home to run a center for pregnant teenage girls.
Running to Win isn’t Always Running to Come in First.
Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo demonstrates what really matters in life and in sports.
Never, Ever Give Up.
The incredible story of the 12-year-old cancer patient who brings joy to half a million children fighting cancer.
Road Trip Across America.
A discovery of what unites us.
Winning at the Game of Life.
College football player gives up his scholarship to make more possible for a teammate.
How to Honor Your Mother.
Warrick Dunn played in the NFL for 12 seasons. His most impressive stat: He’s built 200 homes for single mothers. And he’s not done.
The Frozen Race to Save Lives.
The 1925 dog sled run to deliver serum across Alaska covered 674 miles with 20 mushers and 150 dogs.
Something Healthy for All of Us
How 17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize Winners Annie and Shirley Zhu provide fresh food for 1,400 people a year.
The Weight We Carry and the Burdens We Share.
The life of best-selling author Isabelle Allende is a mission to bring relief to the suffering and a call to join the effort.
Out of the Village and On to Break Records.
The incredible story of Makazole Mapimpi, the first South African to score in a Rugby World Cup Final. Against almost impossible personal odds, Makazole succeeded, a triumph of the human spirit.
The Curse of Texting and Driving.
How one father turned personal tragedy into triumph for thousands of teenagers by creating the Honor Connor Scholarship Fund.
The Art of Pitching.
A little confidence at the right time goes a long way.
The Little Things that Make the Biggest Difference.
How one man created a forest the size of Central Park by planting one tree a day.
Good Food. Good Friends. Good for the Future.
Barron Prize winner Abby Yoon gets her hands dirty in the garden so at-risk kids can get fresh produce for lunch.
Beatrice Shilling
The motorcycle daredevil who became a mechanical engineer and saved the lives of countless pilots in WWll.
To All who are Lost: You will be Found Again.
The amazing story of the missing marathon runner who turned up 54 years later.
Rescuing a Vessel — and a Family’s Memories.
A boat at the bottom of the lake for 30 years and a renewed appreciation for life when it is restored.
Finding Our Way.
Using the natural elements around her, Kala Baybayan Tanaka navigates the ocean in a canoe for up to three weeks using nothing but observations of the natural elements around her.
Recognizing the Need.
How a neighbor took a disaffected young man under his wing and taught him how to be a man
A Custom of Respect.
How the Japanese soccer team brings sportsmanship to the game.
In the Aftermath of Disaster, Rebuild.
Julie and Ron Lynam lost their dream home in a forest fire, so they got to work dreaming and building again—a StoryCorps story.
Not Out of the Way, Along the Way.
Taking the long way to school makes for a long friendship.
‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ – How we Discover what Makes us Real … is Love.
Just as Margery Williams’ classic children’s book helps us all through the transition of childhood into adulthood, it helped the author through difficult times.
Billy Mills
The story behind America’s first and only 10,000-meter Olympic champion.
Overcoming Fear Sometimes Requires a Patient Friend.
How a flight attendant took the time to comfort a passenger who was having panic attacks.
The Long Shot.
Hunter Woodhall won state in the 400 meters with a blistering time of 47.64 seconds — without legs.
A Hero for Accessibility.
How an 8-year-old girl captured the attention of the nation and motivated Congress.
It’s Not Your Lifespan, it’s Your Wingspan.
How one girl’s 16 years of life impacts thousands.
The Most Recognizable Voice in the World.
James Earl Jones put away the villainous Darth Vader to enjoy a character more like his real self: the kind Mr. Mertle in Sandlot.
Curing Cancer, One Bar of Soap at a Time.
14-year-old Heman Bekele awarded the 3M Young Scientist Award for developing a soap that activates skin cells to fight cancer.
How to Land an Airplane Without Landing Gear.
17-year-old Maggie Taraska landed her airplane without landing gear on her way to flying solo cross-country.
Everybody Can Be a Hero.
How window cleaners brightened the day at a children’s hospital.
Bigger than Life.
How Premier League superstar Sadio Mané is changing the world beyond soccer.
Going Deep to Deliver Kindness.
Free-dive record holder Enzo Maiorca rescues a trapped dolphin, then watches as it gives birth.
How To Be Free.
Eliza Zenger teaches dance, music and arts to adults with disabilities. Their performance is the most beautiful you will ever see.
The Agony, the Ecstasy, and the Redemption that Olympic Competition Brings.
Derek Redmond, the 400-meter record holder from Great Britain, delivered one of the most inspiring moments in athletic history at the Barcelona games in 2012.
Family of 7 Adopts a Grandpa.
Friends come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. But love is universal.
A Diamond in the Making.
How an everyday superhero saved the day by taking time to go through the garbage to find a stranger’s wedding ring.
Teach Your Children.
How Graham Nash is still leading children into a better future.
Matter In Motion.
How a physics professor is igniting the scientific passions of her female students.
The Enduring Smile of the Mona Lisa Still Calms Us Today.
The mystery and the maternal security of the world’s most famous painting.
Anatomy of a Bestseller.
How “Gray’s Anatomy,” a book of drawings featuring blood vessels, muscles, the nervous system and other squeamish things, came to be one of the world’s most widely read books.
Using the Write Words
How an African American Woman Wrote her Way to Freedom.
The World Awaits You.
The story of the first woman to circumnavigate the world.
Teamwork that Saves Lives.
How a high school baseball team lifted a car off one of their classmates pinned underneath.
From First Response to 11 Years of Friendship.
How EMTs saved a life and then enjoyed living it together.
Simone Biles Springs Her Way Into History.
The sprite athlete with the eternal smile is vaulting her way back into the Olympics after overcoming a bad case of the “twisties.”
The Last Person you Think of Should Probably be the First.
How a group of high school boys practiced the art of inclusion.
Beyond the Moon with an Eye on Mars.
The story of a young woman who dreamed of pushing the boundaries and now designs launch systems for NASA.
Unlikely Friends with Common Roots.
From the StoryCorps archives, a story of two friends from the same side of the tracks, with very different backgrounds.
How Far Would you go for a Friend?
The story of Dindim, the penguin who travels 5,000 miles every year to visit with its rescuer.
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother.
The tender relationship between two brothers is a beacon for us all. A StoryCorps moment that will make your day.
Benny’s Bees.
How a former Marine with PTSD finds solace in service and beekeeping.
From Russia, With Love.
The incredible story of Russian sculptor Andrey and his mission to bring unity to Ukraine and Russia through art.
Everybody’s Grandma.
Connie might have said there was nothing special about her. Her grandchildren and their friends will tell you a different story.
Stay Curious.
The remarkable underwater life of Jacques Cousteau.
Don’t Let a Bad Day Trick You Into Believing You Have a Bad Life.
Allie Newman not only survived cancer but also helps hospitals better meet the needs of teenage cancer patients.
A Voice for Our Time.
The improbable dream journey of singer-songwriter Kodi Lee.
Go Fast, Go Long.
Carroll Shelby left his name on racetracks and cars all over the world. But it was at Le Mans, teamed up with family carmaker Ford, that Shelby ran the race he’ll be remembered for.
Lift Your Voice, Use Your Mind, Lift Others.
How a spark plug of a teacher ignites possibilities within her students in classroom 161.
Sometimes the Wrong Direction is the Right Way.
How a wrong number, a wrong text and a mix-up led to long-lasting friendships.
Walking and Learning and Appreciating what we Have.
Neil King’s walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City uncovered the gems of slowing down.
What we Learn About Ourselves from the Boys in the Boat.
Joe Rantz overcame childhood scarlet fever, abandonment and depression to become the oak-strong oarsman of the winning boat that shocked the world in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
If a Man Asks for Bread, Will You Give Him a Stone?
Treating people, even prisoners, with respect is what food service giant Bill Mouskondis is all about.
When the World Says You Can’t, Listen to the Inner Voice that Says You Can.
The legacy of Susan La Flesche, the first Native American to earn a medical degree.
The Art of Doing Good.
How 18-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Austin Picinich is saving the salmon of Seattle by painting community murals.
Wax On, Wax Off: The Pat Morita Story.
Known primarily for his role as Mr. Miyagi, Pat Morita is a mentor and a big-hearted friend who endured a difficult childhood to become a voice against racism.
To Stay or Run?
The courageous story of a collegiate wrestler who fought a grizzly bear to save a friend. With thanks to the Cowboy State Daily.
Steph Curry Keeps Hitting the Shots that Matter.
In his new book for children, the NBA superstar encourages kids to take courage and believe in themselves — something the once-underrated hoop star understands.
Laughter is the Best Medicine.
While filming ‘Schindler’s List,’ weekly calls from Robin Williams helped Steven Spielberg ease the weight of directing such a heavy film.
You’re Never Too Old to Make a Difference.
British WWll veteran Captain Tom Moore raised over $45 million for charity at age 100.
Climb Higher, Leave Behind what Ails you.
Dr. Rick Nielsen, entrepreneur and founder of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions and the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Utah, has climbed Kilimanjaro 10 times. His wife, Jodi, has summited the mountain twice. They have returned to that mountain so others can feel the pain, and the exhilaration of freedom.
The Science of Happiness.
How a high school senior made sure an entire elementary school got Halloween.
Arthur Brooks, the Professor of Happiness.
Being happy in this life doesn’t come easy for any of us. Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks has discovered timeless ways to find fulfillment and happiness, no matter our situation.
Getting 100 on her Final Exam.
Nola Ochs went back to college at 95 years old. At age 100, she had earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was still taking classes.