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In Episode 12 of Wisdom Exchange, Bruce Sheets reflects on the inspiration behind his tenth book, The Soldiers Cried. He shares his instinctive, title-first approach to writing, his use of AI and Grammarly, and why the joy of creating stories matters more to him than bestseller lists.

At 78, Bruce sees writing as both a passion and a gift—a way to keep creating, imagining new worlds, and taking part in what he calls the universal consciousness. Whether you call it God, the Creator, or something else, he believes it dwells in everything and guides us along paths we may not even realize we’ve chosen.

A personal reflection on creativity, aging, gratitude, and the simple fulfillment of writing.

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Some people find their answer in Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. I respect those traditions. I’ve explored them, along with other beliefs and practices, and I’ve had experiences with psychedelic and psychoactive drugs that shaped my pursuit of higher consciousness. I’ve come to see Buddhism as a philosophy, a religion, or perhaps both, depending on the person and the perspective.

My first introduction to religion came when I was five and my sister took me to Sunday school. Faith wasn’t a visible part of our home. My mother had been raised Mennonite and sometimes sang “The Old Rugged Cross” while peeling potatoes. My father smoked his pipe and built useful things in his woodworking shop. With nine children to raise, my parents may simply have needed a little peace—and Sunday school turned out to be a place I liked.

I made close friends there and sang Methodist hymns, including “I’m in the Lord’s Army,” “I’ve Got a Friend in Jesus,” and “Bringing in the Sheaves”—though I sang “sheeps.” I attended faithfully until I was thirteen, collecting cross-and-crown badges that made me feel like a decorated war hero.

Then a guest minister invited people to come forward, confess their sins, and receive forgiveness. My friend Dennis went up. I stayed in the pew, frightened by the spectacle. When I asked Dennis why he’d done it, he said, “I thought it would be fun.”

A few weeks later, at a school assembly, a priest gave a benediction. I didn’t know what that was, and the unfamiliar ritual left me bewildered. I looked around for a familiar face and spotted Dennis joining in. When I later asked him about it, he explained that everyone else was doing it—and that he enjoyed joining them.

Those moments ended my participation in organized religion. At thirteen, I began reading about religion and asking questions: What draws people to faith? How do they develop it and keep it? Has organized religion done more harm than good?

I’ve spent a lifetime looking for answers. Some people may call me a doubting Thomas. I can live with that. If you’ve found a path that brings you peace, love, and understanding, I’m happy for you—and a little envious.

In this episode: childhood faith, religious tradition, doubt, the search for higher consciousness, and the many ways people try to become good.

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Episode 9: The Pursuit of Happiness… and the Wisdom of Contentment

The Founders wrote "the pursuit of happiness" into our national DNA, but somewhere along the way that pursuit turned into a frantic race. In this episode, Bruce Sheets asks whether the chase has overshadowed the point, and makes the case for valuing contentment over happiness.

In this episode:

• Why the pursuit of happiness became a race for something that slips away the moment we think we've caught it
• How advertising and packed-schedule "experiences" promise joy but deliver something smaller
• The simple pleasures that once defined happiness: holiday gatherings, drop-in visits from friends, a good book, a quiet evening
• The best joys that cost nothing: sunshine, birdsong, children laughing, a walk along the shore, a good meal shared with someone who matters, music, and the turning of the seasons
• Happiness as a spark, contentment as a flame: bright and fleeting versus steady and enduring
• Why money can buy comfort but not peace, love, health, or meaning
• The idea that happiness arrives quietly when we stop chasing everything else

Key takeaway: Slow down, look around, and appreciate the gifts already in your hands. Contentment isn't old-fashioned. It's timeless.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who could use the reminder. Wisdom grows best when we pass it around.

About The Wisdom Exchange: Hosted by Bruce Sheets, The Wisdom Exchange takes a clear-eyed look at the principles that hold a nation together, the values that keep us steady, and the common sense that seems to be slipping through our fingers. New episodes weekly

• Short description (one line): Is the pursuit of happiness worth the chase? Bruce Sheets explores why contentment may be the wiser goal.

Episode 9: The Pursuit of Happiness… and the Wisdom of Contentment

The Founders wrote "the pursuit of happiness" into our national DNA, but somewhere along the way it turned into a frantic race. Host Bruce Sheets asks whether the chase has overshadowed the point, and makes the case for choosing contentment over happiness.

Happiness is a spark, bright and fleeting. Contentment is a flame, steady and enduring. Along the way, Bruce revisits the simple joys that cost nothing: birdsong, a walk along the shore, a good meal shared with someone who matters, and the turning of the seasons.

If this one resonated with you, share it with someone who could use the reminder. Wisdom grows best when we pass it around.

The Wisdom Exchange, hosted by Bruce Sheets, takes a clear-eyed look at the principles that hold a nation together, the values that keep us steady, and the common sense that seems to be slipping through our fingers.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Episode Eight digs into the murky space between democratic norms and the creeping habits of authoritarianism — the grey zone where institutions still exist, but their purpose is bent, blurred, or quietly hollowed out. You explore how democracies rarely collapse in one dramatic moment; instead, they erode through small exceptions, temporary measures, and justifications that sound reasonable in the moment. This episode shows listeners how to recognize those warning signs before they become permanent.

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Episode 7 examines how a series of small political miscalculations, bureaucratic blind spots, and public‑trust failures stack together into a larger crisis — the kind of “mess” that doesn’t come from one dramatic event, but from a chain of avoidable choices.

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Episode Six explores how people in power treat rules as flexible for themselves but rigid for everyone else, and how that double standard quietly erodes the foundations of democratic trust.

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Episode Five looks at a moment when the international democratic order showed visible strain — not behind closed doors, but in full public view. Leaders from Canada, France, and other allies openly pushed back against the United States, signaling that the old rules of alliance politics were no longer holding. Mark Carney warned that the world was entering a period he called a rupture, where smaller nations must stand together because “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” France’s leadership echoed the concern, rejecting pressure tactics and insisting that respect must remain the foundation of democratic partnerships.

The episode traces how these tensions surfaced in disputes like President Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland—a move Denmark dismissed outright and one that raised deeper questions about power, sovereignty, and the stability of long‑standing alliances. Episode Five explores what happens when allies stop quietly absorbing U.S. pressure and instead confront it publicly, revealing a shifting global landscape where democratic norms are tested, and smaller nations fight to keep their seat at the table.

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Episode Three explores the machinery behind democratic processes — not the politicians, not the headlines, but the systems that push outcomes in one direction or another. I walk listeners through how Democracy isn’t just people voting; it’s the entire line of machinery behind the scenes: institutions, incentives, media ecosystems, economic pressures, and the invisible hands that shape public behavior.