mindfulness

Tick Tock, Time to Polish

“Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. … The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.” Seneca We were in 7th grade, and the announcement came that our […]

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Time to Speak

“Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.” ― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly “Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? I am afraid to tell you who I am, because if I tell you who I am, you may not like who I am, and it’s all that I have.” John Joseph Powell My Aunt […]

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Slow Down

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” ~Socrates If I weren’t a bird watcher, I might have easily been convinced that someone was hammering on our house. It turned out, however, there was hammering, but it was on the neighbor’s house. There was no treat awaiting the Red-Bellied Woodpecker who hammered away on the edge […]

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Just a Sliver of Humble Pie

“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” ~Epictetus Taking my aisle seat on the plane, I hoped no one would ask to sit beside me. There was a lady sitting near the window, and we both seemed to like the space between us just the way it was. […]

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Looking for Unexpected Beauty

“No object is so ugly that, under certain conditions of light and shade, or proximity to other things, it will not look beautiful; no object is so beautiful that, under certain conditions, it will not look ugly.” – Oscar Wilde Standing in the checkout line at the grocery, the racks full of tabloids seemed to […]

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Planning to Succeed

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry He was only twelve years old when he flew in a plane for the first time. From that day, he knew he would one day be a pilot. He wasn’t sure how to make it happen at that point, but as he moved […]

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Plans and Projects

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina Hopping into the car, I start merrily on my way early in the morning. I notice the yellow light begins flashing — a reminder that I am almost out of gas. There is a long drive ahead of me, and it’s below […]

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Moving Beyond Fear

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” ― Marie Curie (1867-1934) The hair on the dog’s back ruffled, standing up as if someone had brushed it against the grain. I have a healthy fear of a growling […]

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No Complaints

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.” ― Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now “I can’t believe he…” I switched the band to my other arm. Twenty minutes later, in frustration, I began […]

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The Faces in my Treasure Chest

“Our faces will become works of art that our grandchildren will treasure.” ― Adriana Trigiani, Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from My Grandmothers My grandmother’s face is still visible to me when I close my eyes. Her skin was soft and filled with beautiful gentle wrinkles. My grandma’s face wasn’t as soft, but her face […]

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Thoughts to Encourage

Joy is the will which labors, which overcomes obstacles, which knows triumph.~ William Butler Yeats

Whether you think you can or think you can’t you’re right. - Henry Ford

The best way out is always through. ~ Robert Frost

Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. ~ Theodore N. Vail

Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall. ~ Oliver Goldsmith

You must be the change you want to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

Nothing helps like a good nap…

Birds are Beautiful

A Dog is Faithful…