time

life is so busy these days - for everyone. work, school, family, housekeeping, errands... we're so busy, our minds are so overloaded with thoughts and information that we forget many things.

we often forget to take time for ourselves. we need to balance our lives - time for necessities, time for problem solving, and time for PLEASURE! if stress outweighs fun for too long, we may lose our good health and our happiness.

the things i do for fun include reading, watching tv and movies, talking to friends and family, taking photos, writing, and traveling. what do you do for fun? make some time this week to do one of those things. pay attention to how you feel during and after the fun. enjoy the moments!

i thought these quotes were appropriate:

The secret of life is enjoying the passing of time.
– James Thurber

Appreciate the present hour…. Sit and hear your own breathing and look out on the universe and be content…. One does not have to do something to pass the time; time can pass by itself.
– Lin Yutang

take time to work, it is the price of success.
take time to think, it is the source of power.
take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth.
take time to read, it is the foundation of wisdom.
take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
take time to love and be loved, it is the privilege of the gods.
take time to share, life is too short to be selfish.
take time to laugh, laughter is the music of the soul.
- unknown

our land

i haven't been inspired to write in a while. a song inspired me just now. i've been singing around the house for years now, and here's one i particularly like:

This land is your land

As I went walking
That ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
I saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus:
This land is your land
This land is my land
From California to the NY islands
From the redwood forests
To the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

Well I roamed and I rambled
Followed my footsteps to
The sparkling sands of
Her Diamond deserts
While all around me
A voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

Well the sun came shining
And I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting
A voice was chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus


it reminded me to stay grounded in the concept of 'our land' as the politicians are campaigning for president. no matter how you look at it - democrat, republican, etc. - the point is to improve 'our land.' i hope we'll get the best person for the job.

don't forget to vote!

and you?

have you ever thought about what qualities you might possess that can make the world a better place? i am grateful for the ones i have...
my smile and friendly manner reach out to people and make them feel good
my joy of spending time with children, helping them learn and building their self-esteem
my eye for seeing beauty in the world and capturing that in photos
my love of language and writing, allowing me to reach a wider group of people than only the ones i know
my strength of spirit, helping me to face any struggle
my curiosity, leading me to explore the world and spirituality

thank you God for giving me these gifts! it is my goal to put them to good use.

reduce! reuse! recylce!

i'm forever frustrated by the way so many people think nothing of polluting our environment. what a nice surprise it was to find my pharmacy now using plastic that can be easily recycled! i rest a little easier knowing that part of the waste i make won't end up in a landfill.

i think our world is a beautiful place. i'm happy to work to keep it that way.

momentum

sometimes it takes a change to get us moving. that is just what bill and i will be doing october 23rd! the apt is 3.5 miles from kristin-mike-winnie, 2 bedrooms, accessible, faces south (sunny), and has a fireplace. bill will have an hour or so commute, but he might take trains to avoid traffic. it's on a busy road full of stores and restaurants, not a small town that bill and i would like. besides the commute and the neighborhood, it's just what we need.

so, we're busy getting the house ready to sell and our stuff ready to move. being busy feels good. a 2 month time line gives us a good kick in the pants and we're on a roll! this is a positive change we've been wanting for a while. wish us luck!

making a difference

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. -- Jane Goodall

i like this quote a lot and i let it guide the way i interact with people - friends or strangers. when i see a person, i want to make a positive difference in their life. a smile, a hug, a listening ear, a pep talk; these are all positive things i can offer. i know that people who give these things to me make my life better. the least i can do is return the favor.

this quote is important to keep in mind, too:
If you think you are too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito. -- Anonymous

when i take a photo, make a phone call, or post on this blog, i hope the difference i make is a positive one.

friends or angels

below is a list of family and friends who have touched my life. if your name isn't here, i most likely don't have your birthday. i made this list from the names on my master birthday calendar. i am very grateful to have such a long list!

i've been thinking a lot about how God works in our lives. i think God often speaks to us through people we know. so i often think of friends as angels. most recently, my angel/friend, Denise, sent me some books and CDs that have helped me focus my thinking on spirituality. so, thank you God and thank you Denise for helping me along my journey. thank you to the rest of you for bringing your light into my life.

yes, from now on i will be including some of my views on spirituality. i don't pretend to know what is fact. i won't try to convince you to agree with my thinking. i'm just putting my positive thoughts out into the world.

Thank you,
Alexander, Allison, Amy, Andee, Andy, Angela, Ann, Anne, Beecher, Benjamin, Betty, Betty Lou, Bill, Bonnie, Brian, Brianna, Bridget, Brooke, Bruce, Carol, Charlene, Charlotte, Chaz, Cheri, Christian, Christina, Chuck, Cindy, Claire, Cliff, Dale Leslie, Darryl, Dave, David, Deb, Dee, Denise, Don, Donna, Dorothy, Dwight, Ed, Edie, Elizabeth, Ellie, Emily, Erin, Faith, Fallyn, Fidget, Fran, Gail, Georgia, Ginger, Glen, Grace, Greg, Hannah, Helen, Homer Dale, Jack, Jacob, Jacques, Jamey, Jamie, Janet, Jean, Jennifer, Jerry Bill, Jessica, Jim, Joanna, John, JoLynn, Judy, Julia, Julie, June, Karen, Kathie, Kathy, Katie, Kay, Keith, Kelly, Ken, Kirk, Kristin, Larry, Laura, Laurie, Leslie, Liesl, Lisa, Lori, Lorraine, Manley, Marc, Marcia, Marjorie, Martha, Martin, Matt, Melissa, Michelle, Mike, Milo, Monica, Nancy, Nicholas, Nicky, Noah, Norma, Norman, Pamela, Pat, Patricia, Patti, Phyllis, Rachel, Rama, Raymond, Rebecca, Richard, Rob, Roger (Gabby), Ruthie, Sally, Sam, Sandy, Sarah, Sean, Skittles, Skyler, Stephanie, Steve, Sue, Susan, Susanne, Tamika, Tara, Teresa, Terry, Tina, Tinny, Tobin, Tom, Trish, Viola, Watson, Wayne, Winifred, Winnie