Laughter

I was with my pinochle playing card group when something unexpected happened.  We claim we play pinochle but mostly we are just friends sharing our lives, successes, failures, and just being ourselves.  One night we were talking and we all suddenly burst out laughing after one of us spoke.  It wasn't a joke, we were just laughing at ourselves.  We were laughing so hard, we had tears in our eyes.  It was such fun to let go of the worries of our world and just simply enjoy being together. 

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."  Unknown

"When a smile breaks open into laughter, hearts open! Laughter creates space, ease and connection.  Laughter is our soul's joy song."  Tracee Ellis Ross, actress

The difference in our joy involves whether we are laughing with someone or at someone.  This is a very important distinction! 

"Don't laugh at other people. When you do, the people around you naturally wonder whether you sometimes laugh at them."  Jeff Haden, writer

Let It Snow

I made myself a snowball,

As perfect as could be,

I thought I'd keep it as a pet, 

And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas,

And a pillow for its head.

Then last night it ran away, 

But first--it wet the bed.  

Unknown

Good friends never "run" away!  Have a wonderful life and share a laugh with someone!

Giving Back

"If you are lucky enough to be successful, you have a responsibility to give back.  We're all intertwined. We're responsible to make the world a better place for one another."
               Lori Greiner, inventor, entrepreneur and co-host of Shark Tank.

I recently heard about a program at University of Dayton in Ohio.  Recent graduates from college have taken a year to live in groups of four with other graduates in a challenged, poor and under-served community.  They are choosing and offering a year of service to their community to make a difference in the lives of others who have not had opportunities, encouragement and support systems to inspire them. 

According to Alma Powell and General Colin Powell, "Devoting  a year after high school or college to serve their community lets them join with others in works of healing.  This cause of helping children become healthy, moral, skilled adults is the cause that will determine the future of our nation. Raising children prepared for lives of accomplishment, self-respect, and contribution is our core responsibility.  We can make a difference, one caring adult and one child at a time."

"Be ye fishers of men.  You catch 'um--He'll clean 'em" 

"Are you fishing or just preoccupied with the net?" 
                                               Both taken from a church bulletin

Are you ready to make a difference? We can't save the world but we can lessen the burden of just one person we meet.  It is easy to look away or at the computer or cell phone.  It takes love to reach out!

Martin Luther King, Jr

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day.  It seems fitting to remind readers of some of his quotes that are still very relevant and insightful.  Rev. King had a special way of targeting the simplicity of truth to highlight issues and find non-violent responses.  He knew that the heart of conflict is often very simple. All of us are human beings with the same physical, emotional and psychological needs.  We all need each other in order to co-exist peacefully in this world that we all share.  We need to take the time to learn to truly know each other as a person and begin to appreciate and cherish our differences. 

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.  This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." 
Martin Luther King from his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964

It is easy to take the easy way of hearing only what we want to hear, or to block out others whose needs are immediate, urgent and heart-rending. It could be us in that situation. We must do what is right if we want to survive as a society because we are all vulnerable at some point in our lives.  We all need each other; there is no safe, isolated existence.  Life, in all of its uncertainty, is messy, illogical, filled with many disparities in wealth, health, environment, race, color, creed, sexual orientation, faith, education, stability, resources, work opportunities, etc. Yet we all experience illness, death, grief, wars, disasters, pain, suffering and isolation from others because of our shared humanity.  We are more the same than we are different. 

We need unconditional love for each other and the ability to show mercy before we can face ourselves in the mirror.  We need to do the "right thing" and be the example of how to unite the world rather than destroy it.  We only have one world to share.

"For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory."  Dr. Martin Luther King from "I've been to the mountaintop," April 3, 1968   

Victory for a peaceful world that helps to make all dreams come true. Thank you Rev. King!

Water In The Glass

"A well-known proverb states that an optimistic would say a glass is half full, while a pessimist would say it is half empty.  What would people of different professions and walks of life say?

The BANKER would say that the glass has just under 50% of its net worth in liquid assets.

The GOVERNMENT would say that the glass is fuller than if the opposition party were in power.

The OPPOSITION would say that it is irrelevant because the present administration has changed the way such volume statistics are collected.

The PHILOSOPHER would say that, if the glass was in the forest and no one was there to see it, would it be half anything? 

The PSYCHIATRIST would ask, "What did your mother say about the glass?"

The PHYSICIST would say that the volume of this cylinder is divided into two equal parts; one a colorless, odorless liquid, the other a colorless, odorless gas. Thus the cylinder is neither full nor empty.  Rather, each half of the cylinder is full, one with a gas, one with a liquid.

A SEASONED DRINKER would say that the glass doesn't have enough ice in it." 

Taken from a church bulletin.  

Each of us have to decide what the water in the glass means to us. Do our daily thoughts and actions reflect a positive view of life or do we choose to see the negative aspects of being a human being?  It is truly up to us to send out ripples of love or ripples of discontent or anger. Love can be very contagious as we see rainbows after the rain or smiles through the tears.  

"No matter how dark it gets, we all have to be light for each other." Tyler Perry, writer, actor and director.

Become the light for someone or others!  

Children Learn What They Live

If words have power, example has massively potent energy. 

I had my grandchildren over for the holidays and as we ate breakfast, I observed the children taking pancakes, putting butter and syrup on them and eating heartily.  I am a diet-controlled diabetic.  I always put only fresh fruit on my pancakes.  As we were eating, the kids asked why I did not use syrup.  I explained that while syrup tastes good, it has a high sugar content and empty calories. 
The next time we had pancakes at my house, one of my grandchildren quietly ate her pancakes with only fresh fruit.  It was never discussed, it was simply observation and respectful imitation. 

"One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world."  Malala Yousafzai, who at 17 won the Nobel Peace Prize for her movement to ensure girls all over the world have a right to an education

"You are powerful when you are positive, and you are even more powerful when you share your positivity with others." Jon Gordon, author and inspirational speaker

"Today choose forgiveness over self-pity.  Choose vulnerability over putting up walls.  Choose joy over fear."  Guidepost reader Alina Paliy of Agawam, Massachusetts

You are the greatest example to the children in your life. How can we teach our children not to smoke, drink, use drugs, have angry outbursts, be intolerant of others, bully others, criticize, complain, judge and gossip about others, be irresponsible, be unkind, or other undesirable traits if we model them ourselves? 

We have the opportunity to help children to learn what they live by our own example. Be the kind of person we want our children to become.  We are all teachers! 

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