Chapter 5, Page 31, Book 18

The year’s at the spring,

And day’s at the morn;

Mornings at seven’

The hill side’s dew pearled;

The lark’s on the wing;

The snail’s on the thorn;

God’s in his Heaven—

All’s right with the world!

Robert Browning

Saying goodbye to May and looking forward to June

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.

W. Earl Hall

May was a very busy and JOY filled month for me.  We started and ended with parties and I loved every moment, but I’m ready for June and peace filled days.  For me the month will be a quiet one with lots of sun and shade to enjoy here.  

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months and with as yet, no sign to remind one that it’s fresh beauty will ever fade.

Gertrude Jekyll

Our pool will open and I have my wonderful sun porch to sit on and enjoy the shade.  This post is filled with pictures more than words but isn’t a picture worth more than a thousand words at times.

I’m wishing you all wonderful last day of the merry month of May.  And hoping that June brings nothing but peace and happiness your way!

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to treat, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius 

 

Chapter 5, Page 30, Book 18

There are positive and negative thoughts.  And hey, it doesn’t cost you a cent more to think positively.

Angelo Dundee

Stay positive, look on the bright side—don’t let things get you down.

Don’t ever let anybody steal your sunshine

Sometimes all it takes to ruin a day is to be affected by another's anger or frustration.  It tends to take away our own joy.

Hurtful words do so much to bring us down when just a few moments before we were feeling joy.  People don’t realize just how much they can affect others.

As hard as it may be, we cannot let the hurtful words of others take control of our mind.  What negative people say and do shouldn’t be taken to heart.  Truth is if you act like their words don’t affect you, it ruins it for them.  

It’s best to try to spend less time with people who don’t lift us up and give that time to others who do.  We  get to decide  who we want in our life.    Sometimes its even better to be alone than in bad company.  People that influence us to judge or hate others are bad company.

Let others leave their future in someone else’s hand, but not you.

Jim Rohn

Chapter 5, Page 29, Book 18

As we express our gratitude, 

we must never forget that

the highest appreciation 

is not to utter the words, 

but to live by them.

John F. Kennedy

As we honored our service men and women yesterday with Memorial Day, it made me think about the fact that we too can be of some service every day.  We can pick up trash on the block we live or help a neighbor in need.  There is some way, be it great or small,  that we can be of service to someone one somewhere. 

Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him. 

Albert Schweitzer

Service is finding ways to show people that they matter.  Whether it’s by helping someone lift something heavy or by offering a listening ear, service can be given in many different ways.

The truth is that when we help others we also help ourselves. It can act as a pick me up.   It makes us happier and healthier too.

If you always give, you will always have.

Proverb

Chapter 5, Page 28, Book 18

Memorial Day 

What is there to do when people die — people so dear and rare — but bring them back by remembering.

May Sarton

On this Memorial Day let us pray for peace.

The Peace Prayer of Saint Frances

Lord make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy

O divine Master, grant I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

I do wish you all a safe and happy Memorial Day.  What ever you may be doing today, take a moment to remember those that have served our country even unto death.

Remember too, all those we loved and lost and say a prayer for peace.  Peace begins with each and every one of us.

Chapter 5, Page 27, Book 18

Life is short, and it’s up to you to make it sweet.

Sadie Delany

The sweetness of life

Sweet is the smile of home; the mutual look when hearts are of each other sure. 

John Keeble.

I can never say enough about the importance of home and family.  Although my children are long gone and have families and homes of their own, I hope that in some small way they will always remember the sweetness of home and that they too try to create a place where every one is comfortable, relaxed and can find refuge from the storms of life.

By home, we mean a place the mind can settle…a refuge to which we flee in the expectation of finding calm peace, the soothing kindnesses, which are the sweetness of life.

James Bean

They say that Home is Where the Heart is.  To me a cozy home is lived in and a space that shows you’ve been there. A home is where memories are made and love is shared.  When we think of the people we laugh with the most it’s often our closest family and friends.

Celebrate we will, for life is short but sweet for certain.

Dave Matthews

Be it ever so humble there is really no place quite like home sweet home.  

That it will never come again  is what makes life so sweet.

Emily Dickinson

Chapter 5, Page 26, Book 18

The world is governed more by appearance than realities so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it.

Daniel Webster

Appearances are not always what they seem.

Be not deceived with the first appearance of things, for show is not substance.

English Proverb

One thing I’ve learned is things are not always what they appear to be on the outside and especially when it comes to people.  We have been told that we mustn’t judge a book by it’s cover but the fact is that too often people do judge others by appearance.  

I’ve been fooled by someone with good looks but bad intentions before.  And have also made a first judgment that I later regretted too.

Don’t jump to conclusions.  We need to look carefully and closely to see what the truth is about someone, or some thing, that might not be immediately obvious.

We perceive things as we see them, but it’s better to take a second look or a third before we actually know just what it is we are seeing.

All that glitters is not gold.

Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quxote

Chapter 5, Page 25, Book 18

Too often, we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear…an honest implement or the smallest act of caring…all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Leo Buscaslia

Encourage one another

I can live two months on one good compliment.

Mark Twain

One of the easiest ways to express love to others is to help them feel valuable.  One way to do this is with a sincere complement. We all need validation and we all want to feel we matter.  

Most people are quick to compare themselves with others and often fail to see their own abilities and worth.  But it takes very little time to make them feel valuable in their own right.

Making them feel valuable won’t cost money, but gives them something worth more than anything money can buy — the feeling of worthiness .

Spread a little sunshine today by giving a genuine compliment with all the sincerity you can and make someone’s day!

I wonder why it is that we are not all kinder 

to each other than we are.  How much the 

world needs it!  How easily it is done!

Henry Drummond

Chapter 5, Page 24, Book 18

Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right now.  Don’t miss it.

Leo Buscaglia 

Live in the present moment.

It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future and impassive to live in the past.  Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.

Jim Bishop

We think we know what we are going to do today or will do tomorrow or even next year.  However the truth is we have no idea what kind of life will be ours tomorrow.

Its our reaction to the tenuousness of our lives that counts.  We can live in fear and insecurity or we can live life in the present moment with zeal.  To do what we can while we can and enjoy every moment we have.

As I grow to understand life less and less,

I learn to live it more and more

Jules Renard

Chapter 5, Page 23, Book 18

The Few Things

You Really Need to Remember

Remember that your presence is a present to the world.

Remember that you are a unique and unrepeatable creation.

Remember that your life can be what you want it to be.

Remember to take the days just one at a time.

Remember to count your blessings, not your troubles

Remember that you’ll make it through whatever comes along

Remember that most of the answers you need are within you 

Remember those dreams waiting to be realized.

Remember that decisions are too important to leave to chance

Remember to always reach for the best that is within you.

Remember nothing wastes more energy than worry.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Remember that the longer carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.

Remember not to take things too seriously

Remember to laugh.

Remember that a little love goes a long way

Remember that a lot goes forever

Remember that happiness is more found in giving

Remember that life’s treasures are people, not things.

Remember that miracles can still happen.  

Memory is a funny thing…

A life worth living is a life worth remembering.

There are few things in life that are truly worth remembering but I think the list above is a good one to always remember.  My memory is nothing to brag about but what matters is that I do remember the important things in life.

I hope I never forget what truly matters.  

Our values matter.  They act as anchors in storms and keep us from aimlessly blowing in the wind to nowhere.

Our relationships matter. Family and friends are so important and give meaning and purpose to our lives .  

Faith Matters.  It inspires us, leads and directs and moves us to do, to overcome, to believe and accomplish.

By remembering what truly matters, life seems to easily fall in place.  Love above all else will make things right.

Always remember to be happy because you never know who’s falling in live with your smile.

Author Unknown

Chapter 5, Page 22, Book 18

Don’t let the fear of the time it takes to accomplish

something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will

pass anyway:  we might just as well put that passing time

to the best possible use.

Earl Nightingale

There are always reasons to be found for not doing things.  More and more people go with the tide and let others decide what they will do.

I’ve learned that it is important to be myself and decide what I want to do with my life and not let others decide for me.  What I do is my choice and no one can take that away from me.

Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you’ll be criticized anyway.

You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

Eleanor Roosevelt

At the end of the day, nobody else can tell you what makes you happy, We know ourselves better than anyone else. When we follow our hearts we have no regrets. When we are in tune with what our hearts are saying to us to do, we find what direction we should take. 

To do what is right is always the best direction and so we do it anyway...

It’s impossible, said pride.

It’s risky, said experience.

It’s pointless, said reason.

Let’s do it anyway, said the heart.

Author Unknown

Chapter 5, Page 21, Book 18

Brighten Your Corner

We cannot all be famous

or be listed in ‘Who’s Who’

But ever persons, great or small,

has important work to do.

For seldom do we realized 

the importance of small deeds,

Or to what degree of greatness

unnoticed kindness leads.

For it’s not the big celebrities 

in a world of fame and praise,

But it’s doing unpretentiously 

in an undistinguished way.

The work the God assigned to us.

unimportant as it seems,

That makes our task outstanding,

and brings reality to dreams.

So do not sit and idly wish

for wider, new dimensions

where you can put into practice

your many good intentions.

But at the spot God placed you

begin at once to do

Little things to brighten up 

the lives surrounding you.

If everybody brightened up

the spot where their standing,

By being more considerate

and a little less demanding.

This dark old world would very soon

eclipse the evening star,

If everybody brightened up

the corner where they are.

Author Unknown

Brighten up, lighten up

You can’t change what happened last week

but you can learn from it,

and choose happiness this week.

Anton K. Kressnig

This is a reminder to start off this new week with a SMILE!

It’s Monday…time to sparkle and shine!

Chapter 5, Page 20, Book 18

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

Helen Keller

live life with feeling

When a man is able to connect with his feelings, he able to care more.

Warren Farrell

Our lives are filled with many feelings like sadness and anger, but they also stop us from feeling happiness and joy.  We have a wide range of emotions and feelings that help us to grow as people.  They are often messengers which single something important that we need to pay attention to.

Sadness  is as much a part of life as happiness is.   We learn about what’s import to us through our feelings.  In many ways they are the essence of life. We feel hurt because we love so hurt is a sign that you’ve let love in.  

The best way to deal with our feelings is to simply accept them for what they are.  Our thoughts and feelings are all connected.

You only get one life, so you might as feel all the feelings.

Greta Gerwig