I love Thanksgiving. I love the tradition, the gathering of family and friends and, of course, the food! I especially love the idea of giving thanks. When we acknowledge how fortunate we are, we become better human beings. When we give thanks, we’re filled with a joy and inner peace that comes from sincere gratitude and appreciation. Giving thanks puts things in perspective. We all have hurts, hardships, and hurdles, but giving thanks for our bounty, benefits and blessings causes us to see our lives from a different point of view. Thankfulness generates positive feelings that fill up the holes in our hearts. If you want to have the best Thanksgiving ever, here’s a suggestion. Today, start an on-going list… [Read More]
Are You Fun?
What a pleasure it is to be around people who are fun. Not the silly, goofy, loud, always-joking-around kind of people. They can be annoying. I’m talking about the people who smile, who are optimistic, who have the gift of finding a little humor even in difficult situations, and who make the time you spend with them enjoyable. They make you glad that you were in their presence, and you feel more energized, happier, and more positive just from having been with them. A wonderful story is told about Theodore Roosevelt. The day of his funeral, as the ceremonial procession moved slowly and solemnly along Pennsylvania Avenue, there was a policeman standing on a street corner. As the funeral procession… [Read More]
Stop Whining!
I have very little patience with whiners. You know – those people who snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way. In fact, a family mantra that we frequently repeat to our grandchildren is this: “Alexanders don’t whine!” It’s annoying when children whine; when adults whine, it’s a serious irritant. On a trip to the Monterey/Carmel area of California, I visited one of Monterey’s best attractions – the city’s world-class aquarium. The aquarium houses not only a fantastic collection of aquatic life but also a small exhibit dedicated to the sardine industry that once made Monterey Bay the sardine capitol of the world. In the first two decades of the twentieth century, the canneries produced as many as 1,400,000 cases… [Read More]
The Same Old Same Old?
Thanksgiving is a distant memory. Christmas, Hanukah, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day are over. You’ve finished the leftovers, opened presents (and perhaps returned a few), toasted the new year, and eaten black-eyed peas. The only remnants of the holidays that remain are some gifts you haven’t yet returned, football playoffs, the NCAA championship, the Super Bowl, and perhaps a few extra pounds. In the last week or so, I’ve heard several people comment, “I’m so ready to get back to my routine”. The question is: Is your “routine” what you need to get back to? Does it serve you well? Are you satisfied with the results of your day-to-day activities? If so, great! Good for you. If not,… [Read More]
Looking Back, Looking Forward
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” Anonymous “What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.” Colette In Roman mythology, there was a god called Janus. Janus was the god of gates, doors, beginnings, endings, and time. Most often he is depicted as having two heads facing opposite directions; one head looks back while the other looks forward. His principle temple in the Forum, ancient Rome’s center of political and social activity, had doors facing east and west to mark the beginning and end of the day, and between the doors stood his statue gazing in opposite directions. Janus… [Read More]
