Reach Out To Someone Today
I’m an extreme introvert. I could go months, happily, without seeing another person, other than the Dear Wonderful Hubby.
(smiles)
But even I will admit we all need some human interaction from time to time.
And one of the humans you love would love to hear from you.
Consider dropping them a short email. Or sending them a card via snail mail. Or, if you’re into that sort of thing (shudders), picking up the phone and calling them.
Tell them you’re thinking of them. And that you care.
Your heart will thank you for this!
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Slow The World For A Moment
The holiday season can be go-go-go.
Our to-do lists are long. Our days are jam packed with events. We want to do everything for everyone with everyone.
But stop for a moment every day.
Be still.
Be present. Completely.
Watch the lights twinkle. Close your eyes and listen to a favorite holiday song or a loved one’s purring (smiles). Inhale the aroma of freshly baked gingerbread. Try to detect each individual spice. Savor that piece of orange. Think of what a gift to your body that is.
This exact moment will never come around again.
Enjoy it.
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Slowing Down
My writing schedule has slowed. Significantly.
And I love this. I can relax more and embrace every word written. I have more time to think about the scene I’ll soon write. I can daydream about the story and devote more time to the small details.
It is glorious.
In today’s world, we’re encouraged to rush, rush, rush. Rush through meals. Rush through the morning shower. Sleep less. Drive faster. Take the shortest routes.
This can be great. Especially if it allows us to spend more time with our loved ones or our dreams.
But slowing down can also be wonderful. Sitting around the table with our loved ones (human, furry or other), enjoying a meal, chatting can be magical. Taking a longer route can be an adventure. A longer shower can be a source of inspiration. Sleep…well…sleep is lovely. (smiles)
It is okay to slow down.
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Comfort Foods
It is Fall/Autumn in my corner of the universe.
I often associate this time of year with comfort foods. My favorite comfort foods are dishes or drinks like chicken noodle soup, hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, roasted squash/courgette. They are warm and flavorful and are the food equivalent of a hug.
(smiles)
What are your favorite comfort foods?
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Resting Is A Valuable Action
I told someone I had taken a nap.
They told me I shouldn’t be so lazy. I should be working.
It was said as a ‘joke’. But I know they truly feel that way.
And that’s wrong, so very, very wrong.
Thinking of rest, of sleep as being lazy or non-productive is dangerous, unhealthy thinking.
Rest is REQUIRED by our bodies. It is when our cells repair or replace themselves the most.
And that includes our brain cells.
If we lie down and we fall asleep, our bodies NEEDED that sleep.
If we’re tired, our bodies NEED sleep. That’s our brain telling us to get our a$$ to bed. It isn’t a funsie or random message. It is a cry for help from our brains and our bodies.
During times of stress or grief, we usually need more rest. Because stress and grief f*ck up our bodies. It damages our bodies and our brains. And we require more time focused on healing.
If you’re tired, sleep.
You need it.
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A Challenging Year Of Gardening
This year was a challenging one for gardening in my corner of the universe.
There was drought. And extreme winds. And a lot of insect and squirrel pressure.
The harvest was…okay. Because we grew a variety of vegetables. Some did poorly (like the tomatoes). But some did very well (like the zucchini i.e. courgettes and the raspberries).
It wasn’t anything to get super excited about.
But gardening still ‘paid’ back, not only in savings on vegetables (which are super expensive in the grocery stores) but also in serenity.
Wandering around the garden, listening to the birds and the bees, touching the soil and the plants calms me.
A recent research study claims that listening to bird song decreases the possibility of emotional depression. There are many studies around the benefits of connecting with the soil, how it grounds us (pun intended – grins).
My garden is a sanctuary in a trying world.
And that is priceless.
(smiles)
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Dollar Store Books And Giving Back
The Dear Wonderful Hubby purchased a bunch of children’s books at a nearby Dollar Store and I’ve been restocking the neighborhood Little Free Library with them.
You might be thinking,
‘The books cost $1. People can buy those books for themselves.’
First thing, the Dollar Store is now the One Dollar And Twenty-Five Cents Store.
(grins)
Inflation is a kicker.
And, when I was a kid, my Awesome Mom couldn’t spare $1 for awesome things like books. We didn’t always eat. That $1 was much needed for food and other life essentials.
So yes, Dollar Store books freely given to people DO make a difference. They’ll give people joy.
And isn’t it amazing that we can make others happy with $1.25?
(smiles)
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There Will Always Be Joy
I know that life can be tough right now. All might seem bleak. And we worry about the future.
But know there will always be joy. There will always be love. There will always be laughter.
I know this for certain because I grew up in a hostile environment. My dad was a monster. We never knew if we’d survive an interaction with him. We were dirt poor. Some days, we didn’t eat. We didn’t have running water. The bathroom was an outhouse or, sometimes, a hole in the ground. The winters were long and cold.
But stars, we had some laughs. (smiles) We would swim in the storm-water-filled ditches, rolling in the mud. We would tell very bad jokes. We would bump shoulders and smack backs and lovingly call each other silly names. We had fun.
And you and I will have fun in the future.
That is a certainty, my friend.
(big hugs)
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Take Every Opportunity To Celebrate
One of our much beloved uncles has dementia. He doesn’t remember names. And he doesn’t recognize very many loved ones now.
But he does recognize love when he sees it.
And he LOVES going to parties. That brings him great joy.
So his family has been throwing parties for any reason they can derive.
We recently attended a 100 day celebration for one of this uncle’s great-grandchildren. This is a new celebration for the family. (smiles) But everyone who could attended showed up.
Because we knew what the celebration was truly about.
And hey, it IS a celebration. I think we should celebrate as many things as much as possible. Stars. Being alive is worthy of celebration!
Create a celebration. Host a party or go out to dinner or stay at home and eat an ice cream cone while wearing your pajamas!
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Very Bad Fish Jokes
(The Dear Wonderful Hubby took all of these photos at the Lost Chambers Aquarium in Dubai.)
Studies show that laughter makes you live longer. I can guarantee it makes you live happier!
(grins)
And I want that for you.
So here are some VERY bad fish jokes…
*
What do you call bad fishing bait?
A fail-lure!
*
Why did the fish blush?
It saw the river’s bottom.
*
What do fish take to stay healthy?
Vitamin Sea!
Why are fish good lawyers?
They like to de-bait!
*
What do you call a salmon wearing a tie?
So-fish-ticated!
*
Dave won a contest for having the longest fishing line.
He’s still reeling!
