Have you ever spent lots of time trying to pick out the perfect gift for someone? You find it and and know the person you gift it to will love it. When you gift it, you can see the expression on the other person’s face. They don’t like it. They may say thank you, but you know it’s either going back to the store, regifted, or tossed out. It’s happened to me. One thing is for sure, we can’t control other people and how they respond. We can control our reaction and our attitude. In this case, we expressed our love through our time and careful choice of the right gift. That will never change. We can thank the receiver of the gift for teaching us a great lesson: always be grateful. The gift wasn’t the physical present. It was the effort and love behind it.
love
Today’s Poem: A Friend by Edgar Albert Guest
A Friend
Edgar Albert Guest
A friend is one who stands to share
Your every touch of grief and care.
He comes by chance, but stays by choice;
Your praises he is quick to voice.
No grievous fault or passing whim
Can make an enemy of him.
And though your need be great or small,
His strength is yours throughout it all.
No matter where your path may turn
Your welfare is his chief concern.
No matter what your dream may be
He prays your triumph soon to see.
There is no wish your tongue can tell
But what it is your friend’s as well.
The life of him who has a friend
Is double-guarded to the end.
Today’s Poem: Daybreak by John Donne
Daybreak
John Donne
STAY, O sweet and do not rise!
The light that shines comes from thine eyes;
The day breaks not: it is my heart,
Because that you and I must part.
Stay! or else my joys will die
And perish in their infancy.
Today’s Poem: Life’s Mirror by Madeline S. Bridges
Life’s Mirror
Madeline S. Bridges
There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave,
There are souls that are pure and true;
Then give to the world the best that you have,
And the best will come back to you.
Give love, and love to your life will flow,
A strength in your utmost need;
Have faith, and a score of hearts will show
Their faith in your work and deed.
Give truth, and your gift will be paid in kind,
And honor will honor meet;
And the smile which is sweet will surely find
A smile that is just as sweet.
Give sorrow and pity to those who mourn;
You will gather in flowers again
The scattered seeds from your thought outborne
Though the sowing seemed but vain.
For life is the mirror of king and slave,
‘Tis just what we are and do;
Then give to the world the best that you have
And the best will come back to you.
Today’s Quote: Love is All
Love received and love given comprise the best form of therapy. ~ Gordon Allport
Today’s Poem: Once a Great Love by Yehuda Amichai
Once a Great Love
Yehuda Amichai
Once a great love cut my life in two.
The first part goes on twisting
at some other place like a snake cut in two.
The passing years have calmed me
and brought healing to my heart and rest to my eyes.
And I’m like someone standing in the Judean desert, looking at a sign:
“Sea Level”
He cannot see the sea, but he knows.
Thus I remember your face everywhere
at your “face Level.”
Today’s Thought: Happy Birthday, America
Things we take for granted: good health, love, friendship, and freedom. We feel great until we don’t. We’ve all had backaches. They’re no fun. We’re in love and it feels great until love no longer is nearby. For those of us who live in free countries, we’re free until we’re not. Whether it’s health, love, friendship, or freedom, they take constant vigilance to maintain. Freedom in U.S. came at the price of the lives of many brave men and women. One thing we can agree on is that we are a free people and we will always be vigilant to protect our freedom. Happy Birthday, America!
Today’s Poem: Always by Pablo Neruda
Always
Pablo Neruda
I am not jealous
of what came before me.
Come with a man
on your shoulders,
come with a hundred men in your hair,
come with a thousand men between your breasts and your feet,
come like a river
full of drowned men
which flows down to the wild sea,
to the eternal surf, to Time!
Bring them all
to where I am waiting for you;
we shall always be alone,
we shall always be you and I
alone on earth
to start our life!
Today’s Quote: Where it All Comes Together
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. ~ Victor Hugo
Today’s Thought: Don’t Wait Until It is Too Late
I live on a cul-de-sac. Two of the homes are getting new roofs today. My roof replacement is scheduled for this month. A lot of homes in my area have already had new roofs. All of this is a result of a spring hail storm. You don’t think about getting a roof replaced untl you need your roof replaced. That’s a lot like life. We don’t think about our health until something happens. When it does we do all we can to get back to a healthy state. Like our roof, we often take our health for granted. It’s the same way with relationships. We may take our relationship with the most important people in our lives for granted. When we lose one of these people it strikes to our core because they can’t be replaced like a roof. Don’t take the important things in your life for granted. They are gifts. Work at staying healthy. Work at letting those close to you know you love them. You’ll never regret doing so.
