What image or idiom will make it clearer? ~ George Orwell
My Kingdom
Louisa May Alcott
Sitting to-day in the sunshine,
That touched me with fingers of love,
I thought of the manifold blessings
God scatters on earth, from above;
And they seemed, as I numbered them over,
Far more than we merit, or need,
And all that we lack is the angels
To make earth a heaven indeed.
The winter brings long, pleasant evenings,
The spring brings a promise of flowers
That summer breathes to fruition,
And autumn brings glad, golden hours.
The woodlands re-echo with music,
The moonbeams ensilver the sea;
There is sunlight and beauty about us,
And the world is as fair as can be.
But mortals are always complaining,
Each one thinks his own a sad lot;
And forgetting the good things about him,
Goes mourning for those he has not.
Instead of the star-spangled heavens,
We look on the dust at our feet;
We drain out the cup that is bitter,
Forgetting the one that is sweet.
We mourn o’er the thorn in the flower,
Forgetting its odour and bloom;
We pass by a garden of blossoms,
To weep o’er the dust of the tomb.
There are blessings unnumbered about us, –
Like the leaves of the forest they grow;
And the fault is our own – not the Giver’s –
That we have not an Eden below.
A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others. Confucius
Strike a Pose
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I’m not talking about Voguing and most certainly not encouraging duck-lip selfies, but referring to another mind-body correlation practice known as “power posing.” While my signature move (both on and off the dance floor) used to be “freezing in fear” when heightened anxiety kicked in, I now try assuming a physical stance that signals confidence to signal my mind to follow suit. According to social psychologist and Harvard Professor, Amy Cuddy, who researches power posing and body language cues, when our bodies become stress-reactive, we tend to shut down mentally. Cuddy notes, “Our bodies change our minds, and our minds change our behavior, and our behavior changes our outcomes.” Practicing posturing confidently enables me to psyche myself into mental resilience and subdue anxiety. And I think it’s improved my actual posture.
The Beatles weren’t the only ones who thought, “All you need is love.” A 108-year-old in Ohio who fostered about 50 children has a similarly heartwarming message. . . . Arlena Labon recently celebrated her 108th birthday and shared the mantra she’s lived by her whole life. “Just love one another, baby. Treat one another good. Cause I love everybody and will help everybody that I can. So that’s what we have to do.”Labon has spread that love over the years by fostering about 50 children. She never had biological children, but dedicated her time to offering the foster kids happy lives. She also made sure they received an education. “I gave them what I didn’t get, I was a dropout, but I thank the Lord I’m doing all right.” Keep spreading the love, Arlena.
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The catechins found in green tea are powerful antioxidants that can protect your skin against sun damage and reduce redness as well as improve its hydration, thickness and elasticity.
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What words will express it? ~ George Orwell
Our Blessings
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Sitting to-day in the sunshine,
That touched me with fingers of love,
I thought of the manifold blessings
God scatters on earth, from above;
And they seemed, as I numbered them over,
Far more than we merit, or need,
And all that we lack is the angels
To make earth a heaven indeed.
The winter brings long, pleasant evenings,
The spring brings a promise of flowers
That summer breathes to fruition,
And autumn brings glad, golden hours.
The woodlands re-echo with music,
The moonbeams ensilver the sea;
There is sunlight and beauty about us,
And the world is as fair as can be.
But mortals are always complaining,
Each one thinks his own a sad lot;
And forgetting the good things about him,
Goes mourning for those he has not.
Instead of the star-spangled heavens,
We look on the dust at our feet;
We drain out the cup that is bitter,
Forgetting the one that is sweet.
We mourn o’er the thorn in the flower,
Forgetting its odour and bloom;
We pass by a garden of blossoms,
To weep o’er the dust of the tomb.
There are blessings unnumbered about us, –
Like the leaves of the forest they grow;
And the fault is our own – not the Giver’s –
That we have not an Eden below.
Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner. ~ Lao Tzu
A big part of aging really is all in your head. As cliche as it may sound, nonagenarians prove you are only as old as you feel. A positive mindset can help you manage stress, which in turn can protect your health. “I’ve been active all my life. I spend no time thinking what I can’t do … When you wake up in the morning, know that it’s going to be the best day of your life,” Porchon-Lynch said last year. The oldest serving nurse in the U.S. is also in her 90s and still is pursuing her passion by helping people, which she says has brought her lifelong joy.
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