I don’t know where the path I am following will lead. I do know, I’ll keep traveling, giving it my best. Here’s hoping you do the same.
Month: January 2021
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Oscar Wilde’s Opening Paragraph in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
The Opening Paragraph from Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.
🌾 Today’s Poem ~ A Character
A Character
William
Wordsworth
I marvel how Nature could ever find space
For so many strange contrasts in one human face:
There’s thought and no thought, and there’s paleness and bloom
And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom. There’s weakness, and strength both redundant and vain;
Such strength as, if ever affliction and pain
Could pierce through a temper that’s soft to disease,
Would be rational peace—a philosopher’s ease. There’s indifference, alike when he fails or succeeds,
And attention full ten times as much as there needs;
Pride where there’s no envy, there’s so much of joy;
And mildness, and spirit both forward and coy.
For so many strange contrasts in one human face:
There’s thought and no thought, and there’s paleness and bloom
And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom. There’s weakness, and strength both redundant and vain;
Such strength as, if ever affliction and pain
Could pierce through a temper that’s soft to disease,
Would be rational peace—a philosopher’s ease. There’s indifference, alike when he fails or succeeds,
And attention full ten times as much as there needs;
Pride where there’s no envy, there’s so much of joy;
And mildness, and spirit both forward and coy.
There’s freedom, and sometimes a diffident stare
Of shame scarcely seeming to know that she’s there,
There’s virtue, the title it surely may claim,
Yet wants heaven knows what to be worthy the name.
This picture from nature may seem to depart,
Yet the Man would at once run away with your heart;
And I for five centuries right gladly would be
Such an odd such a kind happy creature as he.
🍎 Today’s Health Question ~ Is Juicing Healthier than Eating Whole Fruits and Veggies?
Juicing is No Healthier than Eating Whole Fruits and Veggies
Juicing extracts the juice from fresh fruits or vegetables. The liquid contains most of the vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals (phytonutrients) found in the fruit. However, whole fruits and vegetables also have healthy fiber, which is lost during most juicing.Some believe that juicing is better than eating whole fruits and vegetables because your body can absorb the nutrients better and it gives your digestive system a rest from digesting fiber. They say juicing can reduce your risk of cancer, boost your immune system, remove toxins from your body, aid digestion and help you lose weight. There’s no scientific evidence that extracted juices are healthier than the juice you get by eating the fruit or vegetable itself.
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Willeford’s Opening Paragraph in His Novel, Pickup
Charles Willeford’s Opening Paragraph in his novel, Pickup
It must have been around a quarter to eleven. A sailor came in and ordered a chile dog and coffee. I sliced a bun, jerked a frank out of the boiling water, nested it, poured a half-dipper of chile over the frank and sprinkled it liberally with chopped onions. I scribbled a check and put it by his plate. I wouldn’t have recommended the unpalatable mess to a starving animal. The sailor was the only customer, and after he ate his dog he left. That was the exact moment she entered. A small woman, hardly more than five feet. She had the figure of a teenage girl. Her suit was a blue tweed, smartly cut, and over her thin shoulders she wore a fur jacket, bolero length. Tiny gold circular earrings clung to her small pierced ears. Her hands and feet were small, and when she seated herself at the counter I noticed she wasn’t wearing any rings.
Today’s Smile 😃
Molly: “My boyfriend plays goalie for the hockey team.”
Sophie: “That’s nice.”
Molly: “Yes, he’s a keeper.”
🍎 Today’s Health Question ~ Is To Much Exercise Harmful?
Exercise Is Important for Health and Longevity, Yet, Too Much Exercise Can Be Harmful
Do you insist on rising at five to run each morning, even when your back is aching, and black ice coats the streets? Do you only feel good when you’re training for triathlons? Is eating merely a way to replenish for the next race? Then you may have an exercise addiction. Thirty minutes a day of moderate physical activity is enough to help prevent things like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Exercise addicts tend to think a two-hour run makes them four times as healthy. It doesn’t work that way. Too much exercise can lead to injuries, exhaustion, depression, and suicide. It can also cause lasting physical harm.
🤗 A Better Life ~ Keeping One’s Balance
Einstein said that life was like riding a bicycle, one must keep one’s balance. Take a moment, do a self check, are you in balance? The better our balance, the less stress we feel, the more we become aware of what needs our attention. Have a great day.20
🌾 Today’s Poem ~ I Would Live in Your Love
I Would Live in Your Love
Sara Teasdale
I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea,
Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes;
I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me,
I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul as it leads.
💡 Something to Think About
Imagine sitting at a table across from a good friend. Neither your friend nor you can see the entire room. You need each other’s viewpoint to create a full picture of the room. This situation is a metaphor of life. No one has a perfect viewpoint, we need each other to compliment our view and fill in a more complete picture.
