Joe: “My girlfriend told me she needs some space.”
Pete: “How much space does she need?”
Joe: “She said about ten zip codes.”
Month: April 2021
🌾 Today’s Poem ~ Smiles
Smiles
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Smile a little, smile a little,
As you go along,
Not alone when life is pleasant,
But when things go wrong.
Care delights to see you frowning,
Loves to hear you sigh;
Turn a smiling face upon her –
Quick the dame will fly.
As you go along,
Not alone when life is pleasant,
But when things go wrong.
Care delights to see you frowning,
Loves to hear you sigh;
Turn a smiling face upon her –
Quick the dame will fly.
Smile a little, smile a little,
All along the road;
Every life must have its burden,
Every heart its load.
Why sit down in gloom and darkness
With your grief to sup?
As you drink Fate’s bitter tonic,
Smile across the cup.
Smile upon the troubled pilgrims
Whom you pass and meet;
Frowns are thorns, and smiles are blossoms
Oft for weary feet.
Do not make the way seem harder
By a sullen face;
Smile a little, smile a little,
Brighten up the place.
Smile upon your undone labour;
Not for one who grieves
O’er his task waits wealth or glory;
He who smiles achieves.
Though you meet with loss and sorrow
In the passing years,
Smile a little, smile a little,
Even through your tears.
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ The Three Characters of a Writer, Which are You?
“A major writer combines these three – storyteller, teacher, enchanter – but it is the enchanter in him that predominates and makes him a major writer.” ~ Vladimir Nabokov
🌞 Today’s Inspiration ~ Love is the Great Healer
“We are most alive when we’re in love.” ~ John Updike
🍎 Today’s Health Question ~ Is Your Brain Traveling at High Speed?
It’s Time to Move from the Passing Lane to the Slow Lane
In our everyday lives, sensory input is being thrown at us from every angle. When we can finally get away from these sonic disruptions, our brains’ attention centers have the opportunity to restore themselves. The ceaseless attentional demands of modern life put a significant burden on the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is involved in high-order thinking, decision-making and problem-solving.
When the brain is idle and disengaged from external stimuli, we can finally tap into our inner stream of thoughts, emotions, memories and ideas. Engaging this network helps us to make meaning out of our experiences, empathize with others, be more creative and reflect on our own mental and emotional states.
In order to do this, it’s necessary to break away from the distractions that keep us lingering on the shallow surfaces of the mind. Silence is one way of getting there. Default mode activity helps us think deeply and creatively. As Herman Melville once wrote, “All profound things and emotions of things are preceded and attended by silence.”
💡 Something to Think About
Wanting others to be perfect and not make mistakes is not going to happen. Enjoy the imperfections in others and one’s self. It’s part of what makes us human.
🤗 A Better Life ~ An Easy Answer to Perplexing Questions
Questions I’m Pondering Today
Why argue when we can enjoy a glass of our favorite beverages together?
Why look in closets for things to dig out, when we can walk in the sunshine?
👊 Today’s Power Thought ~ Who Are You?
Who are you? The only one to answer that question is you. Don’t let others define you. You are you. Fall in love with yourself and loving others comes easily.
👊 Today’s Power Thought ~ Unleash the Power of Love
It’s time to unleash the power of love. Let love flow from you to all who come your way. You’ll make an incredible difference.
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ The Craft of Writing
We writers, as we work our way deeper into our craft, learn to drop more and more personal clues. Like burglars who secretly wish to be caught, we leave our fingerprints on broken locks, our voiceprints in bugged rooms, our footprints in the wet concrete. ~ Ross Macdonald
