I think crying is a good thing. When my wife died, I cried an infinite number of tears. In retrospect, the tears were part of my healing. I cry for joy at weddings. I’ll cry at a great movie. Give me a good reason and tears will form. Yes, don’t be afraid to cry, Crying can be healing, a sign of joy, a heart singing a love song.
Month: February 2022
👊 Today’s Power Thought ~ It is Time to Jump In
Every moment I take feeling sorry myself is a wasted moment. It is a moment I could spend engaging in life, loving another, improving my situation. Life is waiting for us to jump in over our heads and splash around.
🌞 Today’s Inspiration ~ Put No Limits on Your Dreams
“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” ~ Michelangelo
🌾 Today’s Poem ~ I Have No Power
I Have No Power
Nizar Qabbani
“I have no power to change you
or explain your ways
Never believe a man can change a woman
Those men are pretenders
who think
that they created woman
from one of their ribs
Woman does not emerge from a man’s rib’s, not ever,
it’s he who emerges from her womb
like a fish rising from depths of water
and like streams that branch away from a river
It’s he who circles the sun of her eyes
and imagines he is fixed in placeI have no power to tame you
or domesticate you
or mitigate your first instincts
This task is impossible
I’ve tested my intelligence on you
also my dumbness
Nothing worked with you, neither guidance
nor temptation
Stay primitive as you areI have no power to break your habits
for thirty years you have been like this
for three hundred years
a storm trapping in a bottle
a body by nature sensing the scent of a man
assaults it by nature
triumphs over it by natureNever believe what a man says about himself
that he is the one who makes the poems
and makes the children
It is the woman who writes the poems
and the man who signs his name to them
It is the woman who bears the children
and the man who signs at the maternity hospital
that he is the fatherI have no power to change your nature
my books are of no use to you
and my convictions do not convince you
nor does my fatherly council do you any good
you are the queen of anarchy, of madness, of belonging
to no one
Stay that way
You are the tree of femininity that grows in the dark
needs no sun or water
you the sea princess who has loved all men
and loved no one
slept with all men… and slept with no one
you are the Bedouin woman who went with all the tribes
and returned a virgin
Stay that way.”
🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Quiet Time is Healthy for Body and Mind
Silence has Physical Benefits.
“When we’re frazzled, our fight-or-flight response is on overload causing a host of problems,” says Dr. Sullivan. “We can use calm, quiet moments to tap into a different part of the nervous system that helps shut down our bodies’ physical response to stress.”
That means, being still and silent can help you:
-
- Lower your blood pressure.
- Decrease your heart rate.
- Steady your breathing.
- Reduce muscle tension.
- Increase focus and cognition.
You don’t need to have a formal meditation practice to find quiet time. Try:
-
- Enjoying your morning coffee sans device or magazine.
- Looking out the window the next time you’re a passenger in the car instead of picking up your phone.
- Walking by yourself and listening to the natural noises around you instead of music.
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Tip to Write a Short Story
“For a good melodrama study the famous “Lester Dent master plot formula” which you can find online. It was written to show how to write a short story for the pulps, but can be adapted successfully for most stories of any length or genre.” ~ Michael Moorcock
Today’s Smile 😃
Joe: “The police asked my ex why she threw a chair at me.”
Pete: “What did she say?”
Joe: “She said, “The table was too heavy to throw.”
🤗 A Better Life ~ Celebrating Love
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. It’s a celebration of love. Every day should be Valentine’s Day where we celebrate love and the lives of those we love.
🌞 Today’s Inspiration ~ Hang in There, Never Quit
“By endurance we conquer.” ~ Ernest Shackleton
💡 Something to Think About
I made my plans for today, I’ve even made a list. I’ve learned that life generally has a different idea of how my day will unfold. I can take my list and push and pull against the forces I encounter, or, I can roll with it making adjustments as I move through the day. I find that rolling with it keeps anxiety at bay. And, I’m much happier at the end of the day.
