To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
William Blake
Month: June 2022
Today’s Poem ~ The Great Hunt
The Great Hunt
Carl Sandburg
I cannot tell you now;
When the wind’s drive and whirl
Blow me along no longer,
And the wind’s a whisper at last–
Maybe I’ll tell you then–
some other time.
When the rose’s flash to the sunset
Reels to the rack and the twist,
And the rose is a red bygone,
When the face I love is going
And the gate to the end shall clang,
And it’s no use to beckon or say, “So long”–
Maybe I’ll tell you then–
some other time.
I never knew any more beautiful than you:
I have hunted you under my thoughts,
I have broken down under the wind
And into the roses looking for you.
I shall never find any
greater than you.
Today’s Smile
Joe: “My girlfriend left me. She told me I was OCD.”
Pete: “What did you say to her?”
Joe: “I told her to tap the fridge, pat the door knob, and open and close the door three times before she left.”
Something to Think About
The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Grief refers to loss. The greater the loss, the greater the grief. Denial is a tough one. It was for me when my wife was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The grief stages apply, in many ways, to all aspects of our lives. We experience a bad break up. We lose a job. We lose something we deeply believe in. It happens. Moving out of denial and into each of the successive stages is important if we are to remain emotionally healthy.
A Better Life – It’s All Good
I awoke from a sound night’s sleep. A great way to start the day. My shower was hot and I lingered longer than usual. My, that was a good choice. While I bushed my teeth and shaved, I heard the coffee maker turn on. Soon, the coffee’s fragrance reached me. Yes, it’s all good. I dressed and went to the kitchen. The overnight oatmeal was done. I poured blueberries into a separate bowl and filled my coffee cup. I always say grace before my meals. Yes, thank you, God, it’s all good. Having you as a follower, more evidence that it’s all good. Man, I am feeling good at the moment.
Today’s Good Word ~ Work
Work – Def: an activity, such as a job, that a person uses physical or mental effort to do, usually for money.
Work is a creative activity providing us with an identity, dignity, and self-worth. When we meet a new person, the question soon asked is, “What do you do?” We define ourselves in terms of our work. When we work, we become co-creators with those who are working with us. All work is valuable since it is an act of creation. When we value our work, we understand our role in the creative process. When employers value employees they see them as essential to the employer’s business. The employee feels wanted. When the employee sees the employee as a piece of capital, the employer degrades the sacred nature of work and strips the employee of his/her dignity. Whatever you do, do it well. Create on. We need you
Today’s Power Thought ~ A Quick Pick Me Up
Need a quick pick me up? No, it’s not an ice cream cone, drink, or piece of chocolate. It’s gratitude. Verbalize gratitude for the good things in your life during the past 24 hours. Don’t have any? What about your hot shower, hot coffee, health, partner, a TV show? There’s a long list of topics.
Today’s Health Tip ~ Are You a Stress Eater?
Here are 5 foods to improve your mood and help with stress eating
1. Spinach – Spinach is an excellent source of folic acid (also called folate). This is a B vitamin sometimes used to treat depression. It causes a “feel-good” chemical called serotonin to be released.
2. Oatmeal – High fiber carbs like oatmeal stabilize blood sugar, and take a while to move through your system, making you feel full longer.
3. Foods with Vitamin D – Getting your daily dose of vitamin D is important for your attitude. Low vitamin D levels are linked to depression and other mood disorders. You can get this from getting direct exposure to the sun for five to 20 minutes daily.
4. Bananas – The only fruit on this list, bananas contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Your body uses tryptophan to produce 5-HTP, the compound that makes serotonin and melatonin, two mood and sleep-regulating neurotransmitters. Bananas also contain magnesium, which further increases sleepiness, making them a great bedtime or midnight snack.
5. Chocolate – Eating chocolate releases serotonin. Chocolate promotes relaxation through the release of endorphins. Endorphins are “feel good” chemicals also produced after hard, aerobic exercise. Chocolate may improve blood flow to the heart and brain, thus improving concentration, due to the antioxidants it contains.
Today’s Poem ~ Life In A Love
Life In A Love
Robert Browning
Escape me?
Never—
Beloved!
While I am I, and you are you,
So long as the world contains us both,
Me the loving and you the loth,
While the one eludes, must the other pursue.
My life is a fault at last, I fear—
It seems too much like a fate, indeed!
Though I do my best I shall scarce succeed—
But what if I fail of my purpose here?1
It is but to keep the nerves at strain,
To dry one’s eyes and laugh at a fall,
And baffled, get up to begin again,—
So the chase takes up one’s life, that’s all.
While, look but once from your farthest bound,
At me so deep in the dust and dark,
No sooner the old hope drops to ground
Than a new one, straight to the selfsame mark,
I shape me—
Ever
Removed!
