I found a poem folded and put away in the old trunk my mother brought with her to Charlotte. The poem had passed around dad’s office in 1951. This 1934 poem is now framed and hanging next to my shaving mirror. I won’t say I read it every day, but I read it often. Dale Wimbrow wrote the poem in 1934. It seems old-timey now, and may have even sounded that way then, but its meaning is clear …
Principles
If You’re Happy, Tell Your Face
“Everyone makes me happy,” I said. “Some when they arrive – others when they leave.” That was before Mike taught me the magic answer. Mike was in the small group who only made me happy when he left my office. He could be my worst nightmare.
On Being a Mindful Minimalist
Do minimalists start out to be minimalist or do they only intend to be more mindful? Is it a race to see who can live with the fewest items, in the smallest house? Or is minimalism only a label? My intent was not to be a minimalist. My intent was to be more mindful in my life and to stop buying more clothing for one year. I already had what I needed.
A Walk in the Park
Meet Louisa. She loves the park. She has made it our favorite place. Louisa is equally friendly with almost every dog she meets. She doesn’t seem to care whether their parents speak different languages because she seems to be able to talk freely with all her many friends.
Grey Tsunami is an Oxymoron
Grey Tsunami is an oxymoron. The term contains two words with very different meanings – a ‘trustworthy con-artist’ for example. The term Grey Tsunami is used as an excuse for our short sighted planning. We make it sound as though life snuck-up on us, took us by surprise. Shame on me for employing the attention grabbing phrase …
Going public matters …
Back in the day, almost everyone smoked. We smoked in airplane cabins, restaurants, doctors offices (along with our doc). We smoked when and where we wanted and nobody made us go outside, in the rain, to do it. But then the teachers at our children’s school started telling the students how smoking was NOT good for people. They were scaring my kids – but they were RIGHT.
Which Road do I Take?
The Cheshire cat asked where I wanted to go. Was he asking about a place, a destination? Yes, but maybe he was asking more. Maybe he was asking about a state of mind, of being. Maybe it was about an attitude that would help me make choices to steer my journey – things I needed to pack and have handy for the trip.
I resolve: no more STUFF in 2016!
Every year at this time, I start thinking about making New Year’s resolutions. This year, rather than picking the usual resolutions like fitness challenges, weight loss, or more charitable donations, I want my choice to be different. For the next twelve months I will not buy another shirt, belt, jacket, t-shirt, pair of shoes, pants – or anything else to wear. I don’t need anymore stuff this year!
Peace!
In every tradition: Christian, Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikhism, Judaism, Baha’i, “Nones” and more – the message is the same – Peace.
Say thank you … until you mean it.
Thank God, life, and the universe for everyone and everything sent your way. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend …