Quote of the Day

"May there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us." 

~Garrison Keillor

Quote of the Day

Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures,

and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.

~St. Thomas Aquinas

Links

Here's a link to a great article about gratitude. Take a minute to read it!

http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3855

From a "Follower"

"I have learned through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power that can move the world."  I am adopting this as a motto after seeing myself waste precious moments in being angry with my son and husband.  With the latter, I tried to conserve my anger, and I did see a transmutation into a way to meet my needs and also learn from him.

Self Care

How does an 8 year old girl already, maybe instinctually, know about self-care when her 35 year old Mom tries desperately every day to put it into practice, succeeding only part of the time?

Could it be that we're all born knowing that we should take care of ourselves? Understanding how important it is? Then, as we grow up, we put other obligations, other things, ahead of our need for self-care?

Why? Is it because we think other things are more important than ourselves? Is it because we feel guilty when we take time for ourselves...guilty when we take the time to sit on the porch, enjoying the cool breeze, sunshine, and a good book? I hope that Abigail never forgets self-care...never forgets that she is as worthy of time and effort as any other person or thing.

My wish for you is that you always take time to take care of yourself with no feelings of guilt or selfishness. YOU are important. YOU are worth it.

Mindfulness

I saw Peter Mayer Sunday morning at an outdoor service for the UU Fellowship of La Crosse. He sang "Awake", and it was a good reminder to practice mindfulness. Below are some lyrics.

You can hear the song at:

http://www.petermayer.net/music/

It is on the album called "Earth Town Square".

"To perceive these wondrous things 

To count the beats of a blackbird’s wings 

To tell a story and dance and sing 

All the splendors 

Of creation 

Are very happy that you came 

Because they needed 

Someone to see them 

And you my child are awake"

~Peter Mayer

Just Breathe

I need to take this advice myself today.