YOU are top on my list of compensations. Your words are as much a balm to the spirit as warm sunlight, fresh flowers and a child's laughter. Thank you. <3
People have always struggled with how to deal with the tragedies and evil in the world. St. Paul did and gave this advice in our times of despair:
"And now, my dear friends, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure; lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philipians 4:8.
Thank you for this much-needed reminder. I catch the headlines daily, but most days think we were better off before mass communication. My happy video this past week was of a friend's fuzzy puppy tearing apart a stuffed animal I bought him for that purpose. Children and animals save us.
That is a lovely thought: “ children and animals save us”, but that is a fantasy.
Children and animals depend on our maturity when making decisions about keeping them safe. We are obligated to saving them by making decisions that actually do just that.
It isn’t mental health that is killing our children. It is GUNS kids. Without those guns there would be no killing. Our children and animals could play in the sunshine and not worry because we did the REAL safety measure and demanded that guns be gone.
I want to play in the sun too, watching my animals and your children absorb only loving nature.
Don’t kid yourselves... do the hard work that actually saves lives. Demand that our society needs support and love and good jobs and neighborhoods where they can afford to buy a home and where mental health is an illness being cared for by our healthcare.... no guns can do any of that. It takes Sanity to tell the truth.
Yes! I agree with everything you wrote. Having worked as a school counselor in a non affluent public school for years, I am a huge advocate for children and families. My short comment was meant on a more personal level. Life is hard and the temptation to end it myself has been an issue for me. What makes me stop and reconsider is the joyful and open presences of children - animals too but mostly, for me, children. A certain child's presence has literally saved me. But your comments are spot on.
I am not as tough as I sometimes spout. I feel lately as tho’ a huge , dark cloud is following me. I do know that many many of us think things that seem deplorable and actually are for those left behind. Stay with us and take care of our children... If we don’t then who?
And every day I try to connect to Mother Nature. Some days I share that joy with neighborhood children who often seem completely oblivious to nature and why we must live in harmony with her. She actually has the upper hand!🌍🪐🤗🦋🌈🌷
Thank you for your sharing. You have made my day!🥰👏🏻
My husband and I watched the movie Empire Falls last night. We remembered it was set in Maine and featured later years Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. But what we didn't remember was that (Spoiler Alert) it has a school shooting. It shocked us since we realized we couldn't have seen the movie before because we would have remembered that.
We are parents, grandparents and great grandparents. We cry and lament every time any shootings happen but especially school shootings.
More mental health workers and much tighter gun laws are so needed.
But joy is so important too. Thank you for your writings.
And we can remember to vote. We can vote for those we know will do the mental health checks and get the destructive guns off the streets. I still find joy in my days because I spend a lot of time in nature but I also worry a lot. I guess all of us with small children and young grandchildren will always worry. It is just who we are. I know we can change this though
Yes, indeed. We need to savor the joy of small events. We do need more attention to mental health. And we need to ban assault weapons. I can get behind all that you said and more. I appreciate what you said about getting what we need to enrich our work. I appreciate your words every time.
I guess it's all about balance. It's important to balance out the bad with the good, without becoming so desensitized to the bad that we simply see it as commonplace. That's the challenge for me. Sometimes the sadness in the world is so overwhelming that I have to actively look for all of the blessings that I can find instead. And once you start looking for them, they are literally everywhere! Give me a child any day to help me find my happiness!
In these difficult times, I find that I need to find little moments of joy in my day - like a video of month old twins having a "conversation", dachshund puppies zooming around like fools, or Fritz the baby hippo from the Cincinnati zoo nursing!
We watch the shootings from Australia (or not watch) and wonder what the madness is. All we can do sometimes is to put loveliness out into the world in whatever form.
Posted a video last week of my granddaughter blowing bubbles. Ahhh, those gentle and beautiful moments. Was definitely on the same page with you and the girl on the swing!
Such a beautiful description of freudenfreude- the experience of vicarious joy! So much more joy for all of us if we can recognize and experience the joy of others!
Just yesterday, my family gathered after work for an impromptu picnic in my back yard and my 12-month-old granddaughter squealed with joy as her daddy pushed her in the tree swing. I want to soak up these days. Soak them up and never let them go.
YOU are top on my list of compensations. Your words are as much a balm to the spirit as warm sunlight, fresh flowers and a child's laughter. Thank you. <3
People have always struggled with how to deal with the tragedies and evil in the world. St. Paul did and gave this advice in our times of despair:
"And now, my dear friends, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure; lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philipians 4:8.
Like a little girl in a pink dress on a swing.
Thank you for this much-needed reminder. I catch the headlines daily, but most days think we were better off before mass communication. My happy video this past week was of a friend's fuzzy puppy tearing apart a stuffed animal I bought him for that purpose. Children and animals save us.
"Children and animals save us. " Amen!
That is a lovely thought: “ children and animals save us”, but that is a fantasy.
Children and animals depend on our maturity when making decisions about keeping them safe. We are obligated to saving them by making decisions that actually do just that.
It isn’t mental health that is killing our children. It is GUNS kids. Without those guns there would be no killing. Our children and animals could play in the sunshine and not worry because we did the REAL safety measure and demanded that guns be gone.
I want to play in the sun too, watching my animals and your children absorb only loving nature.
Don’t kid yourselves... do the hard work that actually saves lives. Demand that our society needs support and love and good jobs and neighborhoods where they can afford to buy a home and where mental health is an illness being cared for by our healthcare.... no guns can do any of that. It takes Sanity to tell the truth.
Thank you for listening.
Yes! I agree with everything you wrote. Having worked as a school counselor in a non affluent public school for years, I am a huge advocate for children and families. My short comment was meant on a more personal level. Life is hard and the temptation to end it myself has been an issue for me. What makes me stop and reconsider is the joyful and open presences of children - animals too but mostly, for me, children. A certain child's presence has literally saved me. But your comments are spot on.
Listen Graciewilde,
I am not as tough as I sometimes spout. I feel lately as tho’ a huge , dark cloud is following me. I do know that many many of us think things that seem deplorable and actually are for those left behind. Stay with us and take care of our children... If we don’t then who?
And every day I try to connect to Mother Nature. Some days I share that joy with neighborhood children who often seem completely oblivious to nature and why we must live in harmony with her. She actually has the upper hand!🌍🪐🤗🦋🌈🌷
Thank you for your sharing. You have made my day!🥰👏🏻
Thank you. You made me cry but at least I feel alive then.
Keep crying woman... it cleans and de-toxes us. It makes us approachable. It is humanities nectar to change.
I love hearing from you. Give the Pacific ocean a few of your tears. That will cleanse it.
I will work at healing the Atlantic coast!😰🦋🌈🎶👏🏻🥰
My husband and I watched the movie Empire Falls last night. We remembered it was set in Maine and featured later years Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. But what we didn't remember was that (Spoiler Alert) it has a school shooting. It shocked us since we realized we couldn't have seen the movie before because we would have remembered that.
We are parents, grandparents and great grandparents. We cry and lament every time any shootings happen but especially school shootings.
More mental health workers and much tighter gun laws are so needed.
But joy is so important too. Thank you for your writings.
And we can remember to vote. We can vote for those we know will do the mental health checks and get the destructive guns off the streets. I still find joy in my days because I spend a lot of time in nature but I also worry a lot. I guess all of us with small children and young grandchildren will always worry. It is just who we are. I know we can change this though
Feeding the spirit is as important as feeding the body. Small pleasures are nothing very small at all. Thank you for reminding us.
Yes, indeed. We need to savor the joy of small events. We do need more attention to mental health. And we need to ban assault weapons. I can get behind all that you said and more. I appreciate what you said about getting what we need to enrich our work. I appreciate your words every time.
This made me cry in the midst of so many things this week. Thank you for the redirection. 🩷
I guess it's all about balance. It's important to balance out the bad with the good, without becoming so desensitized to the bad that we simply see it as commonplace. That's the challenge for me. Sometimes the sadness in the world is so overwhelming that I have to actively look for all of the blessings that I can find instead. And once you start looking for them, they are literally everywhere! Give me a child any day to help me find my happiness!
In these difficult times, I find that I need to find little moments of joy in my day - like a video of month old twins having a "conversation", dachshund puppies zooming around like fools, or Fritz the baby hippo from the Cincinnati zoo nursing!
oh my -- your words. 🤎
Thank you again for your beautifully said thoughts and feelings. So very true
We watch the shootings from Australia (or not watch) and wonder what the madness is. All we can do sometimes is to put loveliness out into the world in whatever form.
Posted a video last week of my granddaughter blowing bubbles. Ahhh, those gentle and beautiful moments. Was definitely on the same page with you and the girl on the swing!
Thank you for your uplifting words 💗
Such a beautiful description of freudenfreude- the experience of vicarious joy! So much more joy for all of us if we can recognize and experience the joy of others!
This brought tears to my eyes…the good kind.
Just yesterday, my family gathered after work for an impromptu picnic in my back yard and my 12-month-old granddaughter squealed with joy as her daddy pushed her in the tree swing. I want to soak up these days. Soak them up and never let them go.
Thank you. 💕🪁🌿