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Aging Gracefully
Research has proven that the happiest age group of all is the elderly. Why is that? Maybe because it’s a more peaceful existence, and we know it’s okay to slow down. When we age gracefully, we live with the wisdom of all of our life experiences.
Admitting that things have changed is often the first step in aging with grace. We cannot always live as things were in the past. That’s the message, retired priest, Father Bob Schwartz, presents when speaking about transitions in later life.
In youth, he says, we lay the foundation for our life. The first season is often struggling to get our lives going. This is a season of being heavily dependent on others. The second season is about giving our lives away in serving others, whether it’s family or contributing to the world of church, work, or culture. The third season of our lives is …
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Welcome Back To School!
Hooray to teachers who have prepared classrooms and are ready to share their joy of learning with students everywhere.
Drop a note in your child’s backpack to tell a teacher how much you appreciate them.
How To Be Kind At The State Fair
The State Fair presents many opportunities to be kind. Here are just a few possibilities, and please add your ideas.
• Share some of your Sweet Martha’s cookies
• Look for someone wearing a Vietnam Vet hat and say “Thanks for your service”
• When every seat is taken on your bench, get up and offer yours to someone
• Step back while in line to let others pass by
• Thank a security officer for being there
Enjoy the memories you’re creating!…
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“I Am Because We Are”
Photo from Wiccanbipolarforum’s Post
An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told them that whoever got there first won the sweet fruits.
When he gave them the signal to run, they all took each other’s hands and ran together, then sat in a circle enjoying their treats.
When he asked them why they chose to run as a group when they could have had more fruit individually, one child spoke up and said: “UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?”
‘UBUNTU’ in the Xhosa culture means: “I am because we are.”
Do You Like Surprises?
Written by my 94-year-old mother, Sophia Morrison
Do you like surprises now and then? I do!
It’s easy to spread some kindness and make someone happy. Next time you’re grocery shopping, pick up one small item for someone. It could be one candy bar, a pack of gum, peanuts, or maybe a juicy pear.
And when you say “I have a surprise for you” I bet you receive the biggest smile ever!
… Popsicles
Some call it a sweltering summer day. I like to call it a scattering kindness opportunity!
What kid, of any age, doesn’t smile with their first lick of a frozen popsicle on a very hot day? You can make that happen by simply picking up a box of popsicles and searching for a nearby shelter to drop them off. Hint — shelters are everywhere.
You’ll feel cooler just imagining when the paper comes off that first popsicle. Do it today!
… Ignite A Spark Today
“The kindness of the fans” is what Jill Ellis, Head Coach of USA Women’s National Soccer Team, identified as the most memorable part of her experience.
Amazing how it’s the little things we do that can have the greatest impact. Spontaneous acts of kindness often ignite sparks in others. Be the highlight of someone’s today!
Need a few ideas?
* Tell your best friend what you appreciate about them
* Leave a note on someone’s windshield – “You have a cool car!”
* Buy a box of popsicles and take them to a domestic abuse shelter
* Convey to the next service person you encounter how good they are at what they do
and then ask to speak to their manager
* Fill a bag with snacks, socks and a bottle of water. Toss it in your car and hand
it to the next homeless person you see
July Is Time For Picnics
Try to remember your favorite picnic. Maybe it was the perfectly grilled hot dogs, the challenging bocce ball game, or that cold drink while sitting in a lawn chair doing absolutely nothing.
“A picnic is a meal taken outdoors as part of an excursion – ideally in scenic surroundings” says Wikipedia. Maybe your favorite picnic was in your backyard with little kids shouting for joy, or perhaps it was just you enjoying the view of your newly planted geraniums while sipping a glass of chardonnay.
I treasure the memories of when our kids were young. We headed to a nearby lake early each 4th of July to stake out our spot for the day. We laugh remembering the time we brought fried chicken, potato salad and baked beans but forgot the silverware. My favorite game was tossing a big beach ball which soon became an invitation for others to …
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