“It’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on all the things you have long taken for granted.” ~ Bertrand Russell Too often, we take for granted the people and things we love. We assume they’ll always be there for us. And we get lazy. The things we value need regular care and maintenance — whether we’re talking about cars, homes, or relationships. Almost everything will fade or rust with neglect. Likewise, we wrongly assume that Mother Nature is inexhaustible. We take her for granted too. We might turn a blind eye to climate change warnings, or refuse to accept responsibility for the natural beauty we…

“Just like children, our emotions heal when they are heard and validated.” ~Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey Chances are, your favorite moments with a good book include reading a sentence or a paragraph that expresses what you feel and makes you reach for a highlighter — as if the author put your own feelings into the right words. That’s validation. Likewise, I had lunch recently with a friend who’s a caring, first-rate conversationalist. She pays attention and listens with an open heart. As we talked, I shared my worries about a new medication my doctor had suggested for me. Coincidentally, my friend was…

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” —Theodore Roosevelt