Book review
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It’s a wonderful gift
“I understand you right enough,” the stranger said slowly. “I just wanted to make sure you did. You had the greatest gift of all conferred upon you — the gift of life, of being a part of this world and taking part in it.” ~ From The Greatest Gift, by Philip Van Doren Stern, the story that inspired “It’s a Wonderful Life” One of my favorite Christmas films is the 1946 classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) sacrifices his own big dreams in order to help his family and others in his community. In his darkest hour one Christmas Eve, George contemplates suicide, but a…
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How to Know a Person
“Being open-hearted is a prerequisite for being a full, kind, and wise human being. But it is not enough. People need social skills.” ~David Brooks As author David Brooks sees it, so much of our current national angst results from the “fraying of our social fabric.” Put simply, we’ve forgotten how to talk with each other. We’ve forgotten how to listen to each other. At the same time, too many of us feel unseen and misunderstood. Worse yet, mental health statistics show that we’re feeling lonelier than ever. Social media may have given us more connections — and nearly unlimited access to others — but the quality of those relationships…
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Looking on the bright side
“Our job is to find the positive in every situation and focus on that. What you focus on becomes more pronounced. When you zero in on the positive, that’s what you see and that’s where you live….People will not treat you less seriously because you refuse to share a worldview with the Grim Reaper.” ~Victoria Moran All too often lately, I catch myself complaining aloud and rehashing the same-old problems and worries. Just for starters, I’m tired of worrying about the current state of political turmoil and insanity and the future of our country. I’m tired of being disappointed in too many people. I’m tired of worrying about driving on…
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Dry January
“Like a garden, you can choose to either let yourself wither and struggle to find your own light, or you can learn how to give yourself the light you need so that all your colors shine brightly, beautifully, and more boldly.” ~Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S., The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier & Fitter — One Month at a Time As Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News, Dr. Jennifer Ashton knows a thing or two about health and wellbeing. So, when I saw her Self-Care Solution at the bookstore late last year, I didn’t hesitate to purchase it. I’d already promised to make some serious changes in 2023…