Have you ever noticed how we miss out on moments of awe because we are too caught up in our daily routines? It seems that once we have the opportunity to finally pause, we can see beauty in nature or other human beings. We see the beauty and admire the creator. My husband and I recently enjoyed a South African trip of a lifetime which included a 6-day safari. The safari rides were each day at 6AM and 4PM. Like all the others in our group, we thought we would be skipping some

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, told scouts to “try to leave this world a little better than you found it” in his last message. Redcently I was at a memorial service where each of three sons eulogized their father. One of them ended his tribute with "my father left the world a better place." WOW ... think of what life would be if each of us did that! What does it mean to make the world a better place? From a societal perspective, it means improving the

I always think of my mother at this time of year. She was a huge advocate of fall cleaning. She gave each of her four children their "Fall Cleaning To Do List." There were no excuses for fun until the lists were completed. While not as thoroughly, I do try to do some extra cleaning in the fall. What I have come to realize is that the more stuff you have, the more you have to clean, organize and care for. So why keep anything that no longer serves a purpose? If I never listen

I am not kidding when I say that I have had several people tell me in my life that "you are lucky ... you have no problems." I've always replied with "Seriously? Everyone has problems and challenges." My parents brought us up to work hard for what we got, and to not expect things to be easy. So with that mindset, when things got hard, we figured it out. Over time, we learned to handle hard well. I never thought of how important that mindset was until I heard this pep talk by

I am a hugger, so it was an unnatural lesson for me to learn that hugs are an invasion of personal space for some people. In short, "personal space" is the comfortable distance between you and another person that you are talking to or standing next to. If someone invades your personal space, it means they are too close to you, and they are making you feel uncomfortable. I am not sure how we got on the topic, but someone recently shared her thoughts on hugs with me. She is ok

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all you have to do? I used to! Then I started to use a 3-Item To Do List. Every morning with my coffee, I take time to identify and write down the three most important items for me to accomplish. Sure there are other things I will do that day, but the ones I put on the list always take precedence. The short list approach keeps me focused on the most important tasks I need to accomplish. The 3-item list has really kept me from feeling overwhe

So many people I know are experiencing grief in some shape or form. I sadly have felt at a loss for how to help them short of a hug. Then I recently saw a version of this excerpt that explains what grief is ... It is sad and confusing not knowing how to love someone who is gone. Anyone who has lost a loved one, be it a spouse, a parent, a dear friend, or a beloved pet knows. But it also brings to mind something I heard long ago: "The risk of love is loss, and the price of lo

When my sons were young, we had an "adopted grandmother" who we referred to as "Grand Becky." While older, she was always very young at heart!!!! I'll never forget her telling me that she looks in the mirror and wonders whose old body she is in! I couldn't help to be reminded of that conversation when I read the following ... I asked an elderly man once what it was like to be old and to know the majority of his life was behind him. He told me that he has been the same age his

Have you ever thought about why we have tests in school and for certifications? A test accomplishes two things. First, it creates a reason to work hard preparing for the test. And second, it allows the test taker and others to see what they are capable of and how much they have learned. The same is true with life's tests. After all, isn’t life full of tests? First, life’s tests force us to put in the effort, to struggle, and to work hard. Second, by working through trying s

My 3-year-old grandson has entered the "why?" phase. He is asking "why?" about every statement people make around him. While exhausting at times, this curiosity is a beautiful and exciting part of the child. It is his way to gather information about the world. Why is it that we stop asking "why?" Albert Einstein never did. He felt that “The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." Imagine if we started each day willing to be a