Peace and Gratitude

September 21st is marked by the celebration of Peace Day and World Gratitude Day, and there is much to contemplate about both. Many voices have spoken eloquently on these ideals and may their words and song inspire a moment of reflection for us all. “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~Mother Teresa ~ “Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” ~ Jimi Hendrix ~ “Let us forgive each other - only then will we live in peace” ~Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ~ “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” ~Thornton Wilder ~ “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein ~ “Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted–a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner ~ “Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, it’s important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have, on every level. We need to literally “count our blessings,” give thanks for them, allow ourselves to enjoy them, and relish the experience of prosperity we already have.” ~ Shakti Gawain ~ “Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present — love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure — the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.” ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach ~

The lovers, the dreamers and me: Jim Henson remembered

Today marks the birth date of one of those rare, multi-talented entertainment hyphenates, puppeteer-actor-producer-director-writer and composer, Jim Henson, whose legacy lives on in some of the finest children’s programming ever created. Born in 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi, Henson accomplished an outstanding, award-winning body of work in his 53 years of life, encompassing both television and film. Widely known as the creator of “The Muppets,” it was Henson’s skilled presentation of some of these beloved fabric characters, such as “Kermit the Frog” that provided dual stars for him and his amphibian characterization on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. It was also Henson’s puppetry talents that were instrumental to the success of one of the longest running and most honored children’s programs, Sesame Street. Henson’s life was cut short May 16, 1990, dying within a matter of days after contracting a streptococcal infection. Today, Henson’s creative work continues through his family-run Jim Henson Company, the Jim Henson Foundation and the multitude of products that bear his signature. Henson’s alter ego, better known as “Kermit the frog” lives on as well and is voiced by the talented actor, Steve Whitmire. Henson once said, “When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.” On September 26, 1992, Henson was proclaimed, "Humanitarian, muppeteer, producer and director of films for children that encourage tolerance, interracial values, equality and fair play," when he was posthumously awarded the Children’s Peace Award. This honor, which is part of the Courage of Conscience Awards, places his name and work alongside that of humanity’s finest contributors: names such as Mahatma Gandhi; John Lennon and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. 

The next time you hear the song  “Rainbow Connection” from the 1979 hit film, The Muppet Movie, which was originally sung by Henson as Kermit, remember the man who gave so much to us all.