Giving thanks for animal friends

"Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to." ~ Alfred A. Montapert , Author/Philiospher.~

With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, gratitude is often found in the smaller moments of everyday life.

For many people, pets fill those smaller moments and take center stage in offering unconditional love and companionship, which is so important this time of year.

I hope you have a lovely holiday and that you and yours (whether human or pet) have a day filled with the blessings of love and companionship, along with an extra helping of turkey and pie.

Random acts of kindness and the power of touch

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ This morning there was a fascinating feature on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition - “Human Connections Start With A Friendly Touch,” by Michelle Trudeau. The three minute/35 second recorded segment (with accompanying text) covers what social scientists have known for years; human beings experience less stress and thrive from the power of simple human-to-human touch, and it’s not all psychological. Be it a hug, holding hands, a massage or even a pat on the back, the slightest pressure on skin, which is the body’s largest organ, activates Pacinian corpuscles ( a mechanoreceptor) that helps spread feel-good nerve impulses to multiple organs, including the heart, and the body responds by lowering blood pressure. Touching also prompts the reduction of the stress hormone cortisol, and the release of the neurochemical, oxytocin, which promotes feelings of trust, bonding and devotion.  IMHO, hugs are a great way to start the week, and you’ll probably be humming the John Lennon/Paul McCartney song, “All You Need is Love.” During these troubled times, dominated with major stress for many, just reach out and touch someone; you’ll both feel good. 

Father’s Day: A celebration of love and admiration

"It's only when you grow up, and step back from him, or leave him for your own career and your own home—it's only then that you can measure his greatness and fully appreciate it. Pride reinforces love." ~ Margaret Truman ~

Over one hundred years ago, on June 19, 1910, Father’s Day was celebrated in the United States for the very first time.

As Mother’s Day honors those who have been the maternal figure in our lives, Father’s Day was created to equally pay tribute to our paternal bonds.

The establishment of Father’s Day is attributed to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She deeply loved and admired her father, William Jackson Smart, who had devotedly raised six children after his wife’s passing during childbirth.

Dodd, with the assistance of her pastor, Reverend Dr. Conrad Bluhm at Old Centenary Presbyterian Church, along with members of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and local YMCA, set aside the third Sunday in June to pay homage to all fathers.

On that first Father’s Day, a symbol of celebration and remembrance was chosen by the youth of the community; each wore a single rose to church that Sunday morning – red to hail living fathers and white to honor those who had passed away.

Although annually celebrated, it took many years until Father’s Day was actually recognized as an official holiday. In 1966, President Lyndon Baines Johnson issued a presidential proclamation actually designating the day be celebrated on the third Sunday in June, but it wasn’t until 1972 when President Richard M. Nixon officially signed the holiday into permanent national law.

Today, Father’s Day is a worldwide celebration that occurs at various times during the year. However, on June 19th, 55 other countries around the globe will join the United States in honoring fathers and father figures.

The following video, produced by ESPN and aired in 2006, firmly establishes the enormous importance of a father’s unfailing love.

Eleven Wishes for the New Year

Today I wish you good health. Time has taught me that if you have this… everything else will follow.

I also wish you love. Open your heart to the possibilities. To need and be needed is at the very core of our frail and human existence.

And, may you know spiritual wealth whatever your belief, and may you draw strength and comfort from a presence that is greater, yet part of us all.

Another wish to you is for material abundance so that you may always have nourishing food at your table; a home to protect and surround you filled with treasures that delight your heart, and may you always be able to share these blessings with others.

I also wish for you knowledge and inspiration every day of the year that propels you to seek out and learn something new as you write the passages of your life. And, like a good book may your novel be hard to put down and the end long in coming.

I wish you laughter, as it is easier to smile than it is to frown. Always cherish the joyful child that resides in you.

A wish for beauty - may you find it from the breath of a rose; the sparkle of sunlight on water; the song of a bird or the pink cheek of a child – it is truly in the beholder.

A wish for “forgiveness” so that you never go to bed at night angry at someone… for something. Forgive and move on.

Today I also wish you “time” – whether you beg it, borrow it, or steal it – remember to use it, not abuse it. May you have all that your heart desires to accomplish your fondest dreams. Fill the seconds between the minutes, and the minutes between the hours with your life well lived.

A wish for “grace”: May a measure of compassion, charity and charm be yours for the asking and this be the footprint you leave for others to follow.

And last but not least WISHES FOR WORLD PEACE: None of us have known this… may it truly become a reality in our lifetime.

Imagine… the possibilities.