I WONDER

By Lori Carmody 

With St. Valentine’s Day in mind, this poem by Derek Tasker touches my heart and moves my will.

I WONDER

I wonder what would happen 
If I treated everyone like I was in love with them,
Whether I like them or not and whether they respond or not
And no matter what they say or do to me
And even if I see things in them which are ugly twisted petty cruel vain deceitful and indifferent,
Just accept all that and turn my attention to some small weak tender hidden part
And keep my eyes on that until it shines like a beam of light
Like a bonfire I can warm my hands by
And trust it to burn away all the waste which is not
Never was
My business to meddle with.

May the business of living the fullness of St. Valentine’s Day begin with us all.

Thanks for reading.

With wholehearted love,

Lori

#ValentinesDay  #BigLove  #Wonder  #Day10

A HUMMINGBIRD SHARING LIGHT

By Lori Carmody

I was doing some gardening and saw this hummingbird in one of the bushes tucked away in her nest.  

How often do I slow down enough to notice what is right in my path but hidden just below the surface?

Marveling at the beauty in this moment of discovery, I asked myself …..

~  Do I need to take a break in my “nest” for a bit and simply savor the beauty surrounding me today?

~  Hummingbirds are physically light.  Do I need to lighten up?  Am I weighted down with doubt, anxiety, fear, agitation? 

~  Hummingbirds move their wings in a figure eight pattern which is a symbol of infinity.  Do I need to pause before moving forward with something?

~  Hummingbirds are adaptable.  Is there something I need to step back from, notice, discern, and then see from a new perspective?

In Native American cultures, hummingbirds are symbolic of good luck, joy and love.  How might I better embrace these gifts today?   Is this, perhaps, an invitation for you as well?

Thanks for reading.

Lori

#Hummingbird  #SelfReflection  #Symbols  #Day9

MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING

By Lori Carmody

The classic best seller, Man’s Search For Meaning by author-psychiatrist Viktor E Frankl, speaks of the meaning of life through his experiences of being in the Nazi concentration camps (Dachau and Auschwitz) for three years and his private logotherapy practice following World War II. 

Frankl asserts that we discover our meaning in life in three unique ways:

1. By creating a work or doing a deed of achievement or accomplishment
2.  By experiencing a goodness, truth or beauty in nature and/or culture or by deeply loving someone
3. By the attitude we take towards unavoidable suffering in so far as transforming our unavoidable suffering into something that has meaning for ourselves, someone else or for the world

This book is so powerful that, rather than writing my own synopsis of the greater points, I would prefer to give you several quotes from the book in hopes that they will whet your thirst to pick up the book and read it yourselves.

• Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire.  (pg 49)
• He who has a “why” to live can bear with almost any “how”.  (pgs 9, 84, 109) (Written with moving examples from the death camps)
• There are two races of men in the world but only these two – the “race” of the decent man and the “race” of the indecent man.  Both are found everywhere; they penetrate into all groups of society.  (pg 94)
• Freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness.  That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.  (pg 134)
• If one cannot change the situation that causes suffering, he can still change his attitude. (pg 148)  (Written with examples from his logotherapy practice treating depression, suffering of all types and guilt)
• Public opinion pollsters recently reported that those held in highest esteem by most of the people interviewed are neither the great artists nor the great scientist, neither the great statesmen nor the great sports figures but those who master a hard lot with their heads held high.  (pg 149)
• So, let us be alert – alert in a twofold sense.  Since Auschwitz, we know what man is capable of.  And since Hiroshima, we know what is at stake.  (pg 154)

Originally written in 1959, these words continue to speak today.

Thanks for reading.

Lori

#MansSearchForMeaning  #BookLover  #2Races  #Day8   

STRIVING FOR GREATNESS

By Lori Carmody

This wonderful boy was having breakfast with his Pa and Grandma when I met him.  He was building tabletop towers of jam & honey, playing sugar packet football, teasing his little sister unmercifully and generally making my morning!

I thought the shirt he was wearing was perfect for his infectious smile and the scene I was observing. He was definitely “striving to be a great” protagonist as a big brother, football star, and overall 10 year old boy.

Our culture tells us every day what greatness “should” look like.  

Should we believe what we hear?

I invite us to define it for ourselves – be it greatness in living life, loving well, forgiving, employment goals, practicing mindfulness, gratitude, health, faith, joy, finances, or even victories at sugar packet football!

And for those of us striving for excellence, perhaps The Beatitudes could be our guide ~ blessed are those who are meek, who hunger for righteousness, who are merciful, are peacemakers and pure in heart (Matthew 5:1-11).  

What are you striving for today?

Run after it with all the gusto you have.  

Wear it like a motto on your shirt for all the world to see because others just may be watching!

Thanks for reading.

Lori

#StriveForGreatness   #Beatitudes  #YouAreTheExample  #Day7   

COLD NOSES & WAGGING TAILS

By Lori Carmody 

Our first dogs taught me about complete acceptance and love beyond all bounds.  Rhody and Dandy were the constant joy factors in our lives…ALWAYS happy to see us, ALWAYS by our side, ALWAYS there to remind us we had a friend.  I miss them.

Our next little guy, Tucker, taught me about comfort.  He was there when Matt left for college and our family went from 4 to 3 living under our roof.  Tucker was still with us when Kaitie went to college and we became empty nesters at home.  Although he barked a lot and that got on our nerves, his barking was something I treasured when Tom traveled and I was in the house alone at night.  Tucker was my consummate guard dog and sofa lapdog.  I miss him.

Donald Hicks writes, “Those who teach the most about humanity aren’t always humans”.  I agree.  Dogs bring hope, loyalty, companionship and unbridled love to the world.

It has been said that the day God made dogs, He just sat down and smiled.   

I think that is just about right.

Thanks for reading. 

Lori

NOTE:   A friend of mine, Diane Odegard Gockel, is a children’s book author.  She has two books that are “written” by rescued dogs.

Check these out:

IS RANGER IN DANGER?   https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Is+ranger+in+danger

BELLA SAVES THE FARM   https://www.amazon.com/Bella-Saves-Diane-Odegard-Gockel/dp/0989631710

#DogLover  #DogFanClub  #Day6

A Person Is A Person

By Lori Carmody

What does the United States have in common with North Korea, China, The Netherlands, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada?  And what does that answer have to do with us who are fed up with many of our Senators and Representatives of both political parties? 

Last week I was dismayed by our US Senators – both the Democratic and Republican ones.  Let me explain.

Science has made great gains in discovering what the unborn feel while they are in utero.  The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act that the US Senate voted on Jan 29th took into account the scientific information that fetal neural development experiences pain after 20 weeks of gestation.

 

Even with having this knowledge, our Senators voted against passing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.  (60 votes were needed.)  Let me say that again.  Even knowing that babies feel pain, our elected Senators voted down the legislation that would protect these children.

Republicans needed Democratic support in addition to the votes of their own 51 Republican Senators to stop a filibuster (which requires 60 votes).  Two Republicans voted against the bill – Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.  That left only 49 Republican votes for the measure to pass so they now needed 11 Democrats to vote with them.  They only got 3 – Senators Bob Casey, Joe Manchin and Joe Donnelly so the bill was defeated by our US Senate by a vote of 51-46.  Heart breaking news as far as I am concerned.

Three facts to consider:

1*  The US is 1 of only 7 countries in the world that allow abortions past 20 weeks of gestation.  The other countries:  North Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore, The Netherlands, Canada

2*  The nervous system of the child begins functioning in the 4^th month of pregnancy

3*  Since the baby feels pain after 20 weeks, often the abortionist will give the baby anesthesia before the abortion (which suggests that abortionists know that the baby feels the procedure)

I understand that our US Senate will again take up debate on this bill later this year.   A recent poll by the Knights of Columbus discovered that 76% of Americans support limiting abortion in the United States to the first trimester. 

As Dr. Seuss says, “A person is a person no matter what.”   Writing an email to your legislator or making a call expressing your thoughts about the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would be a good thing, don’t you think?   

Thanks for reading,

Lori

#APersonIsAPerson   #Day6

GATE WIDE OPEN

By Lori Carmody

Every once in a while we need to intentionally chase after joy.  

My To-Do list today ~ 

LIVE LIKE SOMEONE LEFT THE GATE WIDE OPEN!

Happy Tuesday, folks.

Thanks for reading.

Lori

#Day4