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Merry Christmas to all
“We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” ~Joseph Campbell I’m wishing everyone moments of joy — and plenty of loving, supportive people to cherish and celebrate this season. Our future is full of question marks, but together we can weather what lies ahead. Here’s to peace in the world and peace within each of us in the coming year! ~CL
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Thoughts for last-minute holiday shopping
“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (This feature article was originally published 11/11/22 in The Sunday Oakland Press and online here.) Gift-giving can be as emotionally loaded as it is enjoyable — especially as we approach the Christmas season. As psychologists and etiquette experts agree, the stress of buying and exchanging gifts can dull our holiday sparkle if we don’t plan ahead. “Some people may feel social pressures to give gifts, but not in the same spirit as others,” says Irene S. Levine, PhD, psychologist and co-author of The Rules of Friendship. “If someone is depressed, for example, it…
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Gold stars
“Maybe one of these days I’ll be able to give myself a gold star for being ordinary, and maybe one of these days I’ll give myself a gold star for being extraordinary — for persisting. And maybe one day I won’t need to have a star at all.” ~Sue Bender, Plain and Simple Stars are shining everywhere this time of year. In our early grade school years, teachers rewarded our best efforts with gold star-shaped stickers. Remember the delicious rush of achievement you felt every time your test came back with a bright gold star at the top? No matter how old we are, most of us still strive for…
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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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A quiet winter walk
“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” ~Raymond Inmon Hippocrates believed that walking is the “best medicine,” and those of us who make it a daily habit know there’s some truth in his prescription. After adopting Coco, Doug and I started walking nearly every day, even in wintery weather. Coco loves nothing more than a long stroll outdoors, and for the past several years we’ve been motivated by her enthusiasm. Now in recovery after she was hit by a car, Coco is banned from her walks for another five weeks — so Doug and I have to…
