Personal growth
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What we don’t know …
“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.” ~Robert J. Sawyer Years ago, an old friend had a humorous expression he’d repeat at exactly the right moments: “What you don’t know, you don’t need to know.” These days I find myself remembering that phrase more often. In a recent class, for instance, we discussed how some social media users reveal unattractive aspects of themselves in their posts — usually without realizing how silly, self-absorbed, or unhinged they might appear. Before social media, we had fewer opportunities to witness this type of behavior so immediately in our relationships. Today, oversharing is the norm. It’s one of…
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Keep calm and carry on
“Don’t Panic.” ~ Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Yesterday was one of those days. I spent four hours working on a new 800-word column, only to watch it completely disappear from my computer monitor when I accidentally hit the wrong key. Gone. Totally gone. All my attempts to retrieve the piece failed; I couldn’t “undo” whatever I did to zap it. It didn’t help that I’d been rushing because I was scheduled to visit my cardiologist for a follow-up EKG later that afternoon. (I was sure everything would be off the charts, thanks to the morning’s calamity.) But I took a deep breath. I thought of the British meme,…
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Reflecting on art
“When we look at art, we are looking for ourselves.” ~Leslie Riley I wasn’t entirely on board with today’s quote until I remembered a woman I knew who didn’t like to read novels or see films unless the plots revolved around people like her. She could only relate to characters in settings and situations similar to her own. I’ve always enjoyed paintings, films, and books that surprise and entertain me. And while I often find aspects of myself in some characters, I don’t necessarily hope to see myself reflected in what I’m viewing or reading. How about you? Do you want art and literature to mirror your own life and…
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How big is your world?
“The world only exists in your eyes. You can make it as big or as small as you want.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald Up until the past couple of weeks, I stayed close to home while Coco recovered from her accident. During the those early days of her convalescence, I was reminded of sheltering in place during the pandemic. Back then, I rarely ventured beyond the front yard. While there’s comfort in being a homebody — especially in the winter — our worlds can get too small if we’re not careful. ~CL
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Spoil yourself
“Self-care is about putting yourself first in a world that romanticizes overwork and overextension, a difficult thing to learn if you are used to people-pleasing. It’s about crafting healing routines as rituals for better health.” ~Maria Delblassie Here’s something to think about as Valentine’s Day approaches … You won’t have the energy to fully love and care for others until you’ve learned to love and care for yourself. When you look at it that way, you realize that self-care isn’t selfish. This is especially important for parents of young children as well as caregivers of elderly parents. (Been there, done both.) Self-care means taking time out for a nap or…
