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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…
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The gift of quiet time
“There’s no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day.” ~Alexander Woollcott The month of December includes several family birthdays and holiday events, so most days on our calendar are typically marked with things to do. But our dog Coco was hit by a car before Thanksgiving, so this season has been different. To ensure Coco’s recovery, we’ve had to cancel a few plans, stick close to home, and keep our outings short. It might seem anti-social (or boring) to some, but I love seeing blank spaces on my calendar. It’s not that I don’t look forward to gathering with family and friends. But I have to admit that…
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Some thoughts on holiday charity
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~William James Rushing into the grocery yesterday evening, I passed a bearded young man ringing a bell next to a red Salvation Army kettle. I was in a hurry to grab something I needed to make dinner, so I shouted my usual refrain, “I’ll donate on my way out!” I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t always make good on that promise — but this time I slowed down long enough to stuff a generous donation in the kettle on my way back to the parking lot. Earlier that day, Doug made our annual holiday donations to charities and…
