I’ve put out all the bird feeders and the suet … we take them in at night or bears come by and pull them down and break them to get into the seed or suet. I’ve seen one of the wild rabbits feeding on grass (at least it’s green and grass-like!) in the back of the house. So the routine of that and getting out into the fresh air (and sun this morning too!) feeds my soul and sets me in my proper place for the day.

I am very intentionally teaching my 4 year old granddaughter about birds, worms, fiddlehead ferns, asparagus….(and I’ll do the same with the 18-month-old soon!) … we notice what is around us … we learn something new once a week as part of what we do together. And when I say “I am intentionally teaching” … I’m actually intentionally noticing and learning with her!

I will show up, be gracious and love kindness.

A significant teacher of mine taught me to notice the people that most others either willfully ignore or simply don’t see… Thank you, Mrs. Merritt.

I’ll be working on a multi-family garage sale, organizing and pricing today. It’ll help my daughter & family as they sell many baby things, having their youngest now out of that stage. Decluttering and passing along useful (and beloved) items at a bargain for others is also a cleansing endeavor. Many things have already gone to friends.

I have a Fitbit that reminds me every hour after waking to move at least 250 steps if I haven’t already. Maybe I need a “Thankbit” so that I get a little vibration on my wrist to remind me to be intentionally grateful and aware. 🙂 But maybe it’s enough to sit after the busiest moments and just say, Thanks for giving me purpose for my life energies….

It feels like being one with it all…. including the little garden snake who surprised me yesterday while I pruned raspberry canes. “Ah!! Hello, and it’s so lovely to see you….Thank you thank you thank you”

I think I was born inquisitive… Interested in things, but then that interest was fed by a great-grandmother with whom we lived. I sat in my little chair next to hers as she told me stories and took me on verbal trips, describing what we were seeing. The “big” trip was going to Idaho (!) which was about the farthest she had traveled herself…. From then on, I always loved maps and traveling and learning about people and places.

Getting enough sleep and eating well makes all the difference for me. When I have those things, I can more easily access my better angels.

When I am calm, grateful and centered, that’s also the energy I transmit to those around me and to the world.

“…it keeps me afloat…” Thank you for that.

Wow. I just looked them up too. Amazing.

Oh thank goodness she went back and started feeding again! And you saved a bird! (One of my biggest contributions to the world, I think, is when I can save a bird….) Blessings on nestlings everywhere.

That is WAY impressive!

Ditto for me on picking up trash at the campsites! 🙂

Have a splendid day cherishing it all!

Thank you. I love that quote from Cicero and it very much helped me this morning to keep perspective.

I wonder how many of us on this thread grew up in homes where parents invested (and for mine, it was definitely that…) in a set of encyclopedias….

Thank you for this, Pollyanna. A similar interaction with someone has left me sad, and your words about spiritual sickness and your prayer about “how can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry…” were the words I needed this morning.

Very helpful, Howie. Thank you…