A Peaceful Mind

  

As one gets older, there is often a deep desire to seek peace.

Squabbles with friends or family, differences of political opinions, or hanging around with people who emanate conflict and negativity, all seem to be less important as one seeks peace.

With that thought in mind, a chair yoga instructor explained the importance of gentle yoga classes. 

 Some people prefer a more strenuous workout. However, the instructor explained that yoga that is gentle on the body is also advantageous for resulting in a gentle mindset.

That's a good thing to have a gentle mind. To me, that is synonymous with peace.

A visit on Memorial Day to a cemetery brought peace. 

 That's a place where one's priorities definitely fall into place. 

It's quiet in a cemetery and well, it's peaceful there, too. 

So today, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I hope you find precious peace.

WHAT BRINGS YOU PEACE OR WHERE AND HOW DO YOU FIND IT?

Strawberry Season

 

Most berries are really tasty but strawberries are among the most delicious.  

We are now coming into strawberry season.  

One drawback of strawberries is they can have a short shelf life. 

Within a couple of days, they can get mushy, moldy, and unappealing. 

Recently, I came across a method of storing strawberries that was highly recommended. 

Believe it or not, it worked!

Into a clean mason jar, place a folded paper towel on the bottom.  

Wash and dry strawberries, add them to the jar, put the cover on it, and pop it into the refrigerator.

Strawberries I placed in it several days ago are still as firm and as delicious as they were the day they were purchased.

At a breakfast with a very dear cousin the other morning, I served, among several breakfast items, strawberry halves with creamed cheese to which maple syrup had been added. Delicious!

The berry halves were arranged on a dessert plate in the Old Country Roses pattern.

That set of dishes used to be kept in my late maternal grandmother's hutch and used only for special occasions.

These days they are used daily because life is short, right? 

As we get older, we should use the fine china, drink out of the crystal glasses if they appeal to us, and eat those strawberries!

 Do you agree?

 

The Beauty and Majesty of Trees

There is something inexplicable about one's love for trees.

In my own life, seeing a tree chopped down always deeply wounded my spirit. 

Trees should be loved and kept alive as long as  possible.

When looking at the huge, old tree in my daughter's yard  (shown at the top of this post),  a poem by Joyce Kilmer always comes to mind.

According to information online, he was born in 1886 in New Jersey, and earned a college journalism degree. He eventually married and he and his wife had five children.

Tragically, during World War I, he enlisted in the Armed Services and was shot by a German sniper in 1918.

My own late mother used to recite the following poem by heart to her five daughters when we were kids. 

I remember it so poignantly.

This is Joyce Kilmer's inspiring poem about a tree:

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

This poem is in the public domain.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Look for the Good Things

 

 A very dear friend of mine, Rosie, who is older than me, always lifts my spirit.

She is upbeat----positive---- constantly looking on the bright side and honestly, it is wonderful to be with someone like Rosie.

Her life journey has not been pain free either.  

 She's suffered a lot and come through some soul-crushing disappointments.

But she never concentrates on the difficult times, past or present.

Also, her faith in God and positive outcomes is strong.

From this dear soul, I've learned to appreciate every breath that is taken because each one is a gift.

Each new day of life, too, is given to us to enjoy, to cherish, and to enjoy.

My friend and I had a long phone conversation recently. 

"Getting older is hard," I told her and Rosie agreed.

There are health challenges galore, deep disappointments, bills that come in like Niagara Falls, loneliness, stomach aches, headaches, and on and on.

 Getting older brings lots of  challenges and difficulties, including arthritis in different parts of the body, hip pains, feet difficulties, knee discomfort, sleep disturbances, and many more difficulties.

All of those maladies prove something great and that is, we are alive!

 So yes, rather than concentrate on the negatives, we need to try to appreciate everything around in nature like flowers, fresh breezes, rain, the sun, stars, and the moon, gorgeous trees that jut up to the skies, and changing seasons.

Life, despite all the setbacks, pains, and discouragements, is pretty darned precious. 

Photos in this post are things available to see every single day. 

Each one can be appreciated and savored.

PLEASE TELL US HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT GETTING OLDER.

We Will Owe Them Forever

 

 Most holidays are cause for celebration but not today's.

It's Memorial Day in America.

It commemorates the sacrifice of U.S. military men and women who fought and then died for this country's freedom.

So the last Monday of May, we always honor and mourn those who left American soil to serve in the Armed Forces and defend their country.

They said goodbye to their loved ones with tears, dreams, and hopes, and never returned. 

When we were kids, in our family, our mother had us pile into the car to visit graves of soldiers in the cemetery.

There were always American flags near the graves of  those who served, placed by various service groups. 

Today, a flag flies near my late father's grave, too, as he was in the U.S. Infantry and fought valiantly.  

He was one of the lucky ones who came home.

Seeing so many flags, row after row across the green grass of the cemetery,  gently blowing in the wind, always made my heart terribly sad.

All the agonies suffered in wars, spilled blood, loss of limbs, and eyesight, and yes, bodies blown up and death, were the price they paid for freedom.

We can never take their sacrifices or our freedom for granted.  

Today, we honor and weep for the heroes who gave up their lives so the rest of us could have freedom.

We will owe them forever.