The Gift of Klezmer Music

Weave a musical composition into your life today.  It will make life better. 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Klezmer Music

“Life is one grand sweet song, so start the music.”

Unknown

Klezmer music tells a unique story, a life history. 

The music weaves a story of music and melody. 

Some of the music is scripted and other portions are improvised.  

But when the tune comes together, it gives your ears a sweet and melodic prize. 

Take those bits of the past that give you great joy and weave them into the tune. 

Take the moments that taught you a lesson and add words and meaningful phrases. 

Take those moments that gave you great pain and let the music wash it all away. 

The rest of the piece you can just improvise, make the little trills and long notes that give your soul a great and worthy prize. 

Compose your life like a Klezmer piece.  Take the good, the bad, and the unknown. 

Write a tune that will give you and yours a harmonious symphony. 

When I was taking music theory in college, we had to study a variety of musical genres.  One such genre I had never had the pleasure of knowing about was Klezmer music.  My college experience was during the time when you had to sit in the music library and do your homework while in the library.  These precious pieces of music were not allowed to leave the library because the CD or record might get scratched.  The first genre of music that my class was assigned was Klezmer music.  As the headphones came to my ears I was transported into a beautiful weaving of tunes that went on for hours.  The clarinet played a beautiful and clear tone, the violin sounded uniquely Jewish and the Yiddish was like music to the ears.  There is also a tradition of a lot of dances that are added while these pieces are played.  There are more than 10 dances that can be danced while the music is playing.  If you have ever seen a Jewish wedding, Klezmer music is typically played.  There are also many non-dancing types of Klezmer music in this genre.  The word Klezmer means “tools or utensils of melody”.  During World War II the practice of Klezmer music all but disappeared.  In the 1970’s the practice was revived and is alive and well today.  If your life could be a Klezmer music composition what would your melody be?  Hopefully you can weave in the circumstances that taught you a much needed lesson, or the teachings of a loved family member that serves you very well to this day.  What about those painful experiences that made you a stronger person?  Most definitely bring those notes into your composition.  Also, take those bits of your life that bring you joy.  They could be your kids, your hobbies, your significant other, and even your pet.  After that portion of the melody just improvise.  Take all the pieces that compose the tune and just play a fun and fanciful tune.  If we let life dictate our tune or melody it might be a sad and lackluster sound that is not music to our ears.  Take all the bits and make them a dulcet tone.  Like the sounds that the violin and the cello make, it is like butter to the ear.  Several years ago I served as a pianist for one of the most positive persons I have ever met in my life.  He had very little knowledge of music, yet he sang like he was trained by the greatest master voice teacher.  After a little time working with him I learned that he had tragically lost his wife prematurely, he had even lost a child.  Yet he always had a smile on his face.  He even had remarried a woman who had custody of her grandchildren, he willingly stepped into this situation as a man who had a lot of years on him and decided to help raise these young children.  Each Sunday he would come to church, sing his slightly off tune tones to the hymns with a huge smile on his face.  Finally out of of curiosity I asked him, “Why are you always so happy when life has handed you so much sadness.”.  He looked at me with his lovely smile on his face and said, “Well honey, I could let all the sadness make me frown and mope around, and I do have days when I have grief for what I have lost.  I take those moments and weave it into my song of life.  I find something each day no matter how small and sing a tune of happiness even if that reason is very miniscule.”.  What an amazing attitude.  I ran into this precious soul recently at a restaurant and he still had that contagious smile on his face.  This brought to mind Mr. Wendell, a beautiful soul who willingly would admit he can’t sing but I will sing you a tune with a smile, had made Klezmer music out of his life.  Life is a great teacher if we are just open and willing to listen.  Weave some Klezmer into your life.  

Source:britannica.com

The Gift of Courage

We took this in Interlaken, Switzerland...  it reminds me of courage and faith that moves mountains. 

Positive Pensées

The Gift of Courage

Kathy King

“Courage is found in unlikely places.”

J. R. R. Tolkien

What is courage? 

What does it entail?

Is courage easy even if you might fail?

Courage is necessary to get up and try again.

Courage is knowing that you can face a new day.

Courage is strength in the face of danger.

Courage is the ability to do something that frightens you.

Courage sometimes takes a dash of temerity.

Throw in a teaspoon of pluck and a dash of valor.

Mix it all together and shake and stir;

You have some courage to face all of life’s curves. 

Show courage, give courage in the form of encouraging others.

The world needs a little courage in these interesting and divided days.

Find courage. Find a new way to be brave. 

Courage.  It is better (in my opinion) than hearing the phrase “my truth.” There is the truth and your feelings that surround the reality of truth.  Courage means that in the face of truth that you can make your way through to the other side while navigating the reality of a situation.  Whether that situation is in your work, your relationships, or anything pertaining to everyday life.  No one is promised everything that they want in life. Wouldn’t that be great?  Maybe, or maybe not.  If life was predictable, and in our bubble that would be boring, right?  Part of life is the dance, the navigation through varying circumstances, the journey of learning.  Life would be boring if we stopped learning, stopped moving, stopped dancing and just decided to stagnate.  When we stagnate what happens?  We stop moving and growing.  We lose enthusiasm for pretty much everything.  Even scrolling through social media apps mindlessly robs us of our courage.  We have a rule at home when we have dinner to foster courage and conversation.  We have what is called “Phone-henge” where we put our phones somewhat in the shape of the famous Stonehenge statues that are in the United Kingdom.  We purposefully stop using technology and use our minds to have genuine conversation about life, the universe and everything.  Even taking a break from technology requires courage if you really think about it.  We have those little computers in our hands a lot.  The need to be connected is addictive.  Some would argue that need also robs us of precious brain cells.  Technology is both a blessing and a curse. Who comes to mind when you think of courage? Yesterday, I read about a man named Sharvarsh Karapetyan.  He was a world champion swimmer who won many awards. One day he witnessed a bus plummet over a dam wall over eighty feet.  Without hesitation he dove into the water, broke the window of the bus with his feet, and rescued 20 drowning passengers.  He performed this courageous act in the dark as well.  After saving these ailing souls, he spent a long time in a coma recovering.  He was never able to compete again as a swimmer.  With no pomp and circumstance he did not yell to the rafters that he saved a lot of people.  He lost his athletic abilities.  You would think that this would plummet him into a deep depression.   It only came to light a few years later that he had even saved folks drowning.  He never stopped being courageous, because a few years later he rescued a lot of folks from a burning building.  His courageous spirit prevailed.  Do we have to be that courageous?  Probably not.  But what scares you?  What steps do you need to take to embrace your passion? It doesn’t have to be anything momentous.  Big or small, short or tall.  A small task, a big task or just even a few steps forward out of your comfort zone is a step towards being more courageous.  Confront the uncertainty, take the leap and be courageous.  I read a great quote yesterday that said: “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Brene Brown. 

The Gift of Jolabokaflod

Try a little Jolabokaflod in your life...

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Jolabokaflod

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

Anne Frank

Jolabokaflod, try saying that three times. 

It is an interesting Icelandic phrase that involves an act that is indeed very kind. 

It means Christmas book flood in English terms. 

The practice is done on Christmas Eve and it brings great joy. 

The Books are given to family members and friends.

After the books are opened the reading begins. 

The reader reads with great joy on Christmas Eve with the thoughtful gift of what their loved one perceived, their reading preferences, their love of the written word, what a great a mindful gift to show that the love of the written word. 

Start your own Jolabokaflod, make it a life goal.  

Pass on a thoughtful gift or word of gratitude, I promise you this will change your whole mood. 

To give to someone else, to practice empathy is a wonderful gift that will change you from the inside out.  Just wait and see. 

Find someone who needs a little Jolabokaflod and give them a meaningful gift.  

Find them and give their soul and spirit a much needed lift.  

Jolabokaflod is something that we had the pleasure to learn about a few years ago.  Basically, the Icelandic folks give books to their loved ones and friends on Christmas Eve so that they can spend the evening simply engaged in the act of reading.  Pretty amazing, right?  The practice started during World War II when restrictions were imposed on imported giftware.  The restrictions on paper were not nearly as harsh, so this birthed the tradition of giving the gift of written word.  Even to this day it is considered an honor to receive a physical book, not an ebook.  Funny aside, one of the most popular books in Iceland is about Tractors.  Not kidding.  There is even a show that is dedicated entirely to books called Kiljan.  That is pretty impressive.  Since discovering this absolutely delightful tradition, our family has engaged in Jolabokaflod for the past several years.  Because we are a big family, we draw names and each person is assigned a family member to give what they think the other family member would enjoy reading.  The time, the thought, the purpose is so amazing.  Much more than just a random material gift that you are not quite sure will be to their liking.  While we don’t have to practice Jolabokaflod as a Christmas tradition, we can however impart a little Jolabokaflod in the practice of everyday life.   We have an extended family member who is perpetually unhappy, he reminds me of a person that has the rain cloud that is always over them. They have no umbrella, they are soaked to the bone and do not want anyone’s help. Thank you very much! We were listening to him wax poetic about how he does not want to engage with people, they are just too complicated and not worth his time.  They should come to him!  He is so tired of planning gatherings and putting in the work without one single word of thanks!  While I did not mind listening and hearing their point of view, I could not help but say, “Have you tried a little Jolabokaflod in your life?  He stopped and looked at me and said, “Jolabokawhat?!” After a little laugh, I explained to him about the Icelandic tradition.  Also, this tradition does not have to involve books, it does not have to be near Christmas. This practice could just be a way to give to others when you are focused on the hardships and daily doldrums of life.  The best gift that we can give is to give to others.  After a few minutes of thought my dear family member said, “You are right, I am going to try it..” It was then only a few days later that my family member decided to go to the neighbor who is suffering from cancer and offer to do their landscaping since they were struggling both financially and physically.  He shared with us that this little act of helping another person made him realize just how blessed he was in his life.  This was a delight to hear.  We all get in a mood, we all have moments.  It is part of the dance of life, but a little Jolabokaflod goes a long way.  Also, when you receive a Jolabokaflod the best action that you can do is to accept that gift graciously. One theme that keeps running over and over in my head this year has been, look beyond yourself.  There are so many people who just need a kind word of acceptance.  That may be their book.  Some need to know that they are prayed for.  That might be the might volume in their lives.  Some may need to know that you are willing to listen.  That may be their set of wide wisdom. Because in the words of Aesop, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” 

Source:npr.org

The Gift of Something has to be Good

Something has to be good... even the small act of feeding a bird. 
Photo credit: My husband

Positive Pensées

The Gift of Something Has to Be Good

Kathy King

“Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.”

Alice Morse Earle

When life is giving you a bit of grief.

Something has to be good even in grief. 

It’s been said that someone somewhere has it harder than you.

So find that good thing even when it can’t be seen.

Find the glimmer of hope, even if it is tiny.

Focus on whatever you can find.

This helps set your sight on just how good (even in grief) life can be. 

We always tend to look at the glass as half empty.

We tend to focus on the bleak.

It sucks our energy, sucks our will, and makes us generally feel down.

Find that one nugget of good even if it is tiny.

Change your thoughts from despair and grief.

To small bits of joy, and beautiful life melodies.

Find your “Something has to be Good”each day.

Make it a mindset. 

Change your ways.

There will be a marked change in your attitude in a very meaningful way.

This was written last year, I have since been to the hospital a couple of times with loved ones.  One was a late night trip.  The despair I saw in that room.  There were people walking around without shoes.  People who clearly were in desperate need of help.  It really brought into perspective of “Something has to be good.” into my focus.  I asked the nurse about the utter despair in the room.  He said, “You would be surprised at just how much homelessness is centered right here at this hospital. It brings into focus the blessings in your life.”

Recently our daughter had to go to the emergency room.  She will thankfully be ok, but in those six plus hours of waiting for a room, a doctor, test results, etc..  The plight of the people in the room was just stark to see.  So many elderly patients were waiting to be seen.  Some were alone, some had family with them.  There were police there bringing in persons who were injured and in handcuffs.  There was a lady who dropped to the floor in an apoplectic seizure.  Her poor daughter was screaming, “Please help my mother!”  As the hours wore on, I wanted so badly to complain.  My attitude was quite bleak as was my daughter’s as well.  To see so much suffering in one place.  We all know there is suffering in the world.  There are times that we just don’t realize just how good our lives are.  In those moments we had to practice active gratitude and keep reminding ourselves over and over that our life situations could be much worse.  Also, say prayers for those folks who are clearly suffering.  We often hear folks say, “I am praying for you.'' Some say it to fill a hole in a conversation, others really mean they will pray.  Find a way within reason to help someone near you.  The nurses at this hospital were clearly overwhelmed with the amount of people coming in the emergency room.  There were some little old ladies in the room who were alone who kept asking for blankets.  The nurses just did not have time to get to them.  My daughter and I decided to offer to give them blankets.  Simple acts, simple changes in thought can and will transform your attitude into one of gratitude.  What can you learn from the situation?  Where is the silver lining in this dark cloud of a situation?  Encyclopedia Britannica defines silver lining as something good that can be found in a bad situation.  After all, in the words of Leonard Cohen, “There is a crack in everything, that is how the light gets in.”.  Find your “Something has to be Good.”  I promise you this will change your mindset quite quickly.  

The Gift of Pianissimo

A simple photo by my husband....  Embrace the Pianissimo...

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

Positive Pensées

The Gift of Pianissimo

“Silence isn’t empty, it is full of answers.”

Unknown

It’s ok to be quiet.

It’s ok to be Pianissimo.

It’s ok to enjoy the silence, and let your mind unload.

The silence is healing, it can make your soul replete. 

Pianissimo means to play very quietly.

To give the loud melody or harmony a break. 

It is even possible to become pianississimo and play even more quietly.

The music becomes but a whisper, a far away melody. 

So be silent, stay still and listen. 

Take the refreshment, tranquility and peace that quietude can convey.

Learn from the silence, it can help in so many ways to help you focus, to give you clarity when the world is loud and forte. 

Do you ever feel like the world and life is just a constant barrage of noise?  Whether that noise is in the physical world or the digital world.  In this age of information overload, where does silence play a part?  In music, Pianissimo means to be played very quietly.  It is akin to whispering whilst playing your music.  Pianississimo is to play very, very quietly, a very quiet whisper.  Many composers wrote pieces in Pianissimo.  I encourage everyone to take an afternoon and play some of Bach’s works.  The one that comes to mind is Bach’s Aria Variata.  The notes weave through so quietly and beautifully.  I liken the piece to a date with heaven.  Glorious, magnificent and relaxing.  When we practice the art of pianissimo what does that do for our physical body?  According to science, this practice can lower blood pressure, improves concentration and focus, stimulates brain growth, it reduces cortisol (the primary stress hormone) in the brain, causes more mindfulness and it improves insomnia.  All the more reason to take a moment and enjoy the silence.  In the South we rarely get the gift of snow.  When we do, one of my absolute favorite activities is to take a walk after much of the snow has fallen.  The silence is almost like going to church in a glorious cathedral and communing with the angels.  The beauty of freshly fallen snow is pristine, almost a purified moment that washes away the dust and dank of daily life.  That is illustrious silence.  I imagine that practicing mindful pianissimo has the same effect on our minds, souls, and spirit.  Even if it is 5 minutes, imagine what that snippet of time can do for you. Take some time, put down the phone, don’t turn on the television.  Dare to daydream, dare to pray!  Dare to meditate.  Take some time for yourself each day.  In giving to yourself you can charge your battery and pass on good will to others who need the act terribly.  When you give to others it encourages them to be a better version of themselves.  Just watch and see.  Let’s start a moment to find our pianissimo if but for a moment each day.   It is time for us to make deposits of benevolence and charity in a very meaningful way.  In the words of Rumi: “Listen to silence, it has much to say.”

Source: clevelandclinic.org

  

The Gift of How are You?

Positive Pensées 

Kathy King

How are you?  How is it going? Is a common phrase to say.

When greeting strangers, friends, or acquaintances, it is something that we all say. 

When you are asking or receiving this phrase. 

Pause, take a moment, and try to find something to say that is uplifting, kind, or even just a compliment.  

These small words may make an impact on another human’s day. 

Even when you ask and the answer is not great, remember, you are making a small dusting of their spirit and soul.  Take that moment and say, “You will be in my thoughts, and I will pray for you.”.  There is beauty in meaningful uncomplicated words.  Put them into practice.  Make those deposits into humanity.  Your soul and spirit will benefit from these small changes in a meaningful way.  

Pensée.

The Gift of Chip Clips

Find those chip clips... take a walk...  read that book, write that story. 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Chip Clips

“Giving up is the easiest thing you can do, but holding it all together when everyone expects you to crumble that, is true strength.”

Unknown

What holds you together?  

What is the chip clip of your life?

How does that little chip clip keep you going?

When you need a little something to keep it together where do you go?

What keeps you salty, crunchy and sweet?

Is it a devotional or a verse that gives you peace?

Is it a walk or a glance to take in the rays of the sun?

Do you feel the wind caress your face and embrace nature’s beautiful ways?

Is it a song that is beautiful or the sound of the sea?

Find your chip clip and keep it close by. 

Use your chip clip to hold it together day in and day out.

There are days you may need it, there are days you may not.

But never underestimate the power of that little clip.

It helps keep out moisture and the dust of everyday life.

It keeps things fresh when forces around want to take away its shelf life.

Have a little chip clip right on hand.  

I assure you, it will help make your life a little more grand. 

Chip clips.  A funny topic, right?  Have you ever gone to the pantry and taken out a bag of (in my family’s case) baked cheese doodles and some well meaning and hungry feral eater forgot to put the clip back on the chip bag?  Oh the humanity!  Things are stale, it is just not as good.  It doesn’t have to be a salty snack, it could be that coveted bag of caramel corn that you dreamt about all day long.  You long to take a bite of the salty and sweet goodness and… someone forgot to put the chip clip on.  The purpose of the chip clip is as we all well know to keep things fresh and from spoiling.  Bread becomes stale because it loses moisture.  Chips become stale because they gain moisture from not utilizing some form of seal or chip clip.  How do we relate this little contraption to life?  What are your chip clips?  We often talk and read about helping others and being a balm for the needy soul.  This is a well and necessary exercise in humanity.   What little clips do you put in your life to keep you fresh and not stale?  Take a small moment each day to read a Bible verse, listen to a song that lifts you up.  In our house we have used sticky notes to give reassuring messages to each other.  One of our favorite sounds in our house to calm us is the sound of rain.  Life is busy, life is hectic.  We do forget to put on our chip clips to keep us fresh, to take a moment to invest in ourselves so that we can invest in others.  We all realize that not everyone even employs a chip clip in their life.  Their lives are ruled by the moisture that seeps in, or the moisture that dries out.  However, we can be better  through mindful searching for our chip clips of life. We can be better and surround ourselves with others who also have found their chip clips.  This brings to mind flying.  When you fly on an airplane the flight attendant always goes through a safety brief before taking off.  One of those instructions is if the cabin loses pressure and the oxygen masks fall down from the ceiling make sure to put your mask on first. Why?  You cannot assist someone beside you before assisting yourself, you could very quickly run out of oxygen. Well, if you don’t get that all important oxygen you certainly cannot help others find their breath.  This is true with the concept of chip clips.  Find those little things that keep you going.  Then share them with others.  It is time for us to walk across the aisle and share goodness with one another.  

The Gift of I'm Cute Too!

Take a moment... find someone who needs that little nudge.  They are cute, too! 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of I’m Cute Too!

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change.”

Bob Kerrey

Where is your focus?

Is it almost exclusively inward?

Do you pause and look to see those around you?

In our world where it is selfies and filters.

Let us look outward. 

Let us practice empathy and sympathy in a world full of hurting human beings.

Comments are hateful, folks are suffering. 

How can we be a balm to others?

You can be a balm by observing others.

Do they need a kind word or just a smile?

Look to folks who are hurting, look to the forlorn.

Give a small compliment.  

A simple “How are you?” can make all the difference to someone who is struggling with their mood. 

Don’t worry about the audience of your simple gesture.  It is the action that counts.  

Practice human kindness in a small way each and every day.  

You will notice a great difference in what your life conveys to others. 

In our quiver full of children we have a rainbow of personalities.  They are all so very different.  Even our twins are polar opposites in their bearing and demeanor.  When our son Tomas was little, (about two) we had twin boys.  The occasion of twins is not a normal occurrence.  We had many folks come by and just say how cute they were.  What blessings twins just had to be, how life was going to be so interesting with twins. The main theme that was voiced with each visit was just how cute the babies were.  Over and over, all of our older kids heard, “Oh my goodness!  They are so cute!”  Our very non-talkative, silent two-year-old blurted out, “I’m cute too!”  We all laughed and immediately told our son that yes, he was indeed quite cute.  This cute little story came to mind after visiting our granddaughter.  As I pondered how this quiet, (to this day) little boy felt so left out that he had to indeed announce his cuteness.  What does that say about others who are indeed the quiet ones?  The folks who are forlorn, the person that never really offers any personal information.  While that is perfectly acceptable, one small gesture of kindness can in fact make the person who is struggling blossom like a flower.  We as humans tend to focus on the groups and interests that for lack of a better way to put it, they fit in our echo chamber.  What about those folks outside that sphere?  I know we have discussed this comment in prior Pensee’s but this idea is worth rehashing.  How can we reach across the aisle and love our neighbor?  By focusing on what brings us together.  By focusing on our similarities.  Give that smile to someone that you would normally not think to even look their way.  Say, “good morning” and have a nice day.  Open that door for someone who has a handful.  Small deposits into humanity will eventually yield a robust balance of goodwill.  Today I read an article in the New York Times that asked, why are folks so hostile on airplanes?  The answer?  People are almost exclusively inward focused.  That is why.  This time, this age of selfies and me! ME! ME! This has not helped the cause of being a decent human.  Be better, do better, be that change that is needed.  Be that kind word, be that person that opens the door when no one else will.  Be the one that gives that much needed smile.  Take that inward focus and push it outward.  You might see that it will change you inside.  Tell someone, they are cute too! 

The Gift of Green Rolling Hills

We enjoyed riding through the rolling hills of Kentucky

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

"Nature is the purest portal to inner peace."

Angie Weland Crosby

The Gift of Green Rolling Hills

To see nature and enjoy it, one must take the time.

To pause, to breathe, to look, to listen, at all that nature has in its design.

To see the blue sky, the rolling hills and the mountains. 

To see the flat lands, and even the areas that some people would not deign to even consider beautiful and grand, but they are there. 

They are there in creation to cause us, to pause and reflect about all these different expressions of creation. 

Life is often spent on a tiny little screen. 

It is sad honestly. 

Because nature and life around you is grand indeed.

Some say, "People are terrible, why bother."

But, dear readers, if you take a moment and ponder that thought.

Is that not where this phrase took root and started to grow?

Not stopping, not looking, not even taking a moment to breathe. 

It has caused us humans to really start to be a culture in great need. 

So pause, if even for a moment and look at all the beauty that surrounds you.

It may be hard for some because life itself is dark all around them.

Find that speck of light, that patch of green. 

Restore your soul, look to others and plant some seeds.

Seeds of humanity, goodness and grace.

So that when humanity is unkind to you...

You can face it with forgiveness, love, humility, all those things that humanity needs.

I promise you, dear reader. Your spirit will grow and thrive when life is full of weeds.

Today we took a very long journey to Fort Knox, Kentucky.  It was about a six hour drive on a good day.  We encountered traffic.  We encoutered buggies!  Seriously!  A horse and buggy! We encountered pasture dogs.  We were out in the sticks.  There was a bad wreck on the interstate that we were traveling on.  Our GPS re-routed us on to some pretty interesting country roads.  As we traveled further north the mountains were nothing short of absolutely gorgeous. It is summer, the green of the trees are lovely and the mountains played a tune like Bach.  When I think of tall mountains I often think of Johann Sebastian Bach.  I often wonder if he took his inspiration for some of his Toccatas and Fugues from looking at the Alps.  Their peaks are so high that they touch the hand of God.  After driving way up in the mountains we entered the state of Kentucky.  The rolling hills that were the most beautiful green were a sight to behold.  We even had a little Bed and Breakfast that was right near fields and fields of wheat and corn.  Living in a pretty populated area makes you forget the beauty of nature and all that it involves.  I would add that during this trip we were so out in the middle of nowhere that our cell phones had little to no service.  We had to look at nature and enjoy each other.  When is that last time you took a moment to do just that?  Put down the phone and the computer.  Turn off the TV and go take in some nature?  It is a quite simple concept I must admit... but driving through these gorgeous areas in silence and just taking things in was almost like a deposit into the soul.  Do you ever make deposits into your soul? Do you ever put down that little screen?  It might do you just a little bit of good and in turn, one day it might do someone else some good.  As I sit here in this little cabin in the woods with no wifi... no real cell service, my kindle is dead.  There were not any decent shows on the tele... I had to pause. I had to reflect.  I had to realize that we get to do this journey once on this big blue ball.  Find something ordinary to do in an extraordinary place.  It does not have to be far from you, it could be at a park down the street.  I encourage you all to restock your spirit and soul by taking in the beauty of nature.  It just might do you some good. 

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The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot