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 A new blog to contain answers to prompts |
Since my old blog "Everyday Canvas "  became overfilled, here's a new one. This new blog item will continue answering prompts, the same as the old one. Cool water cascading to low ground
To spread good will and hope all around.  |
| Prompt: "May and October are the best-smelling months, but I’ll make a case for December; evergreen, frost, wood smoke, cinnamon." — Lisa Kleypas What are your favorite December smells? Why? --------- My favorite December smells are bouquets of clean pure fragrances, such as those of warmth, festivity, appreciation, and that bittersweet aroma of nostalgia. When we lived up in North, the crisp cold air and the smell of fresh snow carried a clean, pure, slightly metallic feeling for my nose, however sharp and invigorating it was. Do I miss it? No! It was then; this is now. Wherever I am, whether I am under the hot Florida sun or enjoying the fragrance of pine forests, or the smell of damp earth, or fallen leaves, December always brought the warmth of spicy anything...cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cookies, gingerbread, and pies baking. Then, who can resist those gooey jelly doughnuts? I love their smells so much that I use all those spices throughout the year to add to the comforting hot drinks like cocoa, tea, and coffee. And yes, even in the scorching Florida climate. All these things, especially the songs that carry smells like "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," inspire feelings of togetherness, reflection, celebration, and thankfulness to add to the traditions that linger in my heart always. As much as I try to be grounded in the present, all those aromas and memories have a way of pulling me toward the past, and as the result my past and present unite beautifully. For that alone, what can top the scent of December any better! |
| Prompt: On this day in 1955, New York psychologist Joyce Brothers wins "$64,000 Question" with topic of boxing. If you were playing the 64,000 game and could choose your category what would you chose? Why? ---------- At that time, I was still a child, although I remember Joyce Brothers talking about it on a talk show, probably a few years later, denying that she was given the answers beforehand. What I also recall is that the show didn't have a long life, although its name became a phrase for solving difficult questions. Even for its early success, the show was said to be made for dramatic effects, with an isolation booth for contestants and such, so the people would keep watching Unfortunately, because of the idea and the drama, the contestants were given the questions and answers and were made to act like actors. For that and probably a few other mishaps, the show didn't survive much longer. Granted, the idea behind that show might have been innovative but the show itself certainly broke a few ethics rules. As for me, I wouldn't be playing that game in the first place. I'd rather earn stuff or receive things or funds freely as gifts through the good will of friends and family. I've never entered a sweepstakes in my life, unless you don't count the trike I won when I was six years old, which wasn't my doing. It was my mother in the wings. Then, of course, here in WdC, we have writing contests with prizes, but they are made to encourage writing and to give new ideas to our writers. Also, our reviews are entered into the Good Deeds race, which isn't really a quiz show or sweepstakes or even a game. When I accidentally win something anywhere through the good will of friends and family, I usually give it, or at least the monetary value of it, to someone else or to charity. Still, to answer the prompt's underlying question, were I to enter such a game, I would probably choose linguistics or words or something like that, which I might easily lose once the game could get more difficult. After all, no one knows everything! I certainly don't. |
| Prompt: Do you watch Christmas TV Shows and movies this time of year? ----------- I used to, is my true answer. Lately, I do like reading a lot. I guess when everyone goes one way, I go the other way.  On the positive side, it makes driving through life easier.Talking about driving through life, when my kids were small, we did watch several good movies as a family. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was an all-time favorite for us. We also enjoyed, way back when, "Frosty the Snowman," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," all the adaptations of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," and the animated version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Even further back, I remember my generation of people liking and finding morals in much of those black-and-white movies, such as, "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street." Come to think of it, I used to wish for the angel Clarence to come into my life. Then, when they tried to put color in the reels, it somehow didn't feel quite the same. Later on, I think we watched a "Home Alone" movie as a family, which my husband thought wasn't good for the children in general because it could have an unstabilizing effect on their psyches. By that time, however, our children were either in their late teens or they were already young adults. And I bet some non-Christmas cartoons and stories, then, had to be much worse examples for the younger set. Sometimes, TV series episodes also ran Christmas specials. I remember a couple of "Friends" episodes like that, however vaguely. Talking for myself, I have mostly liked the Christmas variety shows as they offered small sketches of stories, music, comedy, and heart-felt moments. Being an oldie, I was a fan of Andy Williams' shows, and I do remember Dean Martin's Christmas specials, along with Bob Hope's, John Denver's, Dolly Parton's, and also, any one singer or TV personality's specials with the Christmas motif. So, what I said as my answer in the beginning, I'll repeat now: I used to...once upon a time...!  |
| Prompt: If you could relive one year of your life, what year would you choose? Why? ------- If I really had to choose, it would have to be the time about two or more years before I was born.  Just kidding! Fact is, I wouldn't want to go back to any one year to relive the whole thing again. I could relive some events and be with some people who are no more, and even enjoy some stretches of time within a year. I might like that, but not a whole entire year. In general, though, looking at the ways of the world, I've had a happier life than possibly half the world, but I go by the motto, "What's done is done!" That is another reason I wouldn't want to relive another whole year, especially one in the past, knowing that this, again, will be over. This nice prompt reminded me of the movie, The Groundhog Day. My late husband and I watched it at a movie theater. I think it was the early 1990s, although I can't recall which year. If we were to be watching it on the TV at home, I would probably left the room and read a book or something. I'm not saying anything against this movie, by the way. I think it was a very well-acted film with a thoughtful plot, but it was not for me. As I mentioned earlier, I'm just not into repetitions, especially those that take such a long time. But then, "time flies," they say, also. Maybe that is because my time, too, has flown quite fast, and maybe for that reason alone, I can't stand long-term repetitions. |
| Prompt: Procrastination What do you think about procrastination, in general, and why do you think people procrastinate sometimes? And is there something you have been procrastinating about? ----------- Procrastination isn't really a flaw but it can turn into one if carried to the extreme. I used to take things easier and sometimes, not do them exactly on time but I found that, in the long run, this ended up giving me an unusual stress, and if I procrastinated in one area, it also affected other areas in my life by reducing my productivity and making things harder for me. So, since I have the habit of overdoing things, now I do quite the opposite. Lately, I do everything on time and even before time, which has helped my credit score rise, as a bonus. When it comes to tasks, however, a common reason for procrastination is the fear of not doing a task well. We may delay starting something because we are overwhelmed by perfectionism or doubt our abilities, leading to avoidance as a way to escape the possibility of falling short., Then, finding the energy to start a boring or monotonous job can be difficult, and if any task is too big or complex, we may put off starting it because we are confused about knowing how or where to start it. So here comes the decision paralysis. This may lead to emotional avoidance and, to say the least, poor time management. So, it may be a good idea to break tasks into smaller steps and set doable, smaller goals and face our emotional blocks. I try not to procrastinate but in some areas, such as getting someone to do some work around the house, has become a procrastination issue for me because it is difficult for me to depend on others, even my sons, for things I don't have the strength for anymore. That is the result of being a do-it-yourself-er all my life. but I'm working on it! |
| Prompt: Journaling Do you do any other journaling besides your WdC blog? Private or public? Why or why not? Also, what could be some helpful tips you can give to others who want to start a daily journal of any kind? ------- Yes, I have four other journals but not all of them are for daily writing. The one I keep to every day is a small 3x5 inch thankfulness journal. The other is one for answering shadow-work questions. Then, another one is my personal diary. Yet another one is a fancy diary book, given to me as a gift, which has a writing prompt at the top of each page. All my physical journaling began because I realized that what I was writing was not for me alone and I figured it was high time that I took care of myself, first. Also, all these journals are for my eyes only, not that I'd care much if anyone got a hold of any one of them, but I wanted me to be as true to my writing as I could be, even if my personal life is not all that interesting. To begin with, I find that journaling has many functions and benefits,. Besides being a dumpster of emotions and events, it helps take the edge from strong feelings, so I don't go yakking and bothering people with my regurgitated stuff. The best thing about it, though, it helps me to see me as I am, more or less, under my surface feelings and to understand what is really going on behind them. It also helps me to see my life in its entirety and hushes up my internal critic. Then, I look at it as a free therapy of sorts; however, I don't know how long I'll keep up with all this journaling. After all, I've stopped writing novels and even short stories. I guess, this is the time for journaling in my life. In addition, I like handwriting much better. Old dog, no new tricks, here! Another thing is, when keeping a journal with this new ai thing and my computer, pads, and cell butting in with my writing, it feels like some machine is putting words in my mouth and into my writing before I finish typing them. This is quite annoying and it hurts my thinking process. With some machines, I can stop this, but not with others. Then, even when I can stop it, it comes back, anyway. Then, heaven forbid that I should write in a different language or use a made-up word! All this could be because I am obstinate, but I have a few messaging friends, old like me, and they are all complaining from the same things. After all, aren't we allowed to do our own thinking! |
| Prompt: Holiday shopping: Are you an early shopper or a last-minute kind of shopper? ------- Normally, I like doing things ahead of time, but not too far ahead of time. I mean, I'm not one of those people who do Christmas shopping in June, but late fall is a good time in my book. Still, there have been occasions when I needed to do a last minute shopping, possibly for a new friend or someone whose name slipped my mind earlier. Most of the time, my gifts are pretty straightforward. They are usually something I know they want, possibly something they may need, or something to read. Unless I know the person real well, I don't get something to wear for them because buying clothes for people can get extra tricky. Also, another kind of a gift is something they can really have fun with like a board game or a year's subscription to an online game that I know they like playing. Then, when I am in a bind or don't know the person well enough, my gift could be something they didn't know they wanted. Shopping for gifts can get trickier when one lives in a very crowded city. Then, when buying stuff in the stores, one has to be careful about their personal and financial safety. Of course, there's always Amazon and online shopping, too, to come to the rescue. |
| Prompt: Words Hope your Thanksgiving was everything you needed it to be. Please use these words in your entry today: bargain, disaster, bookstore, groceries, walk, chocolate, and peanuts. ---------- Books those simple joys in life, they keep me warm no simple storm ever can steal their charm like today, I *walked with my spirit high just to pass rows of stores where goods could lie with treasures and *bargains, as if a game but an ancient *bookstore did call my name so I now picked books in spines of gold edges worn with many-a-tale untold as if tasting *chocolate, rich and deep and scent of *peanuts roasting, just to sweep me off my feet; yet, when I left the store it was squalls, rain, and life tested me more a *disaster, no less, my patience was worn "no *groceries now, for my wallet's torn!" I clutched my books since my heart would be fed still I could laugh and then, press ahead books with joys of fancy keep me warm and no storm today can steal their charm |
| Prompt: Write about your favorite Thanksgiving memories for your entry today. If you don't celebrate, your favorite meal memory. ------- Here's my happy meals memories, since I already wrote about my Thanksgiving memories, yesterday. When I was a child, in summers usually, my grandmother's younger brother used to come visit us and stay with us for a month or more. He was a one of the elders of the family and was a judge in a faraway place. During the time he stayed with us, just about our whole family came to visit to see him. Most family members lived nearby, then; although a few others who lived farther away would stay the night, also. Luckily, our house was large enough. Still, some nights, the house would be so full that they made us kids share beds, with several beds in the same room, some on the floor made from mattresses, pillows, and sheets. I would be in seventh heaven, then, because I was an only child to my mother, and I loved all my cousins as I still do. Probably, this is because people who share little mischiefs usually stay close for life. During most of those nights, we ended up whispering to one another, until the wee hours. We had invented signals to let everyone know that an adult was on the way up the stairs, to check up on us. Then, the whole room would be quiet except for a few of us who couldn't contain our giggles. In those days, my grandmother would cook and bake from our family's traditional, favorite recipes. Some of those were ground beef and onion filled pastries as a side for soup or salad. Others were sweets with dripping honey or gooey syrup. Adults in the house also put us together around a kids' table for meals, and after one of those gooey deserts, some adult would come with a washcloth and a tiny tub of soapy water and say, "Don't anyone move!" We were only let go after she would be done with us. We were still expected to wash up ourselves afterwards, but that washcloth and soapy water was for the syrupy stuff as a preliminary clean up. Fast forward about seven decades from then, no more are the adults and a good number of my cousins from those days, and today, my remaining cousins are scattered all over the world, although we still keep in touch through technology, thank God. I guess, life always goes on, although people are made to be expendable, except for the memories. |
| Prompt: Write about your favorite Thanksgiving memories for your entry today. --------- Thanksgiving memories serve as a reminder of the positive aspects of family life and the importance of appreciating what you have. It is a time for fostering a sense of connection and belonging that can be deeply meaningful and comforting. My favorite Thanksgiving memories come back to me from decades ago, with my whole family at the dinner table in our Long Island home, plus some friends from upstate NY. In those years, I made sure that I didn’t have lumps in the gravy and had plenty of moisture in the dressing and it worked to everyone's taste-advantage. I remember very vividly one Thanksgiving when our older son, then 10 or 11, declared, "I love this food. There's nothing 'good-for-you' in it." Race time forward to this year, now the same son, who just turned 56 a few days ago, is a vegetarian, well, almost vegan, and is a health-nut. Go figure! I loved those years that almost feel like as if they were from another lifetime. And they were, for it was when, as the nuclear family, we were all together at the Thanksgiving table. That will never happen again, but the joy of those years still linger. Then, other later Thanksgiving memories have to do with my friend (RIP) who was my beloved ex-daughter-in-law's mother. She had us every year in her home and prepared a lavish dinner with her brother, daughter, and husband and we got to meet whoever else she invited. She was a lovely, chirpy woman and I miss her terribly. Then, when she got sick, there is that memory of our last Thanksgiving dinner together, at my son and then-daughter-in-law's house. That one was a very successful dinner, also, but somewhat bittersweet for me because it was the first Thanksgiving after my husband had passed away. Then, just a few months later, our kids separated to be divorced later, adding more bitter into the bittersweet. Still, I realize what a lucky woman I have been to spend decades of Thanksgivings with all the lovely people in my life. I am deeply and truly thankful for those very special human beings, some of whom now gracing the beyond, and for every wonderful person God placed in my life, ever. Happy Thanksgiving, WdC! |
| Prompt: "If you are buying a larger turkey than usual, make sure it will fit in the oven." Mary Berry What do you think is the lesson in this quote? Is Mary Berry talking about baking a turkey, only? ------- I can't exactly tell what Mary Berry says and in which context, but at face value, this is a basic and practical advice about baking a turkey. It can be a reminder to avoid the potential trouble of realizing, after the fact, that the turkey is too large for the oven. In which case, I would suggest that she cut up the turkey and cook it in pieces, possibly using both the top and the bottom racks of the oven. On the other hand, in a metaphorical sense, that turkey may symbolize\ too large and too ambitious an undertaking, especially when the person attempting it doesn't have the capacity or the resources to handle it. Such problems can overstretch one's patience and will, as it may mean losing money and time. Add to this some lack of expertise, the quality of the project could be compromised in a big way. These, however, are only the beginning. Then, "What about the other challenges?" if I might ask. To answer my own question, those challenges start with stress and burnout, not only for the people who attempt too big an ideal but also they take a mental toll on colleagues and the people working under them. This means loss of morale, creativity, and even productivity. Then, when the promised result may not happen there looms a risk of losing personal, professional, and business credibility. Still worse yet, most of the too big projects run the risk of abandonment with loss. I'll have to say, here, "Politicians out there, take heed!" What is the cure, then? It is just like cutting up the too-big turkey for Mary Berry's small oven. Although it would have been better to set achievable goals from the beginning, it is better to break the project into smaller parts when a goal is too huge and complicated, so things can be more manageable. Also, it would help to either scale down the project or to seek expert help. In short, ambition needs to be balanced with practicality, as many oversized projects can become overwhelming in no time. |
| “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson In what ways can we count our blessings and feel thankful? ------------ I tend to agree with Willie Nelson. Several years ago, I started writing about the good in my day, every night, in a journal. Then it became a habit. To this day, I keep such journals. Although my counting blessings, or rather thanking-God journal, is nothing more than a small lined 3x5 notebook. Over the years, I used quite a few of such notebooks, all filled up. It isn't that every single day I'm on cloud nine, but I have come to live with things well enough and handle life's difficulties much better than earlier in my life. Journaling, however, is only one way. I've read and heard that there are other ways also; such as reflecting on the present moment by noticing a sunny day or the beauty of the rain, a kind gesture of a person, or even something that tasted good. This is because when we find things to appreciate in the present moment, that appreciation calms down, at least to a degree, bigger upsets and trials we are facing. If I run out of ideas or I am too dumb to notice the good in the world, then gratitude prompts do help. For example one of them says, "Who made me smile today?" These prompts are abundant on the web. Just a simple browser search opens up new possibilities. Also, as cliche as it sounds, there is a silver lining in each cloud, i.e. difficulties. This is because challenges, sometimes help us grow by opening up unexpected avenues and new possibilities. Another important thing to keep in mind is finding out what's important for me at the moment. This is best done if I avoid comparing me to others. This way I can avoid feelings of envy or disappointment in myself. Some people I know create gratitude jars and others like me keep journals. It doesn't matter the means we use. What matters and really works is, when we actively practice gratitude for just about everything, this makes us notice and enjoy the blessings in our lives. |
| Prompt: E.E. Cummings said, “Peering from some high window, at the gold of a November sunset and feeling that if day has to become night, this is a beautiful way.” When you look out your window, what do you see when the day ends? -------- Florida sunsets, when it is not raining or storming, are very picturesque with all the red, orange, and yellow hues. Unfortunately and unlike the northern sunsets, they don't "linger." Actually, I feel lucky if they last 15-20 minutes. One thing I noticed though; the more stormy and rainy the day has been, the more the colors turn reddish once the dark clouds clear, as if the sky is embarrassed for putting us through the bad weather. When I look out from the window at the front of the house, I see the street and the colors in the sky from over the rooftops but only to the right side me. This is because facing the street, the west is to my right. My real treat is watching the sunset from the back. There are no windows on the back of the house, only four sets of sliding doors, each set for each room. The back of the house faces the golf course where the view is serene and beautiful, showing all the vibrant hues of the setting sun. There, the green I face is sometimes bathed in a golden yellow with the shadows of the trees elongating on it. The flagstick on the seventh hole stands silhouetted against the fading light, while the dew-laden grass begins to glisten, since the caretakers sometimes turn on the sprinklers late in the day. The mood is tranquil, and the distant houses surrounding the green appear as gentle silhouettes. Sometimes, if I slide open a door, I can hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the breeze. That is, if there's a breeze. At this time, gone are the golfers since this is when nature overtakes the sport and paints it into a breathtaking canvas. |
| Prompt: Do you like Hallmark Romance movies? Do you like the Christmas ones? Write about these in your Blog entry today. --------- I might be committing, with this entry, a writer's sin, and in this case, possibly provoke a movie goer's ire, when I say that I don't like anything strictly romance. Especially when it is unrealistic (in my opinion) and silly. I just checked the audience of Hallmark romance movies and found out that their main viewers are women aged 25-54. It just goes to show that my age might also be the culprit, here. After blaming my age and the influence of my late husband's dislike for silly romances, "Not humanly possible" (his words, not mine), I still think Hallmark deserves an applause for dragging so many viewers along to watch religiously its so-called princes, though they might be waiters at a hotel restaurant--or some such thing--who save damsels in distress. Also, it just takes courage to force the viewers' imaginations by coming up with many and different plots of trophy wives, common women (by common I mean those who do not belong to high society) being saved by a prince, or a (commoner) prince being picked up by the princess, or women fighting over a man, or men fighting over a woman, or love at first sight, etc. All plots can be recycled, too. So kudos to Hallmark for honoring the "Green" movement! Before anyone who is an afficionado of such plots comes for my throat, let me just say that I have no problem with romance as long as it makes sense and it is, for my liking, a part of a much larger theme, but when it is the only theme in a plot and not written well, it makes my hair stand on end. Sorry, Hallmark lovers, let's leave this as, 'each to her own taste!' But it is not just the plots, I guess when the script is too cheesy, the acting also goes down the drain. This may be because goofy romance movies does something ugly and slimy to even the best actors. Since I haven't watched such movies much, I dare say that there has to be exceptions as there are exceptions to a general rule, always. I have, however, watched more of the Christmas movies, especially when my children were little. After all, I have allowed myself during Christmas to be excited about family time, school break, Christmas magic, fancy cookies and food, and also movies. I'm not sure if the Christmas movies we watched were done by Hallmark, but they just might have been. I can only recall the title of "Home Alone," just because both my kids were high school to college age then, and I sat to watch it with them, for old times' sake. A friend of mine said she laughed at "Elf" but I haven't seen that movie and neither do I plan to. Still, during that time of the year, I mean Christmas, most of us allow ourselves to be excited about even the silliest things. So, from that point of view, Hallmark could be a good possible choice, after all. |
| Prompt: "Every day brings new choices." Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. ------- Right now, I'm in the beginning of a day and I'm very happy with the weather report, since the scorching heat seems to have taken a short leave. I woke up to nice 76 degrees and the weather people say it will go up to 78 with rain. I don't mind the rain at all. The whole world needs it; that is, not to be overdone but enough of it. It is true! Each day brings new choices. Some small like the weather I just wrote about or what to wear, what to eat, and when to begin cleaning the house, if ever! Then, there are weightier choices such as: Do I take a risk, start or mend a new or old friendship, change my routine, manage my money better? To top it with an even better mood, even my mistakes have a clout. Sometimes they teach me; other times, they let me use them to my benefit. Anyone who writes will know this: Even a misspelled word will evoke new ideas. As I have found out during my long years on earth, growth sometimes stems from imperfections. Since I did a lot yesterday, I'm planning to take things easier today, but then, who knows, any day is a blank page. We build it with the choices we make, as if a mosaic. Any routine could turn into an adventure and any hour can turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Then, in the beginning of a new day, one might say or think, "Here we go, again!" or might just be happy to be alive and say, "Good Morning, World!" May we all have great days and may we approach them with optimism and intention, always! |
| Prompt: Trust What kinds of actions or signs make you believe someone is trustworthy? And if trust is broken, how can it be rebuilt? ------ Honestly speaking, I don't really know of the kinds of actions or signs that could make me believe someone is trustworthy. Possibly, someone who never lies, one would think would be trustworthy, wouldn't one? In my experience that, too, is a false positive. This is because someone who never tells a lie, once made public something I told her not to tell anyone. It wasn't anything earth-shattering but it was the possible concept of a thesis that I was about to prepare. Once the word got around, I picked a different topic and that was that! Trust, when it is strong, involves confidence in another person’s integrity, abilities, and intentions. Trust is earned over time and once it is broken, it takes much more time to rebuild it; that's if one can, after a trust or (let's say) a heart was broken. Even if the one who has broken the trust may take full responsibility of it later, to rebuild the trust is a tough job. This is because when a trust is broken, it creates a rift. In fact, I don't think trust, once broken can be rebuilt fully, at least as far as I am concerned. I am guessing if one wants to rebuild it, their first step could be to acknowledge it. Then an apology, a sincere one, is in order, accompanied by a sincere remorse. The exception to this could be between two parties who are deeply involved with each other, as in a marriage. Even then, the party whose trust was broken, would need to set boundaries and expectations. It is like, "Look, you broke my trust, once. Who says I have to keep on being your friend, lover, spouse, etc.!" Only, when there are extenuating circumstances, the two parties can work on rebuilding a better trustworthy relationship. This doesn't only go for individuals but also for governments and people. Trust is built on the belief that governments will act in the best interests of all their citizens, not any one group or any one ideal. Lack of trust in one's government ends up pulling the rug from under economic progress, democratic governing, and social unity. When we trust our governments, we are more likely to obey the laws, pay taxes, and take part in civic life. The opposite, usually and unfortunately, leads to apathy, unrest, and rebellion. Rebuilding trust between governments and citizens is often undercut by several issues, such as corruption, political polarization, or economic instability. Also, misinformation and media bias can add to people's distrust. This is so unfortunate for any one country! On the plus side, when a government earns the trust of its citizens, cooperation is seamless and economic prosperity increases while social tensions ease. Still, I believe quick fixes cannot rebuild trust. Continuous effort and positive principle of good governing as well as transparency and dialogue are necessary. Another point I think is important is that good will toward building or re-building a trust is necessary, be it the trust or the broken trust is between individuals, groups, or governments and people. I certainly hope, we can all live in a world, someday, in which we can trust one another and our governing bodies. |
| Prompt: Gratitude Is gratitude is important for our well-being and do you think gratitude could relate to love? If so, in what ways? ----------- Surely, gratitude is important for our emotional health. It deepens our relationships and enriches our general well-being. And that's only the start. If this weren't true, why several of my friends and I would be keeping gratitude journals! We write in our journals every night because, this way, what we are given or rather what we were generously granted during the day takes its proper place in the forefront of our minds. As the result, we are more appreciative of our days here on earth and we can face the storms and difficulties with much better acceptance and understanding. Also, through acceptance and appreciation, we value others' actions, words, and existence. This means we can easily build emotional bridges with others and understand and appreciate their problems and joys. Especially when people support us in difficult times, their understanding ties us together even more. Then, the comfort of feeling of being understood, at least sometimes, gives rise to love. I mean not only romantic love but all kinds of love. This is because love opens our hearts a lot more to noticing gestures, actions, and friendly approaches that, otherwise, we might have taken for granted. Even those small sweet incidents like our children's laughter, a partner's understanding and small thoughtful acts, and a friend's note on the Messenger or their voice over the phone sends more joy and happiness to us. Alternately, those feelings of love make expressions of gratitude more heartfelt and genuine, creating a cycle of giving and receiving that strengthens emotional ties. Referring back to gratitude journaling, here, taking the time to write all those much valued, small prizes from others reinforces our belief in ourselves and in our part in humanity. It ties us strongly to others, even if the journal is for our own eyes, only. To cultivate love and gratitude together, in addition to mindful appreciation, such as a gratitude journal, we can choose to express our thankfulness by telling others what we appreciate about them, and also, we can focus on positivity in all our relationships by celebrating strengths and overlooking minor flaws. Gratitude and love, when embraced together, are not in words only. While words also show our gratitude, even the smallest acts of love may speak louder than words . |
| Prompt: Phrases Have fun with these famous movie phrases : Sugar and Spice, Houston we have a problem, I'm the king of the world, and show me the money. ------------- Sweet Stuff Mia and Carter, two friends all the way from childhood were thinking of an ambitious project: a food-truck that would sell gourmet desserts. They were now here, in "Sugar and Spice," a quirky café known for its exotic desserts and unpredictable events. This visit could give them some good ideas for their project. The café was buzzing with energy, today. Many divine scents, especially that of cinnamon and chocolate, filled its inside. Mia and Carter were shown to a corner booth. As soon as they sat down, Carter opened his laptop to a spreadsheet of possible costs. "Such delicious food and coffee," Mia muttered, nibbling on a sugar-dusted croissant. "So, what do you think?" Carter frowned. "Houston, we have a problem!" He leaned back in his chair and pointed to the menu on the wall and around the place. "It's the startup costs. Much higher than we expected." "Relax," Mia grinned. "We can pitch the idea around. If we win, another business may cover half of our starting costs." Before Carter could answer her, a man at a table close by suddenly sprang up from his chair. "I'm the king of the world!" he shouted, holding his fork as if a scepter. The café erupted in laughter, and everyone applauded. Mia laughed, too. "See?" she said to Carter, "Confidence is key. I bet we've got this." Carter smirked. "Okay, then," he said. "So, show me the money!" "Deal!" Mia held out her hand and Carter shook it. "Let's try! Let's just start on it, at least," Carter said, feeling a bit more hopeful. "Let's try a bank loan, too. We'll make it work somehow." “After all, every king—or queen—needs a sweet empire to rule,” Mia chuckled. "Savor flavors, ignite senses!" Carter said, now smiling widely. "Hey, that's a good motto for our food truck!" Mia exclaimed. As they left the café a while later, Mia and Carter were happy, in good spirits, and full of hope. At least, they had come up with what to write on the two sides of their food truck: "Savor flavors, ignite senses!" Isn't it so true that sweet treats make our outlook on life much more sweeter! |
| Prompt: Christmas Tree Christmas trees are like a blank page, tell us how you're going to decorate yours. Do you do a theme? Do you put up just family mementoes, maybe a mixture of store bought and homemade? Lights or no lights.. ------ My son is coming from NY next month, and I won't have a Christmas tree. This is because, for a very long time, we didn't have Christmas trees. Both my sons and my late husband, as much as they respected tradition, felt that live trees were abused during Christmas time. For us, fake trees were out, also. Fake just wouldn't do it! So we didn't have them, but when the kids were little, we picked up any fallen tree limb and decorated that, so the boys wouldn't feel shortchanged. So here is a Christmas Tree story instead. The Little Fir Tree The tiny fir tree in the forest dreamt of becoming a Christmas tree. "Why am I so small and scrubby? I can't be what I want to be,"he sighed. The owl that had perched on a branch on a nearby tree said, "Your size is not what matters. You can still be what you want to be in your heart and spirit." The little fir tree knew the owl was a wise one and took the owl's words to heart, and stood up straight and proud, realizing even though he was small, he still could be a very special Christmas tree. Sure enough, a kind-looking man pushing a large cart came into the forest, searching for a small tree. When he saw this little one, a warm smile spread over his face. "This tiny tree," he muttered, "will be the perfect Christmas tree for me for years to come." So he carefully dug up the little tree, keeping all his roots intact, and placed him in his large cart. When this man and the little fir tree got home, the man planted the little fir in his backyard, and then, decorated him with popcorn, apples, tinsel, and a shiny star at his top. The little fir tree swung gently left and right, feeling so proud and happy. That night, the man's granddaughter came to visit. When she saw the little decorated tree in the yard, her eyes widened with delight. "Oh, what a beautiful Christmas Tree!" she exclaimed. The little tree sparkled and twinkled. Not only his dreams had come true, but also he had brought so much joy to a little girl and he knew he would continue to bring happiness to people as long as he lived. After all, isn't it true that this is what Christmas is all about? |
| Prompt: "There is always a but in an imperfect world." Anne Bronte Write about this in your Blog entry today. ----------- Hahaha! This quote or rather that cynical "but" made me laugh. Anne Bronte or the character she made to say this must have been a perfectionist. I can just picture it. Whoever said it must have added a sigh at the end of her utterance, too. Of course, there's always a flaw, a nick, a misstep, or a stumbling over something in life. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, would we? Just think, so many people on this earth and if we were all perfect, we'd look, feel, act, and be the same all around. Boring? Yes, but even more than that. We'd learn nothing! Perfection trips us all the time. None of us want to make a mistake, and even when we make mistakes, we have either extenuating circumstances or we are unaware of what we are doing or saying. We always want to make sure we’ve got everything right. We need to look our best, don't we! This, however, is not reality, is it? Truth is, we're all completely and perfectly imperfect. Luckily! In that vein, imagine the possibilities if we really embraced our imperfections. To begin with, our inner critics would end up with a sore throat and they wouldn't and couldn't make their voices heard. Yay! We'd also hesitate to go after what we want and what we need. As an example, there would never be a Writing.com in existence. Come to think of it, I'd have a rather dull time without WdC. Then, any seemingly perfect situation, say a perfect job, can have a flaw, too, like a demanding boss, long hours, or low pay. Even in relationships, "but" could refer to small or big differences between partners that need work and understanding. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to deal with another replica of myself.  There are. therefore, always tradeoffs and nuances in life to complicate our time here; however, without them, everything would be so dull! In short, any positive is never so simple and most any "but" adds color to an otherwise black and white world. |
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