Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, 1927

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be

in silence. As far as possible without

surrender.

Be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;

and listen to others,

even the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,

they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself

with others, you may become

vain and bitter; for always there will be

greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your

plans.

Keep interested in your own career,

however humble; it is a real possession

in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;

for the world is full of trickery

But let this not blind you to what

virtue there is; many persons strive

for high ideals; and everywhere life is

full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love;

for in the face of all aridity

and disenchantment

it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you

in sudden misfortune but do not distress

yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,

No less than the trees and the stars;

You have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,

whatever you conceive Him to be,

and whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life

keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery,

and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy."

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, 1927

Elizabeth Messina Photography

Source: Facebook - Poet's Corner / Esquina Poetica

Some solid advice from an old man:

 

Some solid advice from an old man:

1. Live beneath your means.

2. Return everything you borrow.

3. Stop blaming other people.

4. Admit it when you make mistake

5. Give old clothes to charity

6. Do something nice and try not to get caught.

7. Listen more; talk less.

8. Every day take a 30 min. walk.

9. Strive for excellence, not perfection.

10. Be on time, and don’t make excuses.

11. Don’t argue. Get organized.

12. Be kind to unkind people.

13. Let someone cut ahead of you in line or in traffic.

14. Take time to be alone.

15. Cultivate good manners.

16. Be humble.

17. Realize and accept that life isn’t fair.

18. Know when to keep your mouth shut.

19. Go an entire day without criticizing anyone.

20. Learn from the past. Plan for the future.

21. Live in the present.

22. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

23. Know that it’s all small stuff.

Source: Eat Stay Play Beaufort via Jimmy Buffett Day

The Blanket of Depression

The Blanket of Depression

A familiar, but terrible comfort 

you bring.

A blanket of ehaustion, sadness, 

loneliness, lays heavily on my body.

It is morning, I know I should get 

up, but it still feels dark like night.

This blanket is so heavy, 

I can not lift it off.

When I finally tell myself to at least 

try, 

the weight is too much.

I surrender to the blankets embrace.

JSS Writing on tiktok

ai art by me

Let the silence speak to your soul

Allow yourself to arrive, gently, without force, into this moment.

Let the noise of the world soften at the edges,

and imagine yourself stepping into a quiet oasis,

a sanctuary untouched by demands or distractions.

Here, in this space of stillness,

the mind begins to loosen its grip,

releasing the tight weave of thoughts that once felt urgent.

Here, you do not need to strive, perform, or be anything but present.

Breathe deeply.

Feel the breath as it moves through you,

calming the mind,

soothing the heart,

grounding the body.

Let the silence speak to your soul,

reminding you of the wholeness that was never lost,

only hidden beneath the noise.

This is your place of return,

your gentle refuge,

where peace is restored,

clarity awakens,

and you remember:

you are enough, just as you are.

~ Spirit of a Hippie

~ Art by Chaklina_n

Source: Facebook - Spirit of a Hippie

Water their pond.

 

I’ve been sitting with this photo in my phone for weeks, not knowing whether to post it or not. This pond was the last project my brother built before… well, before everything changed. Before his new relationship took him somewhere we couldn’t follow. We used to run a little crafting workshop together paint-splattered aprons, wood shavings everywhere, mugs forgotten on shelves while we worked late into the night laughing about dumb stuff. And then one day, he was gone. Just… radio silence.

His partner pulled him away from all of it. From us. I’m not here to demonize her love makes people do all kinds of things but she didn’t want to share him. Not even with his family. He started pulling back, ghosting messages, missing birthdays. The last thing he said to me before the silence was, “I’ll be in touch.” He wasn’t.

But I kept tending to the pond. Our little turtle Willy kept swimming circles in the water my brother poured his heart into. And a few weeks ago, while cleaning leaves from the edge, I snapped this photo and sent it to him. No bitterness, just: “Thank you.”

He didn’t reply for three days. And then... he did. A long message. Something had shifted. “It’s like a fog lifted,” he wrote. “I don’t know what came over me all this time.” He apologized. Profusely. Said he missed the smell of sawdust, the paint on his hands, and even the way I always bossed him around like I was older. He told me he stood up for himself for us. That his partner had cried, apologized, said she never meant to isolate him. And she let him go. Not to leave her, but to come back to himself.

We’re meeting for coffee in three days. He asked me to bring his apron. I cried for an hour just holding it. The Tedooo app was where we used to list all our handmade projects, and it’s still up, untouched since he left. I never shut it down. I guess I couldn’t. But now he says he wants to log in again. Maybe even make something together. Just like before.

If you’ve got someone out there who feels far away right now don’t give up. Water their pond. Keep it clean. You never know what kind of messages will make it through the fog.

Source: Facebook - Gardening Hints Tips and DIY crafters on tge Tedooo app/ shared by Ruth Wilder

The Meanest Mother in the World

 

‘The Meanest Mother in the World’

We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds. Then, life was really tough! Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. We never got drunk, took up smoking, stayed out all night, or a million other things, other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and we never missed once. We knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays.

Now that we have left home, we are all God-fearing, educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was. I think that's what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms anymore.

Bobbie Pingaro 

ai art by me

Hollow Coves - Blessings (Official Music Video)

Blessings

Sunlight fell and reminded me that life can be so gracious sometimes
And I felt like everything around me was connected somehow
Mm

At night I hear the rhythm of the ocean as it breaks on the shore
And I think about all the things that I am grateful for

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through

Sometimes I get a little bit emotional when I see love unfold
Two hearts bound by reflections of the memories they'll forever hold

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through

There are blessings all around you
Open up your eyes
Feel the sunlight fall upon you
Let it free your mind
There are blessings all around you
Take a step outside
Let your heart shine in a new light
See it come alive

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through