Words from the Heart

The older I get, the more I realize that wisdom needs to be shared.  This used to happen when we came together in long houses, around campfires, and at the kitchen table.  Today, wisdom comes in bits and pieces that often lack the personal connection of a parent, grandparent or familial elder.  I find this unfortunate, but, I have also learned from my Elders that we MUST share wisdom with the world NOW.   So, my gift to the world on my last day being 62 is 62 bits of wisdom.  My greatest joy will be to know that you find something here that resonates with you. 62.  No matter how old you are, you are never too old to dream and to have goals.  61.  Gardens are great places of healing.  Visit often. 60.  Water is the life blood of Mother Earth; we MUST protect both. 59.  Children are wiser today; listen to them.  They have a lot to teach us. 58.  Music should be a part of every day! 57.  If you w...

Who knew that September is National Courtesy Month?  I didn't, but according to the Farmer's Almanac, this is the truth! While I cannot find the origins of this month-long observance, I can find multiple ways to practice the fundamentals of courtesy. When I was a little girl, we were taught to ALWAYS say the magic words, "Please" and "Thank you."  People have lost this...I thanked a young man for holding the door for me recently and he gave me a shocked looked as he stuttered, "Oh, ya, sure...you're welcome."  Why should saying thanks (or please) shock people?   One act of courtesy that I would like to promote from the highest mountains in the land is the use of cellphones.  Come on, folks!  Do you really think everyone in the world wants to hear your conversations?  Private conversations should be...private! On the same track, put the cellphones away when your are with family and friends.  NO TEXTING...it is impolite!  If someone ...

Back in 1894, almost 125 years ago, Congress declared the first Monday in September to be observed as Labor Day.  Everyone knows this holiday as the "official end of summer." But, few know how it came to be or why. A labor union leader and carpenter, Peter McGuire thought American workers deserved a day that honored what they did.  His proposal was presented to the New York Labor Union in 1882. Union officials thought it was a good idea, and the rest, as they say, is history. Thanks to McGuire and others like him, we not only have L abor D ay, but we also enjoy a host of other benefits of which most of us are unaware.   Unions gave us weekends without work, child labor laws and holiday pay, just to name a few. (You can learn more at UnionPlus.org .) As I sit in the sun, enjoying the time to write on my blog, a "job" that brings me great satisfaction, I give thanks for all, past and present, who have protected workers and workers rights.  I offer a prayer ...