365 Project - Day 33

Sometimes, all you need to renew your mind, refresh your attitude and reenergize your spirit is a good nap. After traveling back to New York on the redeye yesterday, my 14 year old was restless and feisty. Within 10 minutes of forcing him to settle down to read, this is what I found. Absolutely adorable. Don't you just look at this and think, "I wish that were me" ?

There's an Irish Proverb that reads, "A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything." How true! These are certainly two of my favorite things!

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "It's Nap Time!"

"Sleep is the best meditation." Dalai Lama

365 Project - Day 32

I recently read an article discussing the science of gratitude, indicating scientific proof that the expression of gratitude improves our well-being, mentally, physically and spiritually (http://newsok.com/the-science-of-gratitude-lose-weight-save-money-and-conquer-stress/article/5371457). I came across several similar articles tying science and gratitude this week. This time of year, when the US celebrates Thanksgiving and as we enter the December / January holiday season is the perfect time for this insight, but did we really need the world of science to tell us what our hearts already knew? Henry Ward Beecher said it well, “The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”

When my children have asked for large gifts, Wii's, Xboxes, cameras. I have asked them to keep a gratitude journal before granting them their wish. I believe it is important that they are clear about the blessings (large and small) that already exist in their lives before they move on. Frankly, though, I don't do this often enough but I hope we are making progress. It would be fantastic for my teenage boys to get into a daily routine of writing in a gratitude journal. Then, again, they are teenage boys!

As I spent time with my almost 83 year old parents and their friends of more than 60 years this week, I was deeply moved by their collective gratitude, love and enduring friendship. Mostly, though, I was reminded of the grace and love of my parents. I am fortunate to have parents that exude love and I am thankful that God saw to it that I was assigned to them.

Today's photos: "Gratitude in Love"

“None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.” Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thornton Wilder

365 Project - Day 31

Part of our annual trip to Las Vegas includes visits to the casino floor. The ambiance of the casinos, the "chime" and lights of the slots, coupled with the integration of both the intense and whimsical players is always intriguing. We fall in the latter category of whimsy. Playing the slots for fun with the outside chance that we might go home with an upside to our small investment. Did you know that slot machines account for 60% of the gaming profits in the US (according to howstuffworks.com)? Wow - I had no idea.

As we walk the floor each year to decide which slots to play, it is clear that some games are simple and others quite complex. The casino floors mix a variety of old classic and modern concepts slot machines. I always find it a challenge to hunt down my longtime favorite, Sun and Moon. I was fascinated last night, though, by a new slot machine that included an opportunity to use the touch screen to "shake the tree" to gain additional points. I liked the idea of a more personal interaction with the machine than simply pressing a button over and over again. Speaking of this, I much preferred pulling the handle "back in the day" to pushing buttons today.

We're not high limit players, but I was intrigued by a family story we heard at brunch today. One of my parent's friends walked into the High Limit area, inserted a couple of hundred dollars and walked out with $8000. Not a bad risk / reward scenario but you have to be willing to exercise the risk!

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "Slots, chimes and lights"

"He had the calm confidence of a Christian with four aces." Mark Twain

365 Project - Day 30

"Every language has a word for water; no living thing exists without water. It soothes the spirit and sustains the body; its beauty inspires art and music. Employed by cultures around the world in rituals and ceremonies, water bathes us from birth to death. Water is essential to life as we know it. And as it cycles from the air to the land to the sea and back again, water shapes our planet—and nearly every aspect of our lives." Water: H2O=Life

The above quote from the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) website is an excellent description of the importance of water to our quality of life, mentally and physically. I love water. It is my drink of choice, natural, room temperature, without ice. I swam on swim teams in high school and college. I enjoy just hanging out in the pool - far more than poolside. I relish the taste, the sound, the look and the feel of water. It is a gift. Those of us who have access to it abundantly likely rarely think about the fact that it is in scarce supply. Yet, according to AMNH, fresh water makes up only 3% of the Earth's surface; two-thirds of that is ice and much of the remainder is underground. As a water-lover, I find these statistics alarming. I must be a better steward of this gift and resource I so fervently enjoy for both its beauty and sustenance. In doing so, I help both myself and those for whom water is a scarcity. I invite you to join me.

This photo is of the fountain in front of the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. This is one of my favorite hotels. It is beautiful inside and out, with such attention to detail and very helpful personnel.

Best wishes!


Today's Photo: "Water = Life"

"Thousands have lived without love, not one without water." W.H. Auden

"Water is the driving force of all nature." Leonardo da Vinci

365 Project - Day 29

I confess - this shot was a last minute "holy smokes, I neglected to take my 365 photo today." This was taken when we arrived after 12AM at the Las Vegas airport. I am sitting in my wheelchair at the elevator, facing the opposite direction from this gate. I grabbed my iPhone, swung around and took a quick shot before being whisked away. Yes, it's blurry, and dark, but I also found it interesting that in the wee hours of the morning, on the busiest travel day of the year, calm and quiet existed.

This was particularly amusing given I had been rather frantic just a few hours earlier. I spent the entire day packing the family for our annual Thanksgiving trip to Las Vegas and still we left later than we planned, but with plenty of time on a "normal" day. The traffic was a nightmare, however. It seems everyone scheduled to travel on Wednesday decided to leave early to miss the anticipated snow storm. So, we were rushing when we arrived at JFK. And, since I don't rush, this simply wasn't top of mind. When I did come into myself, the empty gate struck me as a symbol of the calm before the storm of Wednesday's travel. Despite it not being a perfect photo, in context, it's alright ;-)

Today's photo: "Calm before the storm"

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

365 Project - Day 28

Some days, I believe, you must fervently embrace Nietzche's refrain, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” This was one of those moments for me. While I am not interested in being in a cast for another month and off my left leg for 2 months, I am certain of the growth that will come through this time. And, I look forward to that. I have already had more time to read, sleep and noodle than in any other time in my life. I have spent more time with my family. I have spent more time with my craft.

So, as I was dressed in my cast, I had a choice to make. I could decide to be miserable and live feeling as though I was somehow cursed or to decide to live as though even in this state, I am somehow blessed. This new cast is a sign of new opportunities on the horizon. I am excited and anxious to explore the fullness of those opportunities despite the pain of the injury and the awkwardness of my gait. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those things that hurt, instruct." I welcome more opportunities to learn and stretch and grow. I receive this moment in time as a blessing.

My best wishes,


Today's photo: "Blessed Blue Cast"

"Every blessing ignored becomes a curse." Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

365 project - Day 27

Seeing, hearing, feeling the laughter of children is a spiritual experience at is core. When that follows an evening of laughter, while watching truly gifted children perform on stage, the experience is exhilarating. I rejoice in having the opportunity to experience this so very often. Last night's final performance of Lend Me a Tenor at Newtown High School was perfect. Typically, the kids will do something nutty on the final night, but this time, they put forth their best performance for one of their largest crowds. They poured their hearts into this show and the results were excellent. They surpassed all expectations, delivering an outstanding fully student run show - direction, lighting, sound, stage and cast. Bravo!

Today's Photo: Tony-Ready Selfie?

“The soul is healed by being with children.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

My best wishes!