Now, before we leave heart month and the extra day of the year, thoughts seem to linger on recipes for the heart and many warm thoughts. Great minds have given us many thoughts from the heart on love.
How deep is love? What is love? When I have quiet thoughts from the heart, I am reminded of the poem which was decided by Dr. Carl A. Meneinger at the literary symposium on October 27th, 1981 at the Dag Hammarskjold auditorium, United Nations. It is entitled, “Anyway.”
Valentine greetings! When you read this column it will be the week of Valentine's Day. From Ohio this past week, came a letter with several poems and one was on love, which really touched my heart. Ruth George is something and still very young at heart. It will bring her much joy to be able to share these warm thoughts on love with you, dear readers of this column.
Recently, I read an article based on research conducted by a high school teacher in Houston, Texas, who has surveyed more than 300 teenagers and two school districts asking for their comments on these two questions. One, what advice would you give to your mom and dad? To? What do you believe it takes to produce respectful and respectable teenagers. The teenagers ranged in age from 14 to 18 years of age, providing responses such as these.
February is a month when many romantic and patriotic thoughts are expressed. Fields may still be bedded down with snow and yet we are aware that spring will soon be here. Springtime inspires thoughts of love and affection.
A dear friend who lives in the heartland of America shared with me some amusing thoughts given by a child upon his return home from spending the Christmas holidays with his grandparents in Arizona.
A child's view of retirement and a mobile home park.
After Christmas break, the teacher asked her small pupils how they spent their holiday.
One little boys reply went like this:
In this information age, it sometimes seems that our minds have become as stuffed as a computer, and that we cannot swallow another bit of information. Many people feel stressed, overworked, and are sleep deprived. A topic, therefore, that has captivated people's interest is how to sharpen their memory. Dr. Allen Searleman, a professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University and Canton, New York, stated that memory lapses can be caused by lifestyle factors, overwork, anxiety, lack of sleep, a poor diet, or not enough exercise. An action plan designed to sharpen your memory includes these activities: learn to relax, get enough sleep, practice good nutrition, exercise your body and mind, give yourself time, find places for things, keep a box of mementos. For this will help you remember what is important in your life.
This warm thoughts column is the last column for this year. As we reflect on this past year, there have been mountains of joy and some valleys of sorrow and real sadness and grief. The New Year, 2006 will soon be here. The thoughts for this new year are titled “Each Day.”
The many beautiful Christmas cards and letters that have arrived at this little home on the prairie have indeed warmed my heart. One of the letters from a dear friend included a poem from a Christmas card, and she suggested that it be included in the warm thoughts column.
At this time during the Christmas season, we feel pressured and overwhelmed when we look at the calendars, which remind us that soon it will be Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Perhaps we have procrastinated in getting shopping done and getting something for the special people in our lives. Many people again will receive costly gifts in beautiful wrappings, toys that will fall apart, flowers that will fade, and many other gifts. As I thought about this, I came up with twelve gifts for the twelve Days of Christmas, that will not wear out and can be given all year long.
Last week in the warm thoughts column I shared thoughts about the Old Fashioned Thanksgiving. As Christmas rapidly approaches, I will share some warm thoughts about an Old Fashioned Christmas, written by a dear old friend from Lincoln Nebraska. It was written by Darlene M. Miltner and published in Life Lines.
Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house, we go!
May you all around the world have a happy, joyful, and thankful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Let's all be joyful, with an attitude of gratitude. Two days before writing this warm thoughts column, I received in the mail from a reader, a poem by Edgar, a guest, written in 1917 and published in the book, “Just, folks.”
This is the season to be thankful. But really isn't every day, a day to give thanks for our many challenges and blessings. It was many years ago that a dear friend taught me to always be thankful, no matter what happens, one day after listening to her, I stated that it seemed to me that she was being one day after listening to her I stated that it seemed to me that she was really being tried and tested her reply left an indelible impression on me. Her face was radiant and her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and fat ugly. I love God so much and I just can't look at all these troubles as problems.
November. The month of Remembrance Day, also known as Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Day, how thankful we are to live in our America, liberty, so precious a gift for each of us. It is so special that we can enjoy our liberty every day here in America and our country we have the freedom to vote to participate and free enterprise, and to worship as we are lead. We need to be reminded often of their value. And the words of our national anthem by Francis Scott Key, the price of our liberty is made quite clear, a great price was paid by our forefathers. And that price is still being paid in our country today.
This is the time of year when some folks leave the prairie winds and go south for the winter. Folks down south who have permanent residents there will say, “The snowbirds are coming!”
About the same time, the northern geese are going south too. Recently I read that these geese are not going as far south as they used to go in past years. These geese flap their wings and fly south in a V formation. In the spring, they fly north, and it is always a special time for us to learn some lessons from the geese. We can learn about sharing leadership from the geese. When the goose in the lead gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose takes over at the point position. We can also learn from the geese, to be interdependent and take turns and doing the hard tasks in a caring and sharing way.
Recent articles have emphasized the importance of reading those bedtime stories to the children. Research and a panel of experts have found that the percentage of children whose parents read to them is far too low. Children appreciate the time we spend with them and they learn the most from the examples we give them in our daily lives. A poem by Dorothy Law Nolte shares these thoughts.
While I sip a cup of tea on this foggy morning, I will tell you about my grandkitten who is making her home in the little home on the prairie. Some grandparents just love to tell stories about their grandchildren and I will have to admit that I enjoy doing it too for my recreation, but this morning I will share with you my thoughts about my little grandkitten.
Last week we had a few warm days, and we really enjoyed the beautiful summer weather. I remarked to my granddaughter about the warm weather and emphasized that it was really warm.
“Grandma, what does warm mean?” “Not so hot” was my quick reply.
Apparently I was having a brain cramp. At the moment, I said it would be too difficult for her to understand Webster's dictionary, or how the dictionary got started. I remember long ago, I was told how the dictionary got started, it was one night when Mr and Mrs Webster, got into an argument, and one word led to another and his famous dictionary was compiled at the age of seventy years.
Last week I shared thoughts by President Herbert Hoover on “What is a Boy.” When I read those thoughts to my seven-year-old grandson, he stated very emphatically, “Grandma, you still have a lot to learn yet about boys.” Lou Henry Hoover, wife of President Hoover, wrote an enlightening essay on “The Independent Girl.” This essay was perhaps written a century ago.
As I write these lines, I hear reports of snow falling throughout various parts of the country. And it is not even the last day of September. Oh, well, I am sure we can expect autumn and beautiful summer weather and that favorite month of the year, October. Letters always come when I need to be inspired with the changing seasons of the year. And this one came from Esther E Young from Auburn, Maine. She shares some of her beautiful writings and has given permission to share a few with you the readers. Incidentally, she writes that she is currently busy writing Christmas thoughts already.
Recently, I attended a convention in St. Louis and while there heard an essayist speak on the year of the child. The whole year, 2001, centers on children. However, every year could be the year of the child.
Since the greatest generation is now in decline. We are depending on the millennial generation. This generation is also referred to as the Baby Boomlets. The essayist emphasized that they need meaningful youth ministry with mentors. They may become the next greatest generation. He stated that our Millennials are self reliant because their parents work and they have electronic babysitters. This generation is interested in learning about the heroes of the past. They are impressed by their deeds and by their needs. They want to hear the stories of their grandparents and value their experiences. The Boomer parents lament the fact that there are a lack of real heroes for their children.