Nature

"The Paradox of Our Age"

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but

shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more,

but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and

smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees

but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more

problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little,

drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too

little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our

possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and

hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to

life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but

have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer

space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom,

but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but

accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more

computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we

communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small

character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but

broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway

morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything

from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the

showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can

bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share

this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember, to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not

going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks

up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave

your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the

only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most

of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from

deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person might

not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to

share the precious thoughts in your mind.”

― Bob Moorehead

Dr. Bob Moorehead, former pastor of Seattles's Overlake Christian Church.

(He retired in 1998 after 29 years in that post).  The essay appeared under

the title "The Paradox of Our Age" in Words Aptly Spoken, Dr Moorehead's

1995 collection of prayers, homilies, and monologues used in his sermons

and radio broadcasts.

 

 

The Larger Picture

Doradus Nebula

"We are not human beings having a spiritual 

experience, we are spiritual beings having

a human experience."  ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took part in the discovery of Peking Man. Wikipedia

Born: May 1, 1881, Orcines, France

Died: April 10, 1955, New York City, NY

Education: University of Paris

The Loneliest Moment

"The loneliest moment
in someone's life
 is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and
all they can do is stare blankly."

~F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigmatic writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Wikipedia
Born: September 24, 1896, Saint Paul, MN
Died: December 21, 1940, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
Full name: Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
Spouse: Zelda Fitzgerald (m. 1920–1940)

Contemplate For A Moment ...

On a clear night,

walk outside and stand there

 in silence.  Look up and just,
for a few minutes,

contemplate how amazing life is.

None of the beauty you see

 was created by man.

Canine Heroes of 9/11

Canine heroes of 9/11 set example for new generation of rescue dogs 
The dogs who searched for survivors and bodies in the rubble of buildings and planes were the 4-legged heroes of Sept. 11. 

By Shaleem Thompson, Reuters Tue, Sep 06 2011 at 4:48 PM

SEARCH AND RESCUE: Trained rescue dog Gus and his trainer, Ed Apple, search for survivors in the wreckage at the Pentagon on Sept. 14, 2001. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - While there were hundreds of human heroes in the days following the Sept. 11 attacks, there were four-legged heroes too — the dogs that searched for survivors and bodies in the rubble of buildings and planes.

A decade later, the Sept. 11 dogs still alive are long retired, but there's a new generation coming up behind them.

Red, a 12-year-old Labrador who searched the rubble of the Pentagon with her handler, is among those retired as an active search dog. Her legs are not as spry as they once were but in her temperament, Red still appears to have that same devotion to the search.

Not long after American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, Red was at work. She was 18 months old and only recently certified as a rescue dog, a rookie among more veteran canines.

Red searched the debris pile with an energy that surprised even her handler, Heather Roche.

"I never thought she would be a successful search dog, and actually at 6 months old I found a pet home for her and had found another dog. I thought ... her personality is not what is needed for a working dog," Roche told Reuters TV.

"And then, no matter what I asked her to do — whether it was climbing up things, going somewhere (as) I stayed far away, ladders, you name it — she did it every single time and she did it perfectly," Roche said.

For weeks, Red navigated the hazards of the rubble piles amid the clatter and chaos following Sept. 11. After Red discovered dozens of bodies, Roche was sure that, among the rescue dogs working the pile, hers was one of the greats, though the dogs generally were impressive.

"They worked so hard and it was so hot and we were on a daytime shift, so it melted all of us. Just the work basically — 12 hour shifts out in the sun."

By the time we were done every day, they slept hard ... but they were willing the next morning. They were rejuvenated and pulling on the leash to go back to work," Roche said.

Ten years on, Roche, who keeps Red with her in Annapolis, Md., is still deep in the tight community of canine search and rescue. She and other handlers train their dogs in a simulated disaster environment such as one in suburban Washington with an obstacle course of a fabricated rubble site made of concrete blocks and wooden pallets.

Roche says the experience of Sept. 11 has demonstrated the importance of training dogs in these hazardous environments.

In her retirement, Red still tags along on some search missions. She wants to work, even if her body has lost a step or two in these past 10 years.

And, just as the human first responders continue to suffer ailments attributed to their work at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the handlers of estimated 300 canine search and rescue teams know the dogs who worked in the days and weeks following Sept. 11, 2001 also gave up a part of themselves.

"With her, you know she's earned the right to do anything she wants," Roche said.

(Editing by Jerry Norton)

We Are Connected To Something Larger Than Our World

Transcendental Meditation (TM)

Does Transcendental Meditation Actually Work?

Posted: 09/10/2013 8:14 am EDT

By Jeff Halevy for U.S. News is a Personal trainer, an American author, public health advocate, and fitness contributor to various media outlets. Halevy is best known for his efforts to stem the American childhood obesity epidemic. Wikipedia
Born: May 7, 1979 (age 34), Nogales, AZ

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is easily one of the most hyped forms of meditation. Since The Beatles first tried it decades ago, it's garnered the following of a bevy of celebrities and high profile individuals, like Russell Simmons and Jerry Seinfeld.

TM also has one of the largest libraries of scientific research supporting it, substantiating claims of everything from increased cardiovascular health to decreased violence to increased creativity. But celebrity endorsements and even the best academic studies can hardly be relied on as conclusive proof.

So why has this method of meditation endured the test of time and received a stamp of approval from doctors and celebrities alike?

In short, because it works.

This writer recently learned the technique at the New York City TM Center and has been pleased with the results. Here's one reason why it may work so well.

Without going too in-depth, the TM technique is relatively simple. One sits comfortably, closes his or her eyes, and repeats a mantra (in Sanskrit) without moving the lips or making a sound for about 20 minutes, two times a day. Yes, that's just about it. The only other crucial piece of information one must know to do the technique correctly is to not 'force' anything. That is, allow thoughts to come and go -- and if one realizes he's stopped repeating the mantra in his head, to just gently come back to it.

But wait -- that can't be all there is to it, right!? Actually, that really is most of what it boils down to. So how can this simple method improve cardiovascular health? And how could it possibly make you more creative?

The key here is conditioning, and in fact, the TM technique can be thought of as a conditioning technique.

Conditioning, or programming, is a phenomenon that must take place in order for us to live our lives. Conditioning can happen over time, or in an instant. We learn that a flame is hot, for instance, and condition ourselves to fear making contact with flames. We develop what we believe are "natural responses" to specific stimuli -- not all that different from Pavlov's dogs.

When we practice TM, we're conditioning our minds to have a completely new response to thought itself. When we have a thought, we'll usually have one of two reactions, or a combination of the two:

1) Emotion: We'll think of something that triggers some type of emotion. This reaction isn't necessarily extreme, but it's always there. For example, we may think of a relationship or business deal gone bad, and as a result -- even if only mild and temporary -- we'll have a shift in emotional state. In this example it could perhaps be sadness or anger.

2) Action: Another reaction to thought is action or planned action. The simplest example: You think "I'm hungry," and as a result, get something to eat or make a plan to get something to eat. Note that the action needn't be immediate. For instance, haven't you ever, out of nowhere, thought about an old friend and made a mental note to call her at a later point? "Action" here can also mean internal physiological responses, tied to emotion, such as elevated blood pressure, sweating, increased heart rate and so on.

Now, if you're practicing TM correctly and have an upsetting thought, how will you react? If you answered "You won't," bingo!

As mentioned above, when one practices TM, she gently returns to the mantra once she realizes she has drifted to a thought. This means no reaction. One doesn't dwell on the thought, take the time to invest emotion or carry out action – one simply just returns to the mantra.

And, again, what does this do? It completely changes our standard reaction to thoughts -- our 'conditioning' or 'programming,' if you will.

We are reconditioning or reprogramming ourselves to not be reactive to thought.

The two 20-minute sessions of TM one practices daily are no different than practicing for a particular sport. If you've ever tried a combat sport for instance, you have to completely recondition your "natural" response of turning away from -- or turning your back to -- an attacker. This takes time and repetition, but after a while, you've completely reconditioned a "naturally programmed" response.

TM helps in much the same way: If our "naturally programmed" response is to be reactive, either with emotion or action, TM helps us practice being non-reactive to thoughts.

And this is exactly why it can help lower blood pressure or even increase creativity.

Just think, if you're able to either eliminate or mitigate your action (internal or external) or emotional reaction to thought, wouldn't that lower your blood pressure? If you've been practicing TM consistently, when a thought that may spike blood pressure or the emotions or actions that lead to a spike in blood pressure comes along, your reconditioned, non-reactive response should ensue, thereby averting the emotion or action response that would normally take place.

In the case of creativity, imagine thoughts not disrupting the creative process when you're trying to write, paint or play music. Again, the reconditioned non-response allows you to focus on what you're doing, and not get distracted by thought -- for example, "Will people like this song?"

The good news and the bad news is we're not so different from Pavlov's dogs. If we use the ability to condition our response to thought, we can reap tremendous benefits; if we allow ourselves to simply play into existing conditioning, we know just how detrimental that can be. From a neuro-psychological perspective we can see why TM really does work. And while learning the method can be a bit on the expensive side, it may be well worth the long-term return.

Jeff Halevy is an internationally recognized expert in behavioral health, nutrition and exercise science. His clients range from Hollywood and Wall Street "royalty" to true international royalty. After surviving the removal of a pear-sized tumor and a substance abuse problem, Jeff turned his life around, founding New York City private gym Halevy Life and starring in healthy lifestyle TV show "Workout From Within with Jeff Halevy," which airs nationally on Veria Living.

Aging Gracefully

Shelley Emling.Editor, Post 50
6 Things French Women Can Teach Us About Aging Gracefully
Posted: 09/04/2013 7:11 am

Before moving to the New York City area, I lived in London for seven years. During that period, I traveled more than two dozen times to France, a place where five- or six-week vacations are the norm and many people retire comfortably at 60 or younger. I made many wonderful French friends and was more than a little awed at the way they aged so gracefully.

Are they perfect? Of course not. But certainly I admired how so many of them stayed trim while enjoying coq au vin, baguettes, andouillettes, eclairs and fondue while Americans struggled with their weight while gorging on diet soda and Lean Cuisines. I also admired the way they purchased clothes selectively, carried themselves confidently and devoured life every chance they got.

After speaking with a few of these friends, I've come up with a list of six things the French can teach us about aging well.

1) That women of all ages can be the sensual love interests -- and not just the matronly grandmothers -- in popular movies.

Just consider Catherine Deneuve, 69, or Isabelle Huppert, 60, or Juliette Binoche, 49. These and other older French actresses such as Nathalie Baye, 65, and Sandrine Bonnaire,46, continue to nab meaty roles. In an American movie industry dominated more by the teeny-bopper set, it's hard to even name an older sex symbol other than, perhaps, Raquel Welch who's still, at 72, pretty darn sexy.

2) That less is best when it comes to makeup -- but that doesn't mean you should skimp on skincare.

Studies show that French women spend more on facial skincare products than their neighbors in Italy, Spain, Germany or the UK. Overall, nearly two-thirds of French women -- or 62 percent -- use anti-wrinkle products. (In France, a girl will begin applying anti-aging creams as early as age 15.) It's a different story when it comes to makeup. Wearing too much, according to French women, makes you look old.

3) That sex should continue to be important.

Studies show that 90 percent of French women over the age of 50 remain sexually active compared with only 60 percent of American women. But research points to a great interest in sex among those over 50 -- so why not keep it going?

4) That having just a handful of clothing items that fit perfectly is a lot better than having a whole closet full of items that aren't all that great.

American women have a habit of splurging for unnecessary items whereas French women make a habit of purchasing maybe 10 indispensable clothing items each year. French designer Anne Fontaine, known for her white shirts, once told Forbes magazine that "besides a beautiful blouse, every woman should have a great pair of jeans, black pants, a perfect skirt, a perfect little black dress and a jacket for each season."

5) That walking's the best exercise.

French women often look askance at American women who talk about going to the gym. Instead of furiously working out in zumba classes, French women tend to incorporate walking into their daily routines. They take the long way home when walking the dog; they climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. They also reject the notion "no pain, no gain," choosing instead a more sustained -- albeit more moderate -- exercise plan.

6) That what you eat -- and how much you eat -- are of vital importance.

If you've ever dined out with French friends, you'll notice that they eat smaller portions of more dishes -- instead of larger portions of fewer dishes. They eat more vegetables, drink more water and think more about the good things they want to eat rather than fret all the time about the bad stuff. When it comes to drinking, they tend to avoid hard liquor, opting for a glass or two of wine with their meal.

What else can our French counterparts teach us about aging? 
Let us know.  Tweet @HuffPost 50.   And if there are things the Americans can teach THEM about aging, we'd like to hear about that as well.

Between the Covers of a Book

"A book is like a piece of rope;

it takes on meaning only in

connections with the things

it holds together."  ~Norman Cousins

Norman Cousins (June 24, 1915 – November 30, 1990) was an American political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate.

Cousins was born in West Hoboken, New Jersey, which later in 1925 became Union City. At age 11, he was misdiagnosed with tuberculosis and placed in a sanatorium. Despite this, he was an athletic youth,[1] and he claimed that as a young boy he “set out to discover exuberance.”

He joined the staff of the New York Evening Post (now the New York Post) in 1934, and in 1935 he was hired by Current History as a book critic. He later ascended to the position of managing editor. He also befriended the staff of the Saturday Review of Literature (later renamed Saturday Review), which had its offices in the same building, and later joined the staff of that publication as well by 1940. He was named editor-in-chief in 1942, a position he would hold until 1972. Under his direction, circulation of the publication increased from 20,000 to 650,000.

Cousins's philosophy toward his work was exemplified by his instructions to his staff “not just to appraise literature, but to try to serve it, nurture it, safeguard it.” Cousins believed that “there is a need for writers who can restore to writing its powerful tradition of leadership in crisis.”

Politically, Cousins was a tireless advocate of liberal causes, such as nuclear disarmament and world peace, which he promoted through his writings in Saturday Review. In a 1984 forum at the University of California, Berkeley, titled “Quest for Peace,” Cousins recalled the long editorial he wrote on August 6, 1945, the day the United States dropped the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Titled “The Modern Man is Obsolete,” Cousins, who stated that he felt "the deepest guilt" over the bomb's use on human beings, discussed in the editorial the social and political implications of the atomic bomb and nuclear power. He rushed to get it published the next day in the Review, and the response was considerable, as it was reprinted in newspapers around the country and enlarged into a book that was reprinted in different languages.

The Importance of Setting Boundaries In Your Life

Brené Brown: 3 Ways to Set Boundaries
The importance of knowing when, and how, to say no.

In many ways, September feels like the busiest time of the year: The kids go back to school, work piles up after the summer's dog days and Thanksgiving is suddenly upon us. But as our calendars swell with obligations, it's important to recommit to one thing that can help keep us sane: boundaries.

The moment someone asks you to do something you don't have the time or inclination to do is fraught with vulnerability. "Yes!" often seems like the easiest way out. But it comes at a price: I can't tell you how many times I've said "Sure!" in my squeaky, I-can't-believe-I'm-doing-this voice, only to spend hours, even months, feeling angry and resentful. For women, there's a myth that we're supposed to do it all (and do it perfectly). Saying no cues a chorus of inner shame gremlins: "Who do you think you are?" "You're not a very caring [mother/wife/friend/colleague]."

Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others. We can't base our own worthiness on others' approval (and this is coming from someone who spent years trying to please everyone!). Only when we believe, deep down, that we are enough can we say "Enough!"

The Dare

• Make a mantra. I need something to hold on to—literally—during those awkward moments when an ask hangs in the air. So I bought a silver ring that I spin while silently repeating, "Choose discomfort over resentment." My mantra reminds me that I'm making a choice that's critical for my well-being—even if it's not easy.

• Keep a resentment journal. Whenever I'm marching around muttering cuss words under my breath, I grab what I lovingly refer to as my Damn It! Diary and write down what's going on. I've noticed that I'm most resentful when I'm tired and overwhelmed—i.e., not setting boundaries.

• Rehearse. I'll often say, to no one in particular, "I can't take that on" or "My plate is full." Like many worthwhile endeavors, boundary setting is a practice.

Brené Brown, PhD, researches vulnerability, shame, courage and worthiness at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Set-Boundaries-Brene-Browns-Advice#ixzz2e7xY8G8I

Your Present Circumstances...

"Your present circumstances don't determine

 where you can go;  they merely determine

 where you start."  ~ Nido Qubein 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nido Qubein is a businessman, motivational speaker, and President of High Point University since 2005. He received his Associate's Degree in Business from Mount Olive College, where he was a member of ΔΠΔ (Delta Pi Delta) fraternity. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Human Relations from High Point University in 1970, and his Master of Science in Business Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Bryan School of Business & Economics in 1973; in 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters in Humanity degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Qubein is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the National Speakers Association Foundation. He has served as Chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company since 2001 and on the Board of Directors of BB&T since 1990 and La-Z-Boy Corporation since 2006.

Qubein was born the youngest of 5 children in 1948 and is of Lebanese and Jordanian descent.  He came to the United States in 1966. He is a Christian.

The Power of Intention

The power of intention is that you can use

 the principles of quantum physics

 to manifest the life you want to live.

  The process involves putting

into writing, statements about

 what you want to

create.

Quantum Physics

Everything is energy.

Your thought begins it,

Your emotion amplifies it

and your action increases the momentum.

Time In A Day

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.  ~John Burroughs

John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 – March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and essayist important in the evolution of the U.S. conservation movement. According to biographers at the American Memory project at the Library of Congress,[citation needed] John Burroughs was the most important practitioner after Henry David Thoreau of that especially American literary genre, the nature essay. By the turn of the 20th century he had become a virtual cultural institution[peacock term] in his own right: the Grand Old Man of Nature at a time when the American romance with the idea of nature, and the American conservation movement, had come fully into their own. His extraordinary popularity and popular visibility were sustained by a prolific stream of essay collections, beginning with Wake-Robin in 1871.  Wikipedia

Born on April 3, 1837
Roxbury, New York
Died on March 29, 1921 (aged 83)
on a train near Kingsville, Ohio
Occupation:  Writer, naturalist.

Wikipedia

Time Is...

Time is...

Too Slow for those who Wait

Too Swift for those who Fear

Too Long for those who Grieve

Too Short for those who Rejoice

But for those who Love

Time is not.

~Henry Van Dyke

Henry van Dyke was born on November 10 , 1852 in Germantown, Pennsylvania in the United States. He graduated from Princeton University in 1873 and from Princeton Theological Seminary, 1877 and served as a professor of English literature at Princeton between 1899 and 1923. In 1908-09 Dr. van Dyke was an American lecturer at the University of Paris. By appointment of President Wilson, a friend and former classmate [?] of van Dyke, he became Minister to the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 1913. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters and received many other honors.  Died: April 10, 1933, Princeton, NJ.  

Wikipedia 

Humbleness & Nobleness

Be humble, for you are made of earth.

Be noble for you are made of stars.