Happy Birthday Susan! “I’m glad you were born!” :D

For the most part, every day on the calendar is like every other—each starts with sunrise and ends with a sunset, with lots of busyness in between. But there are certain days that we set apart. National holidays, for example, help us remember our past and inspire our future. Religious holidays turn our hearts toward things of the soul. And then we have personal days of remembrance—such as birthdays and anniversaries—to commemorate the milestones in our own lives and the lives of those we love. 

What would happen to our sense of self and family if birthdays and anniversaries were forgotten or ignored? A birthday is certainly more than cake and ice cream; it is an expression of gratitude that someone we care about came into the world and came into our lives. One family, for example, always makes it a point to say on birthdays, “I’m glad you were born!” Similarly, anniversaries give us the chance to mark important events; they link us to the past and point us to the future, giving life a sense of continuity from one year into the next, generation after generation. Each birthday and anniversary is a celebration of enduring life and love, memories and milestones. And that is something worth celebrating. 

More than one children’s book depicts a character who loves birthdays so much that he or she wants to have one every day! The character soon realizes that what makes such a day extraordinary is that it happens only once a year. It marks a meaningful passage of time. While we look for opportunities to express love and even gather as friends and family as often as possible, a birthday or anniversary is something we plan and prepare for, a special event that deserves special attention. Then, even in advancing years, we cherish those important days and look forward to the next one as a time to give and receive love. 

Be our celebrations large or small, it’s good to take time to remember, reflect, and rejoice. As the English poet Alexander Pope wrote:

“Pleased to look forward, pleased to look behind,
And count each birthday with a grateful mind.”
'
-Lloyd D. Newell

Breathe in the amazing

Embrace your journey

like oxygen

"Love yourself and the

 rest

 will follow."

Common Sense

Focus on light

his message of optimism

American artist Norman Rockwell was known as the artist of the common man and of common places. His models were his neighbors and family members, his subjects the plain and simple moments of life, and he depicted them with fondness. Among his hundreds of paintings, he captured the essence of human connection with all of its emotion and excitement the joy of a long-awaited homecoming, the thrill of a youthful adventure, the tenderness and insecurity of growing older, and the warmth of a sacred gathering 

with loved ones to give thanks.

"The commonplaces of America are to me the richest subjects in art," he wrote. "Boys batting flies on vacant lots; little girls playing jacks on the front steps; old men plodding home at twilight, umbrellas in hand all these things arouse feeling in me. … Commonplaces never become tiresome. It is we who become tired when we cease to be curious and appreciative." Though critics were sometimes not kind, most people were instinctively drawn to Rockwell's art. Something about it reminded them of the goodness in life.

This was Rockwell's gift. Every artist has his or her own peculiar way of looking at life, and this determines his treatment of a subject or situation. Rockwell said of his own unique perspective: "The view of life I communicated in my pictures excludes the sordid and ugly. 

I paint life as I would like it to be."

That doesn't mean, of course, that he was naive about the way life really is. He had his share of tragedies, just as we all do. And the era he painted in was not idealized, either it was a time of war, prejudice, and social upheaval. In other words, it was a time when people needed to be reminded of the way life could be. And they needed to see that maybe that ideal is not as unrealistic as they thought.

Perhaps that's why Rockwell's art still resonates we still need his message of optimism within the commonplace. We need more of the love, laughter, friendship, and goodness he depicted. The more we look for life as we would like it to be, as Norman Rockwell did, the more it will 

become life as it really is.

Lloyd D. Newell

"Never let a problem to be solved become more 

important than a person to be loved." 

Thomas S. Monson

Time to repair

:D

Remember it

its the reward

your inner compass

write it well

shoot for the moon

no grey area here, pretty much black and white

keep on keepin on

the truth of the matter

the possibilities are endless

it's a good thing

every day is your life

just a little lift

it's worth it

"Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you."

"Whatever you decide to do make sure it makes you happy."

"Small steps every day."

"She's a dreamer. A doer. A Thinker. She sees possibility everwhere. "

starting right now

and she did

Real change can only come from within

Create a life that feels good on the inside, 

not just looks good on the outside.

No matter the situation, 

never let your emotions overpower your intelligence.

 "If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. If broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from the inside."  Real change can only come from within. 

you can

younique

just be yourself 

because you know 

you can't spell unique 

without "U"

time for change

hold that thought

Holding on to anger . . .

holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else, you are the one who gets burned.

  

Buddha

judge not

Making the most of our mortal moments

manifest the possibilities

It's all good

You have every right to be

THE Job description

Now, and forever

"Do the best you can through these years, but whatever else you do, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. ... We acknowledge and esteem your faith in every footstep. Please know that it is worth it then, now, and forever."

 Jeffrey R. Holland

Priorities

You are

Peace be still

it's ok

a question worth asking

stop it

hear with your heart

Bigger than that

One step at a time