Quote of the day:
"A hug is a great gift . . . One size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.” –Author Unknown Reflection: Touching has many values. Besides benefiting the immune system, many studies have shown that touch can lower depression and hostility, and even boost survival rates of patients with some diseases. Neurologist Shekar Raman, in Richmond, Virginia, explains: “A hug, a pat on the back, and even a friendly handshake are processed by the reward center in the central nervous system, which is why it can have a powerful impact on the human psyche, making us feel happiness and joy. It doesn’t matter if you’re the toucher or the touchee. The more you connect with others—on even the smallest physical level—the happier you’ll be.” Research suggests that touch is fundamental to human communication, bonding, and health. Dacher Keltner, PhD, when speaking about the benefits of touch said, “The benefits start from the moment we’re born. A review of research, conducted by Tiffany Field, a leader in the field of touch, found that preterm newborns who received just three 15-minute sessions of touch therapy each day for 5–10 days gained 47 percent more weight than premature infants who’d received standard medical treatment.” Studies show that touching patients with Alzheimer’s can have huge effects on helping them to relax, make emotional connections with others, and reduce their symptoms of depression. Never under estimate the power of touch both for yourself and others.
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Vitamins for the Soul
A quote a day helps you remember what’s important. Here are this week’s quotes on doing your part.
Quote of the day:
“After the verb “to love”, the verb “to help” is the most beautiful verb in the world.” —Bertha von Suttner Reflection: I read this story in the Motivated magazine. It is a touching story with a wonderful lesson for us all. A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or intellectually challenged, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the sound of the gun, they all started out—not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. When they saw what had happened, they all turned around and went back—every one of them. One girl with Down’s syndrome, upon reaching him bent down, kissed him, and said, “This will make it better.” Then all nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in life is more than winning for ourselves. What truly matters is helping others in their race, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. Are you helping others run their race? Quote of the day:
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein Reflection: I’ve always liked this quote. I think the following story is a good illustration: Many years ago Sir Isaac Newton had an exact replica of our solar system made in miniature. At its center was a large golden ball representing the sun, and revolving around it were smaller spheres attached at the ends of rods of varying lengths. They represented Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and the other planets. These were all geared together by cogs and belts to make them move around the “sun” in perfect harmony. One day as Newton was studying the model, a friend who did not believe in the biblical account of creation stopped by for a visit. Marveling at the device and watching as the scientist made the heavenly bodies move in their orbits, the man exclaimed, “My, Newton, what an exquisite thing! Who made it for you?” Without looking up, Sir Isaac replied, “Nobody.” “Nobody?” his friend asked. “That’s right! I said nobody! All of these cogs and belts and gears just happened to come together, and wonder of wonders, by chance they began revolving in their set orbits and with perfect timing.” The unbeliever got the message! It was foolish to suppose that the model merely happened. But it was even more senseless to accept the theory that the Earth and the vast Universe came into being by chance. Vitamins for the Soul
A quote a day helps you remember what’s important. Here are this week’s quotes on leaving a legacy.
Quote of the day:
“Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change.” —Henry S. Commager Reflection: We can learn a lot about coping with change from the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof.1 The story takes place at the beginning of the 20th century and features a Jewish family suffering from poverty and religious persecution in the south of Russia. The father, Tevye, complains about having five daughters and no sons, not the ideal distribution on a farm. To make matters worse, his three older daughters picked husbands he didn’t approve of, one of them an Orthodox goy. Throughout the story, whenever there is trouble or change in the air, a man playing a fiddle on a roof appears to him in a vision. In the end, the family—and the entire Jewish community— is forced to leave their small town, during winter, with each family going to be with relatives in distant parts of the world. Tevye is forced to sell his old horse because of a bad hoof and has to push the wagon, containing his meager belongings, down the road himself, followed by his wife and two younger daughters. Then the fiddler appears again, playing his instruments cheerfully. At first, Tevye rejects the vision and almost curses it, but after a few moments, he lights up and begins to walk with renewed gusto to the rhythm of the fiddler’s song. The lessons of this movie transcend time and space. Changes are easier when we submit to them instead of resisting. Our lives are full of obstacles and sometimes persecutions. We face challenges and change in relationships, career, home life, with our health, looks, physical appearance, stamina, and so on. How do you handle change—with resistance and complaint, or with gusto, walking to the rhythm of the fiddler? Quote of the day:
“I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” —Theodore Roosevelt Reflection: I read this adapted article by Marie Boisjoly in the Motivated magazine that I thought was very inspiring. I’m an avid reader, and I always keep some uplifting reading material on my bedside table. One of my favorites is a collection of short biographies and quotes from great men and women—not that I aspire to such greatness, but I find their examples a source of strength to meet life’s daily challenges. What made these people great? Some of the qualities most often cited by both historians and their peers were their foresight, moral character, selflessness, and perseverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I’m sure that each of those great men and women had other intangibles, but for one man in particular it was his faith and tenacity. His name was William Wilberforce (1759-1833). During his 18-year parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade throughout the British Empire, his first 11 bills were defeated. At times, the political hostility against him erupted into personal hatred, insult, slander, and even a threat on his life by a sea captain involved in the slave trade. But he never accepted defeat. Biographers may not agree on every detail of his experience, but all credit his faith with fueling his fire. All the while, he also contended with debilitating health problems. His eyesight was so bad that he once wrote, “I can scarce see how to direct my pen.” Bedridden for weeks at a time, he also suffered from curvature of the spine (one writer of his day likened him to a “human corkscrew,” and he wore an iron corset for 15 years), an ulcerated colon, and a severe bout of influenza from which he never fully recovered. And of course medicine 200 years ago was not what it is today. At one point Wilberforce became addicted to the latest “wonder drug,” opium. Had Wilberforce given up his fight, others would have quickly excused him for health reasons, if nothing else. But he was looking for change, not excuses. The Slave Trade Act was passed into law in 1807, and in 1833, three days before he died, he received word that enough votes had been secured to ensure passage of the Slavery Abolition Act, and the emancipation of slaves. William Wilberforce, didn’t give up what he believed in and felt was right, in spite of his weaknesses and the bill not being passed 11 times. He kept at it and finally the bill did get passed. Wow! What perseverance in the face of adversity. Are you persevering in spite of obstacles? Vitamins for the Soul
A quote a day helps you remember what’s important. Here are this week’s quotes on changing the world.
Quote of the day:
"Laughter is the most healthful exertion." – Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland Reflection: I’ve been reading about the benefits of laughter and my findings are quite amazing. As Solomon wrote in the book of Proverbs so many years ago, “A merry heart does good, like medicine.” He didn’t have scientific studies to back him up, but he sure did “hit the nail on the head”. Jennifer Welsh wrote an article in LiveScience, “Why Laughter May Be the Best Pain Medicine,” Scientific American, September 14, 2011. Melanie Winderlich wrote “10 Reasons Why Laughing Is Good for You,” in Curiosity (Discovery Channel). Both articles highlight how sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. In addition, laughter has been shown in many cases to:
Quote of the day:
“A hundred years from now, it won't matter what your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove, but the world may be different because you were important in the life of a child.” — Author Unknown Reflection: I read this article from the Activated magazine written by Rosane Pereira. It so impressed me, that I wanted to share it with you. I recently took my teenage son to an ecotourism project in the big Complexo do Alemão group of favelas [slums] in northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There are cable gondolas that stop on all five mountaintops, from where we could see the entire bay and all the beautiful mountain ranges. Dotting the mountains, there are also thousands of small huts lacking decent roofs and with bare and unpainted brick walls. Those were the favelas. At one point, my son commented: “It’s amazing how many more poor people there are than rich!” On our way back down, we talked with a missionary who had begun working there before peace had been achieved, at the time when the police and drug cartels had been engaged in daily gun battles. Another woman described how she used to have to walk to the fountain to get water every day when she was younger, until her father and others had been able to dig a community well. Life in the area has improved significantly in the past few years, but the stories these women shared were a reminder of the dire conditions so many people live in. This excursion had quite an impact on my son, who is now showing more interest in helping destitute families in our city rather than being primarily concerned with having his own wants met. Children can develop compassion for others through participating in services for the community, scout groups, or helping the less fortunate, and if they have been taught these values from an early age, they will be more likely to hold on to them for the rest of their lives. Even if you don’t have any children of your own we can all influence the children we come in contact with for good. Take some time to think of ways you can contribute to the next generation’s development even if it’s only by sponsoring worthy character building programs. |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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