Daily Jots

The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death.
“Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create – – – so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must …read more

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Today is the birth date of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.  He is remembered for many things:  Leading the country during the Civil War, taking a stand against slavery, and delivering powerful speeches that students still memorize are just a few of history’s notations.
What is not as well known is the devotion and love Lincoln and his wife had for each other.  We toss the word “soulmate” around a lot and it is understandable why – everyone hopes to find their own soulmate and have a love that lasts a lifetime and beyond.
Mary Todd Lincoln was …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“He is happiest who hath power to gather wisdom from a flower.”
Mary Howitt
Thinking Outside of the Box:
Leopold knew it. He probably was one of only a handful of men that did. Flowers speak a secret and silent language. Their language is the language of love.
Just about everyone knows that roses stand for love, but did you know different colors mean different things? For instance, a dark pink rose means “thank you,” but its light pink sister means “admiration.” And if you receive (or give) a rose that is a blended orange and …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“Your life lies before you like freshly fallen snow. Be careful where you step, for every step will show.”
Unknown
February is Heart Month. Of course, we know about Valentine’s Day. That is a big one. But did you know it is also Heart Month, in terms of health? During the month we celebrate love, organizations and individuals work to make others aware of heart health.
I know a lot about this issue. I lost my husband to a sudden massive heart attack when he was only 55. There was no warning at all, …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“I believe in the sun even when it is not shining;
I believe in love even when I do not feel it;
I believe in God even when He is silent.”
Unknown
Thinking Outside of the Box:
When I was compiling my quotations for Valentine’s Day and looking for the best quotes on love, I ran into this thought and it struck me how much alike faith and love are. Both are stepping out on a limb. Both are believing in something that cannot be seen or proven.
Much of real love (and faith for that matter) requires trusting in …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.”
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Thinking Outside of the Box:
February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day is just a week away and the stores are filled with hearts and flowers. But love is more than Hallmark cards and bouquets. Love is… well, I can’t describe it any better than you can. Not real love. The “other half of yourself” feeling that happens when it …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“A cloudy day or a little sunshine have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most recent blessings or misfortunes.”
Joseph Addison
Thinking Outside of the Box:
We are halfway there. Today marks the halfway point of winter. To me, it feels like winter has been going on forever. In fact, today I craved spring so badly, I went on a hunt for light bulbs. Not just any lightbulbs, but special ones. Full-spectrum, fake sun, whatever you want to call them. Just something that would simulate some form of real light. …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“How goodness heightens beauty!”
Hannah More
Do You Know About These Blogs?
Our society often equates beauty with youth. Unfortunately, that also means that as people, particularly women, get older, they are considered less attractive, less desirable, and just… well… less. That’s a bunch of baloney!
I have talked about the b5media blog Aging Fabulously before, and I just want to point it out again. This blog celebrates how aging is perhaps one of the most beautiful experiences we have. Shirley’s blog is so good – I wouldn’t miss it.
eBeautyDaily is another blog we have that shares …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.”
Phil Connors – “Groundhog Day”
An Offbeat Holiday:
Today is Groundhog Day. Supposedly, when a groundhog peeks out of his hole, what he sees determines whether winter is almost over, or is going to hang around another …read more

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Thought of the Day:
“If this volume should fall into the hands of any one to whom I have not myself entrusted, I beg him at once to lay it down, and, if he cannot return it, to destroy it entirely; for in these pages I mean to write thoughts and feelings which no one but myself should know.”
Francis Ellingwood Abbot
Thinking Outside of the Box:
The above quote is from a book that I just started reading. “If Ever Two Were One,” is a collection of diary entries written by Francis Abbot from his college days in 1855, until his death …read more

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