Social Commentary
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Finding Serenity Amidst Chaos
Juneberry Tree God, grant me the serenity to accept thethings I cannot change,courage to change the things I can,and wisdom to know the difference.- the Serenity Prayer Next to our terrace stands a magnificent Juneberry tree, a stunning centerpiece that enhances the beauty of our outdoor space. In the spring, it bursts into vibrant green…
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Authenticity: The Key to True Sophistication
Kitchen Montage Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Clare Boothe Luce This quote was in my planner for March. It might sound like a contradiction, but I don’t believe it is. It’s about not trying too hard, not overdoing it, and not caring so much about what other people think. Sophistication, I think, is about being…
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Finding Grace
Bird Girl, Jack Leigh It’s been said that justice is getting what you deserve. And mercy is not getting the bad thing you deserve. Grace is getting a good thing, even when you don’t deserve it. Natashia Deon Webster offers many definitions of grace. When I think of grace, two things come to mind. First…
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A Time Before Digital
We are analog souls in a digital world. Neil Gaiman There was a time when life arrived without notifications. We waited for letters, not replies. We listened to entire albums, often played on a turn table, not just the songs that surfaced on the latest streaming service. We knew phone numbers by heart, trusted memory…
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The Art of Selectivity
A person must be selective with their time and energy because both elements of life are limited. Kilroy J. Oldster I captured a photograph of this O’Keeffe watercolor when I visited the O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe last fall. It was painted late in her life, after she lost her vision, with the assistance of…
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Alexa and Edna St Vincent Millay
Versailles My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night: But, ah, my foes and oh, my friends, It gives a lovely light. Edna St. Vincent Millay What does a photo taken at Versailles, Alexa, and Edna St. Vincent Millay have in common? Well, the photo is straightforward. The quote from Millay…
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Thanks And Gratitude
Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace. Arianna Huffington I’ve been contemplating the distinction between thanks and gratitude. I can sense your sigh and whisper about semantics. Just hang in there for a second. As we approach Thanksgiving, it might be worthwhile to delve deeper into these distinctions in our daily…
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Less is More
Less is more only when more is too much. Frank Lloyd Wright This morning, I found myself reminiscing about Paris. For me, Sacre Coeur Basilica resonated deeply with my heart in a way that the grandeur of Notre Dame couldn’t. Similarly, the Musee d’Orsay captivated my imagination far beyond the meandering halls and awe-inspiring art…
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The Lost Art of Letter Writing
There is a charm to letters and cards that emails and smses can’t ever replicate, you cannot inhale them, drawing the fragrance of where they have been mailed from, the feel of paper in your hand bearing the weight of the words they contain within. Kiran Manral A friend was telling me about a book…
Aging with Grace 