Sometimes,
don’t you just wish things were different? Thoughts wouldn’t disappear like a
magician’s assistant; the body could still scale tall mountains; and old friends
would still be there - sitting next to you at church or during lunch at the
Center.
There
are days when it is a struggle just to keep moving and your head above water. And
when that happens it is easy to focus on what we don’t have (and during this
season we are bombarded with all the material things we don’t have) instead of
what we do – and can get stuck riding a downward spiral into the sticky goop of
self-pity.
But
in the book Attitudes of Gratitude: How
to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life by M.J. Ryan, a book
recently loaned to me by Ron Nelson, Ryan shares her thoughts and understanding
of how gratitude can make us better aware of all the wonders we experience and remind
us of the bountiful harvest before us and the amazing miracle of life.
By
expressing our gratitude for what we have and making it a daily habit, we can
live a more positive and meaningful life and have the strength to address our
worries and change what is broken.
As
Meister Eckhart once said “If the only prayer you say in your whole life is
‘thank you’ that would suffice.”
And
for those of you who thought you missed last Tuesday’s Lecture by Joyce Powell
Morin on the Healing Power of Gratitude and Optimism, you didn’t. I had to
postpone the presentation, but it has been rescheduled for January 28th.
And
speaking of the 11:00 Tuesday Lectures at the Center, the next speaker on
December 10th will be Dick LaFever sharing his moving and powerful
story of forgiveness and his faith that’s given him strength during the painful
times in his life. Whether you have heard his message or not, I would encourage
you to attend this presentation.
Pinochle
is a popular card game: it is challenging involving teamwork and skill, but
easy enough to learn. And what better way to get together with others, stretch your
cranium (and if you know the right places - enjoy some great homemade snacks)
while having fun. There are many places to play Pinochle including at the
Center on Thursday afternoons starting at 1:00 and Friday nights starting at
6:00 - and like all the activities at the Center, they are open to everyone.
But
if you want to learn how to play Pinochle or brush up on your skills, starting
December 3rd on every Tuesday from 1 – 3 PM at the Eagles, there
will be free instruction on how to play the game. It is open to everyone – you
don’t have to be a member of the Eagles. For more information contact Gayla
Hill at 541-993-0873.
Are
you tired of having to read all the mixed up letters for the Center’s music
announcement and just want it to be simple and clear? Sorry, no can do. You see,
I’m only thinking of you - and how “easy” is really not good for your brain
health - or much of a challenge. But you say you have enough challenges - like
just getting out of the chair! Okay, in
the Christmas spirit, I will only scramble some of the words in this week’s
music announcement. Now are you happy?
On Tuesday
igevnen, Emderbec 10th ta the Rnecte, Martin adn Friends iwll eb lgyinap
curntyo favorites. Rsodo open ta 6:00, hte usmci starts ta 7:00, and donations
aer radpatpeiec. And no matter how cldo ti is outside, Byab ti’s wamr dnseii.
The
answers to last week’s “Remember When” questions were Tom Mix, the original
cowboy actor, and his horse Tony. (The winner of a free Saturday Breakfast on
December 21st is Jim Ayers.)
And during the month of
December I will ask questions from Christmases past - including this one about
the No. 1 song in December 1952. What
was the name of this Christmas oldie recorded by Jimmy Boyd, when he was only
13 years old, describing what a little boy saw when he walked downstairs on
Christmas Eve. E-mail your question to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call
541-296-4788 or mail it with a bushel full of Phoradendron serotinum that I can hang in the bedroom doorway.
Well,
it has been another week raking away the leaves that somehow keep reappearing.
Until we meet again, as we
experience the challenges of aging don’t forget all the things that don’t need
fixing.
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our
hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thornton Wilder
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