During
the holiday season you can get caught up in all the hustle and bustle: shopping
not for yourself but for your grandkids!; writing Christmas cards to friends
and family; and preparing for a family gathering - unless you are fortunate and
your children organize it for you.
Or we you
could get caught up in your own personal problems whether it is your health, your
financial situation - or you are still grieving the loss of a loved one which particularly
stings during this time of the year.
All of
this can make it easy to forget to stop and appreciate what you do have. Here
are several suggestions to help keep your eyes open to see all there is to be
grateful for.
1.
Don’t be picky: appreciate everything. Life is too short to get upset about the
little things - as I often remind my wife when she has to clean up after me. The
habit of being grateful starts with appreciating every good thing in life and
recognizing that there is nothing too small for you to be thankful for.
2.
Find gratitude in your challenges. That’s right. Sometimes a difficult
situation can be a blessing in disguise. I’ve been told by several folks how their
heart attack has motivated them to be closer to their family and to take better
care of themselves.
3.
Keep a gratitude journal. Everyday write down what you are grateful for. And
don’t forget to include the small blessings you encounter. Then when times are tough,
you can pick yourself back up by going to your journal and remembering all that
you have been grateful for.
4.
Volunteer. There isn’t any better way to appreciate what you have than by helping
those who don’t have as much - whether delivering meals, providing shelter
during these wintry days, or picking up a church member who no longer drives. In
other words: helping others helps you!”
A life
well lived is one of gratitude and thankfulness. This season take time to consider
all your blessings large and small. But if you can’t think of anything, you can
at least be grateful that it isn’t any worse!”
Now
that the Center has finished its day trips for the year, I have to give a shout
out to Ginny McNary who chooses, organizes and chaperones (It’s a wild bunch!)
the Center’s trips. The trips are a wonderful opportunity to travel with your
fun loving peers and enjoy incredible sites and fine entertainment - while
letting someone else do the driving!
The
Center has started its 2020 membership drive. Whether you visit the Center
daily, weekly or once a year for special occasions, I hope you consider joining
the Center. The Center works to enhance the community by providing
opportunities for all generations to “explore, connect and contribute”. The
only government funding the Center receives is to operate the SHIBA (Medicare
Counseling) Program - which is minimal. A yearly membership is only $35 per
person, $60 per couple or to be a SUPER DUPER member it is $50 per person.
From
last week’s questions, Burl Ives was the snowman narrator in Rudolph the Red
Nose Reindeer (1964); Boris Karlof was the narrator in The Grinch Who
Stole Christmas (1966); and in Frosty the Snowman (1969) Jimmy
Durante narrated and sang the title song. Those who answered at least one of the
three questions correctly are Cheri Brent and Rhonda Spies who remembered Burl
Ives; Diane Weston who answered all three questions correctly, and John Huteson
this week’s winner of a free quilt raffle ticket who remembered the schnoz
himself - Jimmy Durante.
New
Year’s Eve is just around the corner when we’ll all be in front of our television
sets watching the ball drop in Times Square at midnight. Right? But that wasn’t
the case for the characters in this 1972 film. For this week’s “Remember When”
question what was the name of the film in which an aged luxury liner on her
final voyage is capsized by a giant wave on New Year’s Eve? Email your answer
to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with an
original poster describing the movie as “Hell, Upside Down”.
Well,
it’s been another week, trying to model the behavior I wish to see. Until we
meet again, may there be peace on earth and goodwill towards all people.
“Life
moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could
miss it.” Ferris Bueller
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