Day 49: 316 days left…88 books to go!

Simple Abundance  Riding the Big Kahuna (Nov. 16th)

• "We're in this world, but certainly not of it."
• "How we feel about ourselves, the joy we get from living, ultimately depends directly on how the mind filters and interprets everyday experiences.  Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony, not on the controls we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe."  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Weather Report  (Nov. 17th)

• "It's terribly amusing how many different climates of feeling one can go through in a day."  Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• "The only way I got sober was by acknowledging my dependence on personal drama to a Source stronger than my instinct for self-sabotage and finally surrendering the theatrics."

The Blessing of Friends  (Nov. 18th)

•   This is an exceptionally useful chapter for me...I value my friendships so much, but I constantly have trouble putting effort into them & let them weaken or lose ties altogether...
• "God speaks to us through all those intimate chats, conversations, and confessions."
• "Above all, let your friends know how much you love them.  Tell them frequently how much you treasure the gift of their friendship."
• "Friends are people who help you be more yourself, more the person you are intended to be."  Merle Shain

The Kindness of Strangers  (Nov. 19th)

•  "From this day forward, start becoming consciously aware of your encounters with strangers.  Look for them.  Smile.  Make eye contact.  Strike up a conversation.  You never know."
• "Be kind to strangers.  Let strangers be kind to you.  Think of it as a positive exchange of comfort and compassion in the circle of life."

Blessed Be the Ties That Bind  (Nov. 20th)

• "Try to make the effort.  Not having time, or 'meaning to', really doesn't cut it.  None of us have time, all of us mean to. We can all do it, once we make thoughtfulness easy with a system"
• "Simone Weil believed, 'To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.'"

  Wow!  A lot to think about from today's readings.....I NEED to make more of an effort with my friends....that quote above hit me hard....no one has the time & everybody "means to"...but that doesn't cut it.....it really doesn't....