Category Archives: Thoughts For the Day

There is a point at which even the most even-tempered person will snap.  I have no personal experience with this, though, as I am not even-tempered.

If you’re looking for pearls of wisdom, you need not look far.  The world is your oyster. There is insight everywhere. Knowledge ripe for the picking abounds.   There’s no trick to it; just be open to learning from everything … Continue reading →

Symbols and cymbals both can make quite a lot of racket. As in “there’s a lot of symbolism in that burning cross” and “there’s a lot of cymbalism in that percussion section.” I know cymbalism is not a word in … Continue reading →

Even in the wee hours of the morning, I cannot find a place that’s absolutely quiet, at least not here in my house.  There’s the constant background hum of computers, the whisper of the refrigerator’s fan, the sounds emitted by … Continue reading →

I heard a news story yesterday on NPR, describing how satellite “pings” from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were used to infer the jet’s position at specific points in time.  Listening to the explanation of how time-stamps of the pings, coupled with knowledge of … Continue reading →

There are days when I feel compelled to express appreciation for good people…people who are nice, helpful, friendly, happy, decent human beings.  Many days.  This is one of them. Tomorrow will be one.  Yesterday was one.  Those days seem to … Continue reading →

I read an article recently about a kid who lived with the debilitating disease that ultimately claimed his life. He knew for at least twelve years the disease would rob him of adulthood, but he insisted on enjoying what life … Continue reading →

Some days, cleaning the house is an extremely satisfying endeavor.  It’s not just the result, a clean house, that’s appealing; it’s the process.

It is perfectly all right, on occasion, to choose cereal and cold milk instead of a “cooked” meal for breakfast.

I am reasonably confident there will come a time when all human life is a thing of the past. How strange to consider that, one day in the future, the self-absorption which at least in part defines humanity, will be … Continue reading →

If I want to feel the influence of gravity from a safe distance, I might want to sit closer to the moon or visit the Bay of Fundy.

When I recall walking barefoot on the beach as a kid, my feet leaving imprints, the memory can be so vivid I almost feel my toes sink into in the wet sand.  When I attempt to recall my time in high … Continue reading →

“…the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Packing to move, ones realizes there’s a price to be paid for every instance in which one succumbs to the temptation to acquire something.  I begin to suspect an austere lifestyle can offer rewards.

I learned something yesterday; furniture whose style is far from the styles I usually find appealing can be stunning.  That’s probably true of a lot of matters of taste: art, food, music, etc.  There is an important lesson in this … Continue reading →

Sometime, when I go to a greengrocer, I look around and silently give thanks for farmers. Then I realize I am even more thankful for vegetables.

Comfort is a welcome relief from the stresses of daily life. Too much comfort, though, can anesthetize a person, making it impossible to fully comprehend the reality of daily life. I think it’s wise, when experiencing the comfort of the … Continue reading →

Having recently read some advice for people who are just beginning to practice meditation, it occurs to me that meditation is a natural practice in which humans have engaged for millennia.  We focus on something…anything, really…and allow our minds to … Continue reading →

Devoting just a few minutes, early in the morning, to productive work around the household is a rewarding way to start the day.  It takes so little effort, yet pays such handsome dividends.

I think it’s possible the sun will erupt any moment into a massive explosion, consuming all the planets in its orbit and, of course, obliterating all the life found there.  With that having been said, nothing really matters, does it?  Or … Continue reading →

As I walk through my house, I see an assortment of things. For each thing, I easily can imagine my life without it: I can do without that sofa, that chair, that lamp, that book, that photo, that table, that … Continue reading →

It is fruitless to compare one’s life to the life of someone else; they are not comparable.  No one else can live my life, nor can I live anyone else’s life. It’s best to be satisfied with the life I … Continue reading →

Without splinters under the skin, we’d not know how good it feels when they’re gone. I’m glad to have experienced splinters, but happier that those I’ve known have moved on to other things.

Day before yesterday, I watched a large flock of small birds perform amazing group acrobatics in the sky.  The birds seemed to be one large undulating mass of dots, moving first one direction, then turning sharply in another.  As this … Continue reading →

Stress is invisible but it exists nonetheless.  I have evidence of it; early to bed last night and later than normal to arise this morning.  It’s either stress or it’s evidence that I’ve been taxing my bones and muscles beyond … Continue reading →