When I Am An Old Man

When I am an old man...

     I shall wear my old slippers whenever I choose.
     Have popcorn and pickles while on my armchair cruise. 
     Dance around in my bathrobe, put my false teeth in a jar,
     Make friends of my enemies and talk love, not war. 
     Eat ice cream for breakfast and spend some days abed. 
     Nod off in the sunshine over books I've not read.

     I'll drink milk from the carton, eat peaches from their tin,
     And throw away my neckties, grow whiskers on my chin.
     Make music on an old guitar to chase away the blues,
     And scratch where it itches, forget to shine my shoes.

     Wink at the girls and give a big grin,
     Notice the sunsets and let the dogs come in. 
     On holidays I'll wear fine shirts, plaid trousers that are loose. 
     And let one of the youngsters carve the turkey or the goose.

     But now we must get to work on time.
     Save every nickle, penny and dime. 
     Be proper and prim, stay healthy and fit,
     Pay our taxes and not complain about it.

     But maybe I'll begin doing some of those things now,
     Like forgetting my manners when I am eating my chow. 
     So our friends will recognize me on that far away day,
     When suddenly I am old and begin acting that way!

     ~ Poem by Donna Schwarz and Elizabeth Lucas ~

Who Can Stop You?

Others can stop you temporarily -

you are the only one who can do it permanently.

~ Zig Ziglar ~

Anything Worth Doing

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly,

until you can learn to do it well.

~ Steve Brown ~

Holiday Stress

The holidays stress people out so much.

I suggest that you keep it simple

and try to have as much fun as you can.

~ Giada De Laurentiis ~

Thanksgiving

I am grateful for what I am and have.

My thanksgiving is perpetual.

~ Henry David Thoreau ~

I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving each and every day!

Giving Thanks

When you rise in the morning,

give thanks for the light, for your life,

for your strength.  Give thanks for your

food and for the joy of living.  If you

see no reason to give thanks, the

fault lies in yourself.

~ Tecumseh ~

Being Thankful

Be thankful for what you have; 

you'll end up having more.

If you concentrate on what you don't have,

you will never, ever have enough.

~ Oprah Winfrey ~

Measuring Yourself

If you insist on measuring yourself,

put the tape around your heart rather

than your head.  Try measuring your

wealth by who you are, rather than

what you have.

~ Carol Trabelle ~

Great Opportunities

We are all faced with a

series of great opportunities brilliantly

disguised as unsolvable problems.

~ John W. Gardner ~

Dreams

Your dreams are not meant to put

you to sleep, but to alert and arouse

you to your immense possibilities.

~ David Phillips ~

The 1%

I found myself this past Saturday thinking about the 1 percenters (1%).  No, I am not referring to the ultra-wealthy that many politicians like to rant against.  Rather, I was thinking about the 1% of the population that is serving their country as a member of the U.S. armed forces.  Saturday was Veterans Day and it is a day when our nation pauses to thank all those men and women who have served in the military.  It is estimated that currently 1% of the US population is a member of one of our armed forces. This number has not always been this low.  In past years, and particularly during armed conflicts, that percentage was much higher.  

This country has gotten better in recent years thanking our veterans for their service.  I was on active duty in the Army during the Vietnam era.  When I was discharged, I was told to not wear my uniform as I traveled home.  That was because the Vietnam War was so unpopular that protestors would accost anyone wearing a uniform.  What a sad way for someone who had served their country to be treated.  Many who served during Vietnam did so because they were drafted.  They were not in Vietnam so much by choice as much as they were there because they were drafted and were sent there to fight in an unpopular war.

I recently heard a statistic that was troublesome.  At one time in our Congress, over 70% of our senators and representatives had been in the military.  Today, it is less than 10%.  It is no wonder that veterans are often forgotten when it comes to enacting laws that will improve benefits to those who have served their country.  Unless you have been in the military, it is difficult to understand the emotional, financial, and physical strain that can be put on military families.  These military families deserve much more from this country than they are presently receiving.

            Whether you agree with the policies of our government concerning the use of our military, the fact is that we will always require a military to be trained and ready to protect and defend our country.  Now that we no longer have a draft, the men and women who are in our military are there because they want to serve this country.  This is not only a noble cause but it is one that this country should support with our appreciation and we should ensure that these military families receive the benefits they so richly deserve. 

            So, rather than focusing on the 1% of those in our population that are extremely wealthy, why not focus on the 1% of the population that are giving the rest of us the freedom to live and be successful in the United States…the members of the U.S. military.

Veterans

Veterans are a symbol of what makes our country great,

and we must never forget all they have done to ensure our freedom.

~ Rodney Frelinghuysen ~

Just Remember

Just remember that you don't 

have to be what they want you to be.

~ Muhammad Ali ~

Imagination

Logic will get you from A to B.

Imagination will take you everywhere.

~ Albert Einstein ~

We Each Can Help

In this dangerous world we live in,

where hatred and violence and

natural disasters sometimes collide

to overwhelm us, we each can help in some way.

~ Marsha Blackburn ~

Love & Baseball

Love is the most important thing in the world,

but baseball is pretty good too.

~ Yogi Berra ~

Congratulations to the Houston Astros! 

Silently Affirm

Each day silently affirm

that you are the type of person with

whom you would like to spend

the rest of your life.

~ Bob Moawad ~