NIGHT OF BROKEN GLASS
The “Night of Broken Glass” is a translation from “Kristallnacht” to capture the night Nazi officials ransacked Jewish homes, synagogues and businesses. Shards of glass from broken windows littered the streets. Bruce Henderson, is author of Sons and Soldiers. He narrates the experiences of German Jews, especially the Ritchie Boys for whom World War 2 was personal. It hurt to read that a number of people felt that Hitler’s regime would not last two weeks. Clearly, they missed the signs and his significant proclamation “give me ten years and you won’t recognize Germany.” Sons and Soldiers is brilliantly-written and inspiring. I feel lucky to have read it. “The raven-haired woman” in my poem below, represents all who go to great lengths to seek out and publish the truth. They make it possible for us to understand and hopefully, learn from history. This poem is a salute to their bravery. Leadership…
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
Think about a time you stayed quiet when all you really wanted to do was shout. Perhaps, it was because you wanted to be heard but no one seemed to be listening? The sound of silence is a voice? Ted lived in the woods, really like a hermit. He was brilliant but had no desire to pursue a career, date or cultivate friendships. His parents had left him an inheritance, so he was wealthy. Still, nothing held his interest for long and even though he didn’t make any attempt to take his life, he was not excited about living. Ted was not always this way. Time spent in counselling revealed past traumatic childhood experiences at some point. His siblings heckled him relentlessly about things he loved one of which was his name because of its wholesome meaning once they’d learned it. They called him names like “sissy”. His parents “punished”…
HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR IKIGAI? The Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Find your Ikigai [ee-key-guy] and live long and happy. Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles share inspiring perspectives on finding your Ikigai and living happier in their bestseller titled Ikigai; The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. Ikigai is from the Japanese word meaning a reason to live. It is what makes you look forward to getting up in the morning because you are excited to start the day. You have found purpose and it could be more than one, but they kind of fit together. Find your ikigai and live a long and happy life. FIND YOUR IKIGAI AND LIVE LONG Finding your Ikigai requires a patient search. Garcia and Miralles affirm that we are happiest when we know what to do, know how to do it, and know how well we are doing. The happiness that comes from finding and persistently pursuing purpose keeps us alive longer.…
Five Advice We Give But Rarely Use
I read about a man who loved to walk barefoot. Problem was he had diabetes and could get gangrene from an infected cut. He angrily threw out a pair of slippers he got as a gift when advised to use them, because he felt that was controlling and hated to be told what to do. As you probably can predict, one foot did get amputated. There is something about living on the edge that can sometimes be appealing to the human mind. We are such complex beings after. Without doubt, there are a lot more, but here are my list of five types of advice we give but rarely use, and maybe you can relate. Be On Time. Use Common Sense. The Easy Path is Not Always the Right One. (Oh how I wish it always was.) Listen, Really Listen Before Speaking. To Be Truly Excellent at Anything, You Have…
A PREVIEW OF THOUGHTS
I read snippets of stories from various platforms this week and would like to share thoughts on a few that struck a chord. LIVING ALONE At some point in life we all leave home as a way to assert ourselves as grownups. For some it is an easy transition. Sian enjoys living alone and thinks that coming home to an empty house is a great feeling as it is an opportunity for her to recharge. Living alone, like travelling solo, helps with self-reliance.She also thinks that women are the creatives in a man’s world. I think she might be right. Do you agree? THOUGHTS ON THE HIKING DUO Hahn is blind, enjoys hiking and found a partner Knecht who can’t walk. Their mutual interest in hiking brought them together. She is his eyes and he her legs when they go hiking. A formidable partnership and teamwork in spite of disabilities…