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It’s All About Perspective

mimijk

“How many slams in an old screen door?

Depends how loud you shut it.

How many slices in a bread?

Depends how thin you cut it.

How much good inside a day?

Depends how good you live ’em.

How much love inside a friend?

Depends how much you give ’em.” — Shel Silverstein

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We can make life so complicated, can’t we?  Sometimes it just helps to bring it back to the basics – like breathing.  Are our breaths long and full, interrupted with a giggle or even a belly laugh?  Or do we tend to breathe in short inhalations and exhalations, anticipating our next moves before completing the steps right in front of us?  We know which is better for us, I guess it just depends on how important it is to us.

Today I’m off for my ‘barn’ tour.  I am hoping to volunteer with an organization called “Lift Me Up” – their mission involves the use of animal therapy (primarily horses) when working with developmentally challenged children and young adults.  It feels like a good fit for me on many levels – having experience with people who have unique needs (I’m not talking about attorneys here) and horses.  It’s time to pay a little rent for the gift of being here in the first place – and this is also a way to up my happy quotient.

How hard can it be to embrace your day?

Depends how hard you hug it.

How fully can you live your life?

Depends what you put in it

How much joy can you find in a day

Depends on how you see it.

Have a good day all – find delight.

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Published by mimijk

Woman of a certain age…mom, wife, grandmom, sister, friend, mentor, advisor, perpetual ponderer. “I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning difficult” (E.B. White)

40 thoughts on “It’s All About Perspective”

  6. Your choice of Shel Silverstein as the bookends for your piece is perfect. You will enjoy what you begin today and it will reach into crevices in your soul that you will discover for the first time. And when these kids and adults smile- it will fill you with unimagined joy. Equestrian therapy is a wonderful thing. Over the years, several of my students successfully competed in the Special Olympics and got their start backed by the love of volunteers. What a perfect fit! You, who have so much love to give you can fill three lifetimes, will receive it back tenfold. As it should be. Because you are you. Have a great time. I can’t wait to hear all about it. Happy, peaceful and sweet Sunday. To the moon and back…

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    1. Thanks Jo – I wrote the last ‘book-end’ – though it flatters me beyond measure to think that it was close to the real deal (which was the first ‘bookend’). I’m looking forward to my tour today and hopeful that we’re a match. To the moon…

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      1. The last bookend was my favorite indeed. Love you my mega talented friend. And, yes, I would hold you in the same esteem as I hold the great Shel Silverstein any day of the week. Enjoy the day.

    1. Thank you so much Susan – although today is just a ‘tour’..But the prospect of bringing joy (and in doing so, receiving as well) is really exciting to me.

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  10. Animal/horse therapy sounds like so much fun! Would love to try something like that, as I’ve read about the positive effects it can impart on people of all sorts. Have a great time! p.s. love the balloon–

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  11. Hi Mimi, sounds like a wonderful way to give back. My father has been very involved with a similar organization call “Rising Stars”. Which has horse therapy for special needs people. He said it is wonderful to see how the people respond to the horses but also it is so wonderful to help the parents who bring their children to their program as it is free for them and many have no other source that gives them some time off while their child is being cared for in such a wonderful way. Congratulations on your new adventure!

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  12. Absolutely adore the quotes you’ve put. It’s amazing how the world seems to change if you just take a deep breath and saw everything.around you. I always think ‘how did you miss that’ after getting out of a bad rut in my own head.

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  13. Such a wonderful post. I can’t wait to hear about your experience with that organization. It sounds like a great way to give back. Your poem is every bit as good as Shel Silverstein’s – quite nice.

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  15. Awesome post; and I can’t wait to hear about your barn tour, what you experienced and how it went. I love love love that you are doing this…it sounds so amazing and I know you will be a perfect fit. They are so lucky to have you. And, your part of the poem? Lovely, and as good as Mr. Silverstein, I assumed it was the rest of the poem from the top, my talented beautiful friend! xoxo

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    1. Ok, where am I to send the check? 🙂 Seriously, thank you my friend, thank you. It was a great day and I look forward to my official start on Thursday. I don’t know how lucky they are to have me (though I always bring carrots when I go to a barn, which typically makes a lot of horse consider themselves lucky), but I think this is a wonderful program to get involved with..xoxo

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  19. It sounds as though you’ll be both finding and giving delight to others. DELIGHTFUL! Full of the light. That word and phrase describe you well my friend.
    Russ

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