Cowardly Lion or Mighty Mouse?

When I was in my 20s I worked as a waitress at a Red Lobster restaurant in Phoenix. We had weekly server meetings to go over changes in the menu, receive pointers on how to increase sales and other relevant restaurant news. One day a man from the corporate office gave a presentation regarding a perspective bill going before our state legislature. If passed, all employees would receive at least minimum wage. At the time, tipped employees, such as servers, received half of the minimum wage.

The man giving the presentation spelled out doom and gloom for our wait staff. If this law passed, he conjectured, no one would tip us anymore and we would be forced to live on our hourly wages. He encouraged us to write our representatives and let them know we did not want this bill to see the light of day.

I was shocked how many of my fellow servers were ready to run home to contact their congressmen and congresswomen. They were so afraid of losing their tips they were ready to forgo the possibility of a bump in wages. It is true that tips, not wages, are the bread of butter of the serving world, but I knew that if this law passed it would not affect our tips. One of my dear friends, Di, worked as a waitress in California, a state that extended minimum wage to all employees (tipped or not) and she was making better tips than I was. I couldn’t imagine most of our customers knew what our salaries were or if they changed.

When I pointed out the lack of logic in the presenters reasoning to the store manager, he labeled me an instigator. It was a term that had been used to describe me before this incident and would be used again decades later. I think had the presenter been more honest and said the burden of paying these extra wages would be an issue with the corporation, perhaps I might have been more sympathetic. However, I felt their method was deceptive, their intent was based on corporate profit and greed more than helping the servers, and the whole thing had the stench of social injustice.

Long story short, the bill never passed. I think servers make a little more than half of the minimum hourly wage in Arizona, but I’m pretty sure they don’t receive the full amount. I haven’t been a server in decades, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t championed other incidents that denied justice to all. Being an instigator was a label I bore with pride.

However, somewhere along the line I lost my youthful courage to champion every injustice that crosses my path. Of course I always vote, occasionally write editorials and help in other ways, but I’m not out there carrying a banner, preaching on a soap box or even arguing with my relatives about their views. I prefer engaging in dialogue when I can, but if I don’t feel the person is open to a friendly exchange of ideas, I don’t even bother. In this country we are all entitled to our opinions.

Freedom of speech was a hallmark in my studies as a journalist, as well as in family affairs. My father loved to discuss politics and encouraged us to voice our views. However, he also said you cannot reason with three types of people, bigots, bullies and drunks. He worked in a bar, so he saw a lot of all three types of “”unreasonables.” Of course if things got heated he didn’t walk away like I do. He knew how to throw a well-aimed punch that could fell an opponent in one blow. My father wasn’t a big man, so he had to make sure that one punch worked or he was in big trouble.

I don’t go around punching folks, nor do I have any desire to. Oh, okay, sometimes I have a little desire to play rock ‘em sock ‘em robots with someone’s chin

when I see people mistreat children or animals, but I would never act on this negative impulse. Somewhere along the line I learned to avoid fights. While I think it is safer to avoid confrontation with others, I realized that I had let this cowardly attitude seep into my personal life as well. I had turned into a mouse. And not a courageous one like my hero, Mighty Mouse with his bellowing, “Here I come to save the day!”

My call was more like, “Now it’s time to run away!” Personal preservation is not necessarily a bad thing. I know I do not have the power to change others, but what was really disturbing is I was not challenging my own weaknesses with the drive that I used to let bubble forth.

Then I went to a Buddhist meeting. A woman talked about the importance of facing our obstacles. Rather than running from our challenges we should bring them closer, only armed with prayer, and knock them on their proverbial butts.
As she described this scenario I envisioned prayer as a protective shield. How could I slay my personal demons if I kept running away? Whether or not you believe in prayer, here are a few tips to help you regain your personal power and bolster your courage. It’s from Chapter 5 in my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.

ERASE NEGATIVITY
•Don’t blame others for your problems.
Lose the victim mentality and take responsibility for your life – bumps and all. Life is not something that is handed to you, it is something you create. Adopt a proactive approach that shifts from “What can I get?” to “What can I contribute?” Next time you find yourself wanting to point a blaming finger at someone else, take note of your hand. While your finger and thumb may be pointing at someone else, three fingers are pointed right back at you!

•Align yourself with people, situations or organizations that can help put you on a successful path. Ask yourself, “What am I focusing on?” If it’s not positive, redirect your thoughts.
Focusing on negative thoughts and situations is like counting your neighbor’s money. Sure, you can do it (if they allow it) but what good will come of it? It’s not going to increase your bank account one bit, no matter how much time you put into it.

•Take responsibility and find ways to succeed.
If people put more energy into solving problems instead of whining about them, all of our lives would be easier. When Thomas Alva Edison was experimenting with the correct filament for his light bulb, he was unsuccessful more than 1,000 times. Rather than becoming discouraged he is quoted as saying, “We now know a thousand ways not to build a light bulb”. What an enlightened concept!

•Forgive.
Victims are often shackled by their inability, or unwillingness, to forgive others or themselves. Harboring resentments, even those that seem justified, does not help the situation. In fact, it makes it worse. Corrie Ten Boom said, "Forgiveness is setting the prisoner free, only to find out that the prisoner was me.” We cannot change the past. Forgive others, or yourself, and move on. Your heart will be lighter and you will be able to pursue happier endeavors.

EMBRACE THE MAGIC WITHIN
•Do not shy away from your personal power.
Acknowledge your strengths. Be your own best friend. Make a list of things you are proud of. It can be an accomplishment, a personal attribute or anything that makes you feel good about yourself. Take out the list and reread it – every day if necessary. Continually remind yourself of the magical essence of you.

•Get busy with your dream, not busy work that doesn’t feed your soul.
I hope you will use this article and use it as a way to feed your soul. Don’t pick fights, but when it comes to your own weaknesses, arm yourself with your personal power (or prayer) and champion your own personal happiness. And don’t forget, if you dine out and receive good service, don’t forget to tip the server, whether they get paid minimum wage or not.

Missing the Boat and Other Screw Ups

Sometimes a little screw up can have major ramifications. I narrowly missed one today. I was about to board the Coho ferry to go to Victoria, B.C with my brother-in-law, Charles. I had gone to Canada a couple weeks ago with my spouse CB and I knew the process. As Charles and I started to make our way down the line to board I pulled out my passport and looked at my passport photo.. Oops.

That wasn’t my unsmiling face, it was CB’s. We got out of line and hoofed it back to the house in Port Angeles, WA.

The problem wasn’t horrific. The ferry tickets will be good tomorrow and we’ll try again. However, had I not noticed the situation, I’m sure Homeland Security would have had a few questions for me. CB and I aren’t exactly identical twins, but we are close enough in height, weight, age and general appearance that it might have looked like I was trying to pull off a fast one. Plus, I reported my passport was stolen last year (another error) so I’m probably in some data base somewhere.

I may have messed up, but I’m not alone. When I went online to read the news I noticed some skydivers were blown off course and landed in a high security submarine base. Talk about dropping in at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or as I’m sure as Ricky Ricardo would’ve said to his wayward spouse, “Lucy, you got some ‘splainin’ to do.”
Speaking of Lucy from the famed “I Love Lucy” show, she was a character I got a kick out of. I identified with her desire to be in show business, her crazy knack for getting into embarrassing situations and her spunk. Lucy was always in some sort of trouble and her antics always made us laugh.

I don’t court mishaps and danger, but I have had more than my fair share of blunders. Most of these errors are minor. I’ve walked around with an article of clothing inside out, worn mismatched shoes and walked out of public restrooms trailing toilet paper from my shoe. My navigational sense is severely challenged and I almost never get to my destination without making at least one wrong turn. Needless to say, I am a type B personality with no delusion of perfection. Fortunately I’m not in a profession, like medicine, where mistakes can have deadly consequences. Embarrassing yes (like the time I typed a letter to school principals asking for help for our Parks and Farts Foundation.) But no one dies when I misspell a word or let a participle dangle inappropriately.

I don’t want to appear that I don’t give a hoot and do a careless job in my undertakings. However, I know I’m human and slip ups are a part of life. In fact, I have learned a whole lot more from my gaffes than my successes. Not only have my screw ups resulted in a multitude of valuable lessons, they often become fodder for my comedy writing.

I guess that is why so many of us loved Lucy. I admired June Cleaver’s finesse at vacuuming in heels and pearls. I’m sure Ozzie (Nelson not Osbourne) made it through his long career without having to bail Harriet out of jail or rehab, but how exciting is that?

The point of this whole thing is life is too short to engage in self abuse over our mistakes. We can’t stop the negativity others throw in our direction, but we can stop beating ourselves up. When we make an error in judgment we should recognize it, make a plan to prevent it from happening again, and in time, laugh about it.

A good first step is toward living a happier life is to curtail all critical self talk. Self negativity puts a grinding halt to success and happiness. Every time you say a disparaging remark about yourself your subconscious soaks it up like a sponge. Your brain cannot distinguish between self ridicule and an offhand “I was just kidding” remark. Whatever you say or think, the brain just takes it in. It’s a big “yes” machine. If you say, “I’m stupid,” it writes the “Yes, I’m stupid, program.” If you declare, “I will never be happy,” the message becomes fact and you will never be happy. The irony is that it isn’t your enemies who fling the majority of these toxic statements about. You do it to yourself.
If you had a magic genie that would give you what you want, what would you wish for? Would your wish be a bad marriage, constant pain and a cruel boss? Of course not! Then why give those messages to yourself?

Your wishes, good, bad or indifferent, become your brain’s programming. So why not try for something that will bring you joy? That does not mean that everything wonderful you wish for will instantly become reality. But if you surround yourself with positive thoughts and begin a course of action to achieve the things you want in life, you will move your life in a happier direction.

Disparaging thoughts can spread like a cancer and slip into your speech, and eventually manifest in unproductive and harmful actions. Many individuals, especially those who have suffered a loss, are largely unaware of how negative they have become. It is a habit. And habits, if not changed, become a way of life.

I had thought about ending this article with a cool quote from Confucius, but I’ve used it before. So instead I’ll just encourage you to learn and laugh at your mistakes and stop all that self-flagellation. And if by chance your mistake results in missing the proverbial boat, never fear. You can join me on a future ferry ride tomorrow, eh?

Tricking Ourselves Into Happiness

Sometimes I try to trick myself into happiness. I know the benefits of sporting a positive mentality – better health, increased longevity, fewer wrinkles. However, sometimes the internal crab inside pokes out its nasty little head and tries to claw its way into your life and pinch off a bit of your joy. Ouch!

I have a few tricks of my own to keep negativity at bay.
• Avoid crabs. No, not the kind you dip in lemon butter, I’m talking about the two legged variety that suck the joy out of life. You may be tempted to commiserate with another unhappy soul, but this is not going to help your situation.
• Seek out optimistic allies. If you are in a sinking ship you don’t want to hold hands with someone else who is drowning, reach out to someone who can pull you up. If they offer advice, shut up and listen. You can determine later whether their suggestions are good or not, but being open to optimistic change means you are going to have to look and act a bit differently to get out of your funk.
• Exercise. Bless those little endorphins Think of them as natural uppers. Yes, it’s a pain, yes it’s easier to sit on the couch, but that is not going to help things improve. Once you force yourself to do something as simple as taking a brisk walk you will find you not only feel better, but chances are you will find a spark to ignite some positivity into your life.
• Have an outing with a child. The kid can be your own, a grandchild or another family member’s little one. Pick some place fun like a zoo, amusement park or a short hike. Being in the presence of a little one can help you recapture the everyday magic in life such as dew drops on a leaf, a fluttering butterfly, tiny flowers or an interesting insect.

• Volunteer. Whether it’s ladling soup at a homeless shelter, reading to an elderly person, becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister or simply doing a few favors for someone in need, volunteering helps both you and the person you are helping.
Struggles are an important part of life, without them we become weak, lazy and are unable to achieve our highest potential. A perfect example of the importance of enduring and overcoming struggles as a path to happiness is found in the butterfly. While in its cocoon, the butterfly continually flails its tiny wings against its shell in an attempt to break free. Over and over the tiny creature beats its wings until it cracks open its shell, emerges and finally takes flight. However, if it weren’t for the constant beating of its wings while trapped in its former home, the butterfly would not develop the strength it needs to fly. Indeed, it would fall out of its shell exhausted, lay on the ground panting, soon to be consumed by the nearest bird, or as goo scrapped from a jogger’s shoe.

The same is true with human beings. While you may not worry about hungry birds or being stepped on by giants, it is important in your quest to become a happier human being that you face your difficulties head on. It has been said that “it is better to face the enemy than the void.” After all, no one is exempt from problems. Even rich and powerful people have to deal with health issues, relationship difficulties and inclement weather and bad breath. And rich and famous folks don’t have the advantage of people TELLING them their halitosis is wilting flowers and knocking horses off their feet.

You’ve heard it before (and yes I’m going to tell you again) the key factor is not so much the problem, but how one deals with it that matters.

With apologies to Muhammad Ali, please remember…

Float like a butterfly. Don’t pinch like a crab. This is your life. Make it the best you can have.

Looking Into the Fear of Craisin Eyes

I was shopping and snacking my way through Costco and sampled a new product - craisins – dried cranberries infused with pomegranate juice. My daughter, Alicia and two granddaughters Rosannah, age 4 and three-year-old Briannah were visiting from Arizona, so I knew a mega bag of the tasty treats would be a good choice for our hikes and other assorted adventures.

However, after the second sampling of the fruity snack the girls refused to eat them.

“I don’t like them,” said Briannah.

“Why?” I queried.

“They got eyes,” she responded as she turned up her nose in disgust.

Not only would she not partake of the craisins, she convinced her sister that eating them would amount to cannibalism of some pinkish animal grown at Ocean Spray.

I didn’t think too much about it and offered them raisins instead. However, I found the little morsels delicious and convenient, so I grabbed a handful and popped them into my mouth.

“No. Don’t eat those grandma,” Briannah moaned in disdain. “They got eyes.”

My words fell on deaf and defiant ears. Neither Briannah or her sister wanted anything to do with ANYONE eating craisins in their presence. I looked at the bag to see where they got the idea that craisins had eyes.

I took out another handful and spread them out in my palm.

“Show grandma where the eyes are,” I asked holding one up. Both girls looked over the wrinkled morsels and found them eyeless. They each ate one, but refused more. I knew they were unconvinced.

This may sound like a silly story of unreasonable fears, but the fact of the matter is all of us have some fears and most of them are not rooted in reality. I have a sister who refuses to touch the cotton wadded inside of aspirin bottles and a friend who is afraid of dryer lint.

Some fears make sense. We should avoid touching poisonous snakes, jumping off roof tops and running into traffic.

However, if your anxiety is preventing you from living a life of joy and fulfillment, perhaps it’s time to question your self-inflicted dread and see if it’s time for a new outlook. The bottom line is unwarranted fears leave you feeling hopeless and enervated and embracing your passions is a vitality booster.

Here are a few tips on how to reduce your fear and energize your life.

ERASE NEGATIVITY

•Avoid working in a career where money is your only goal. If you are stuck in a job that brings no joy and drains you of your energy, find something more nourishing to your soul. Chances are you are feeling stuck, not because you have to be, but because you have decided you have to be.
•Be mindful of the energy exchange you experience with others. Remember that you cannot change others, you can only change yourself.
•Be open to the possibilities in life. Just because things have been difficult in the past does not mean they have to continue to be that way. Your determination and strong intent will move you in the direction you set forth.
•Find things that energize you and avoid those that constrict the energy in your heart, soul and mind. Pay attention to how you feel energetically.
•You are not your bank account, your car, or even your body. When you die, none of these transient things will go with you. Learn to love yourself. Know that you are divine and have unique gifts that only you can contribute to the world.

EMBRACE THE MAGIC WITHIN

•Take time to pray or meditate. If this is uncomfortable, try five minutes of quiet reflection. No one expects you to become a monk. Start with five minutes of prayer, meditation or reflection each day and slowly increase the process over time.
•Look within and establish a pathway to your higher self. This journey may manifest differently depending on your religious or spiritual beliefs, but as long as you are open to making the connection, it can be achieved.
•The interaction between you and your higher self is often subtle, such as a quiet internal voice, flashes of insight, intuition or reoccurring images.
•Find your passion in life, develop it and share it with the world.
•The positive energy you create from your expressions of love, gratitude and kindness will reverberate throughout the universe in the same way that a small pebble thrown into the middle of a still pond can send ripples across the water.

Alicia, Rosannah and Briannah have returned home. They had a great visit. We hiked in the mountains, played in the ocean, saw a beautiful waterfall and picked berries and made a pie from our fruity bounty. I hope it is a vacation they will remember the rest of their lives. And with a little luck and education, the eyeless bag of craisins that is sitting in my pantry will be a fear they soon forget.

Indugling My Guilty Pleasure

It was love at first sight. I knew I shouldn’t indulge my desires. I’m usually very practical, but I couldn’t help myself. In the past I secretly snickered at people who were drawn to these wanton wishes. What was happening to me? Was it lack of excitement in my life? Literally and figuratively I knew it WOULD add spice to my life, but really, it boiled down to the fact that now that I was in my 50s I no longer cared what other people thought.

So I did it.

I whipped out my Visa card, marched over to the register and with only a hint of embarrassment I purchased two adorable, brightly-colored salt and pepper shakers in the shape of a cow. Now the cute little bovine pair is grazing on the occasional oregano and parsley flakes that litter my kitchen counter top.

This was not an easy round up. I had to halt my own negativity for wanting something I didn’t need, cart the little bovine pair from where I purchased them in Arizona, carefully wrap them in bubble wrap, cushion them in a sweater, pack them in my carry on luggage and schlep my little herd back to Port Angeles, Washington.

Part of my dilemma is I have very simple tastes. For example my favorite color is beige. How boring is that? I don’t even like patterned fabric. With the exception of striped surfer shirts I wore as a child (one blue, one red) almost all my clothing and most of my furnishing consisted of solid colors. Well maybe I did like the occasional hint of color in my wardrobe, but I limited it to my socks and underwear. Yet here I was yearning for a pair of salt and pepper shakers with festive designs on their little cow bodies and heads.

I noticed similar behavior when I attended my high school’s 40th reunion. I hit the dance floor (no longer waiting to be asked) and watched a couple of my friends, Jan and Patsy. The pair had always been fun, but when it came to moving to the beat, they had been like the rest of us, restrained and reserved. Now they were hooping it up, throwing their arms in the air and sporting two of the biggest grins I had ever seen.

“You didn’t dance like that in high school,” I said with admiration.

“We’re old enough we don’t care anymore,” they both replied in unison.
They exemplified William Purkey’s quote, "Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like no one is listening and live like it's heaven on earth.

It made me think of those wasted years I spent concerned about what other people thought and said about me and others. Not only did I refrain from sporting splashy colors, I limited my thoughts and behavior to what I deemed “acceptable” and “appropriate.” What a waste of fun and creativity.

Peer pressure is a strong force. It did not shackle my thoughts, but I let it govern my choice of clothing and behavior. Of course I was resentful. When I was younger I blamed nearly all the negative things in my life on someone else. Later I learned I had better results when I no longer tried to put my focus on fixing others and try my hand at taking control of my own life. If you have thoughts that smell like manure, here are a few tips from the book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within that will lead to happy trails for you.

Negativity is not limited to the behaviors of others, it is rooted in how you perceive yourself. You’ve heard it a million times, but it really is true. You need to learn to love yourself. You may think you do, but look at your words and actions. How do you treat yourself? Do you say negative things about how you look, act and think?

It is essential that you stop all critical self talk. Self negativity puts a grinding halt to success and happiness. Every time you say a disparaging remark about yourself your subconscious soaks it up like a sponge. Your brain cannot distinguish between self ridicule and an offhand “I was just kidding” remark.

Whatever you say or think, the brain just takes it in. It’s a big “yes” machine. If you say, “I’m stupid,” it writes the “Yes, I’m stupid, program.” If you declare, “I will never be happy,” the message becomes fact and you will never be happy. The irony is that it isn’t your enemies who fling the majority of these toxic statements about. You do it to yourself.

Your wishes, good, bad or indifferent, become your brain’s programming. So why not try for something that will bring you joy? That does not mean that everything wonderful you wish for will instantly become reality. But if you surround yourself with positive thoughts and begin a course of action to achieve the things you want in life, you will move your life in a happier direction.

As they used to say on the old television shows, “meanwhile, back at the ranch…”

Here is how things shook out for me and my ceramic cows.

There is no practical reason for those “move along little doggies” to live in my kitchen. My motivation is simply this - I think they are cute and they make me laugh. And that is no small thing.

Why not spice up your own life a little? Take some advice from me and the rest of the optimistic herd. Forget what others think. Dance, love and laugh with abandon. It will be a truly “mooving” experience indeed.

Let's Hear it for the Angels!

Bring on the angels! So often in life we focus on the people who drive us nuts

and not enough about the folks who have been a positive influence in our lives.


I would like to hear from you about someone who has been an angel – alive or deceased – in your life. To help kick things off I’d like to share one of many angels in my life.

The angel in my life is my friend, Jackie. I was failing miserably as a freelance comedy writer. Due to her support and encouragement, I took my career on a side road and together we published a self-help book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.

We came up with the idea for the book together.

We were discussing some of our favorite self-help books and how they had helped us. Then the conversation shifted to people we knew who were in terrible emotional pain and very negative because of it.

We wondered, “What would it take to help someone like that?” We brainstormed and decided that there needed to be some sort of primer, or “read this first” book that could help them erase their negativity. Then once they were no longer entrenched in negativity, they could go on and enjoy the optimistic messages in other books. Our thought was that if a person doesn’t erase their negativity first, any optimistic front would just fall apart.

I’m stubborn. I still haven’t given up on comedy. However, I have found that making people laugh (or trying to anyway) isn’t the only way to shed a little levity in the world.

Jackie helped guide me on a new path and she has been an angel pointing me on a more enlightened path in writing.

If you would like to share a couple lines about an angel in your life, please write to me at markspr@cox.net and I’ll include it in a future blog. So be an angel and start writing.

Imagining Tea for Two

I think my three-year-old granddaughter Briannah was a waitress in a past life. She loves to play make believe and serve tea. On occasion she will find a piece of paper and even take my order. I was over at her house last week and she had an imaginary cup in hand. I usually order coffee. However, this time I decided to mix things up.

“I think I’ll have peppermint tea today,” I said with a smile.
“We don’t have that here,” she responded.

Even in her fantasy cabinet there was no peppermint tea to be had. Of course I thought this was funny. An unlimited supply of fictional food and beverage possibilities were available to the little tyke but peppermint tea was not an option. I ordered my usual coffee instead.


I told my spouse CB the saga of the limited tea supply. CB surmised that Briannah had never seen peppermint tea before so it was not a part of her imaginary world. Then it occurred to me that most of us operate on the same principle. Instead of imagining and pursuing the life of our dreams, we assume we are stuck and don’t even fathom that there is any way out. No hope and no peppermint tea exist in our world. Perhaps we think it would be silly to dream. Smart people stick to reality. If that misguided thought is bouncing around in your pragmatic mind, consider this quote by Albert Einstein.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

When I was a kid I spent hours daydreaming. It was great fun. Many adults (mostly teachers) did not approve of my fanciful thinking. However, I held out and kept it up anyway. It paid off. As a writer, a strong imagination is crucial so I have had the luxury to put my whimsical mind to good use. Perhaps I was ahead of my time. As more people are learning about The Secret and The Law of Attraction, folks are discovering what we can envision in our minds is the first step in turning our thoughts into reality. Therefore, what we choose to focus on is extremely important. That is why I make it a daily practice to focus on erasing negativity from my life. In fact I co-wrote a book on the subject, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.

As an author and expert on optimism I have the pleasure of appearing on radio and television shows and being quoted in newspapers and magazines. A common question that comes up is “Isn’t optimism a form of denial?”. My answer is always a variation of this response.

“I don’t see it that way. Optimism is a way to approach situations with an eye on success. I don’t deny reality, I simply make a determination to face problems and choose a mindset that is more creative, empowering and hopeful. I think there are a lot more options with an optimistic approach.”

Not everyone may want to be an optimist, but we do value creativity. I believe optimistic thought is very innovative. Ask an optimist for solutions and you will get numerous options. They may not all work out, but at least the potential for success is in the making. Most of the pessimistic responses tend to be limiting and sound like, “It can’t be done. We’ve always done it this way. Things will never change.”
This negative train of thought is especially destructive when it comes to imagining the course of our lives. Because, like it or not, we are always imagining something. How often have we imagined the worst, only to see it appear just as we thought? Why not focus on positive life scenarios and creating ways to manifest the results? Personally, I think adults can learn a lot from using their imagination and playing make believe.

Which brings me back to the present. My daughter, Alicia and her two daughters, Rosannah and Briannah will be flying north and visiting CB and I next month. I plan on buying a little tea set for the girls to play with while they are here. I’m also going to make a spot of peppermint tea and let the girls take a little sip. That way the next time I have the opportunity to order my imaginary tea, I can get exactly the type I want.