A power everyone can have

"I have learned that there is more power in a good strong hug than in a thousand meaningful words."- Ann Hood
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ann_hood_540821

As much as I like to write, I do find I like hugging people more. I just like the fact that each hug I can give is an opportunity to help someone feel good in a very short amount of time and to me that's the beauty of a hug. It only takes a couple seconds and in those few seconds people can make a world of difference in other people's lives. My goal in each hug I give is to give people a sense of safety and of feeling like they've come home after a long time. I guess that's how I've always felt when people hug me. It's a lovely feeling. So wherever you are I send you a virtual hug.

Puppy Song

I love dogs very much and so when I saw this video it really made me smile.  I send this song out to all music lovers and dog lovers.

The benefits of having a sunny disposition

"A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition."-William Arthur Ward
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/william_arthur_ward_163243

I've found that as long as I can find something (however small) to be happy about, then things do seem sunnier. So whatever you may be going through I hope that you can find a positive thing about each day. Even if it's as simple as that the weather was nice. 

Something peaceful for a Sunday

I saw this clip of Cirque du Soleil dancers performing to the music from the movie The Shape of Water. I just thought the performance was really beautiful and made me feel good inside. I wish everyone a very peaceful and happy Sunday.

A Saturday wish

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Saturday! Whatever your plAns may be, I hope they involve a lot of fun and good friends! I wish you all the very best.

Happy Friday!

I want to wish everyone a very happy Friday! Congratulations! You’ve made it to the weekend! Hooray for you! I hope that whatever your plans are, I hope you have a lovely weekend!

A happy Thursday wish

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Thursday and an even happier Friday tomorrow! We’ve almost made it through the work week! Keep it up! I’m rooting for you!

Freedom song

I heard this song today called "Freedom Song" by Jason Mraz and in it the singer describes how he sings when he's happy. I find that ever since I started singing in choirs I no longer mind singing most any place where I feel the urge to sing. If I ever feel down or in need of encouragement singing helps me. It makes me feel like things will be all right somehow. Whether it's singing or something else, if I could wish something for everyone I'd wish everyone would always have something they could do that makes them feel happiest. I think it's a nice freedom to have something that attainable that people can do to help themselves feel happy. I hope that you can find at least one thing to do each day that makes you feel happiest! I wish everyone a very happy Wednesday and a very happy Thursday to come.

What I want too.

"To simply wake up every morning a better person than when I went to bed." -Sidney Poitier

Although I don't think I'll ever magically wake up in the morning and be automatically a better person, I do feel that from now on I will seek to improve myself and my work so that I can in some ways be a better person than I was before. Even if I don't necessarily see the improvement right away, it feels good knowing that I have been working to make myself into a better person over time. So here's to self improvement and to the actor Sidney Poitier who is turning 91 today!

My favorite monument

Since it's President's Day, it got me thinking about how I liked going to see the monuments to the presidents in Washington, DC. They're especially nice when they're all lit up with bright lights at night. One of my favorite monuments is the Lincoln Memorial.  When my family and I would go to visit relatives in DC it was nice to go and see the monuments with them. I really like the Lincoln Memorial best. If you've never been to see it, it's this big temple-like memorial with a huge statue of Lincoln sitting on a chair in the middle of it and I think the Gettysburg Address is written on the wall  of the memorial I used to like to sit on the steps of the memorial and look out over the National Mall and people watch. Even if there were a lot of people visiting the memorial when we were there, somehow I always felt peaceful there somehow. Plus I liked learning about Lincoln in school, I always liked (and still like) learning about history. So when  I think about President's Day I think of that monument and  I feel happy!

I'm standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background.  This picture was taken a few years back.

Just a song for everyone

I know that I've posted before about the song "What the World Needs Now." Just because I feel like there needs to be more love in the world I sang the song and I share it now here to send love to everyone.

Love bring courage

"Because of a great love, one is courageous."-Lao Tzu
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_165405

To me love is all about courage. People we love give us courage to face each day and the courage we have allows us to express love to others. In that sense love is like a cycle that doesn't end. So I say keep the cycle going! be brave and love more!

Funny sign that made me laugh

One of my friends posted this picture on Facebook that really made me laugh and as it's Friday I thought I'd share it here as well. Happy Friday everyone and if you're going out for Chinese food at the restaurant below I'd say be a rebel and chow down to your heart's content!

Happy birthday to my dad!

Today is my dad's birthday and in his honor  and because I love my dad very much, I'm posting one of his favorite songs here called "Daydream" by the Lovin' spoonful. I also like the song and when I hear it I think of him as he always has encouraged me to follow my dreams.

My favorite love song

I really like the song Fly Me To The Moon as it just makes me feel happy and it makes me think of how I love my friends and family to the moon and back! To all who read this I wish you a very happy Valentine's Day and I send you much love now and always.

Sunsets are so beautiful that they almost seem as if we were looking through the gates of Heaven. John Lubbock
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_lubbock_165600

I like this quote and it reminded me of this picture my sister took of a sunset in Michigan. Although I'm not quite sure if it's exactly looking through the gates of heaven, I do think it's pretty. The fact that each day has a sunset reminds me that there is a lot of beauty in every day and that's something to smile about!

Happy Monday!

This is a short post today just to say that I hope everyone had a happy Monday and regardless of that, I wish everyone a happier Tuesday with much love in it!

Thought for a Sunday

"Always smile more than you cry, give more than you take, love more than you hate."-Drake

As Sunday tends to be a more spiritual/day for inspiration for me, I felt this quote was appropriate because it just seems to me to be a good standard to live by. The only thing I'd add to it is just to not hate at all. I found hating people or things to be exhausting and ultimately not worth my time and energy.  I've found that as long as I can find more reasons to smile and give to others the better I feel. Love really is the best thing there is and it's something that's always worth smiling about!

Love for parents!

As it's getting close to Valentine's day, it gets me thinking of the different kinds of love that exist and this clip I think exemplifies how much kids can love their parents. So here's to love and really sweet kids. I wish a very happy Saturday to everyone!

Olympics Opening Ceremony!

It's the Winter Olympics opening ceremony tonight! I always liked the Olympics because it is a place where people can compete against each other peaceably even if their countries may not be on such great terms. Although I don't consider myself to be a very athletic person but I have always liked sports and so I just want to wish the best of luck to all those competing in the Olympics this year!

One of my favorite Winter Olympic sports is the bobsled. I know it's wicked dangerous but I always liked sledding and it just looks like fun! 

Babies clearly like music too

I saw this clip of this little baby dancing to her father's singing/guitar playing and it really made me feel happy today. It just shows that no matter your age you can always love music!

Love makes the world go round

"'Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby."-Charles Dickens
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/charles_dickens_378071

Charles Dickens was born today in 1812 and I really like this quote from him because I too feel like love helps keep people going. Whether it's love of life, work, country, or just of other people generally, love makes life better. So my message for today is love as much as possible and let it spread!

Music as a pain reliever

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."-Bob Marley
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/bob_marley_109299

The singer Bob Marley was born today in 1945 and I like this quote from him because I know that I always feel better when I listen to music. It's like everything goes away and all I think about is the song I'm listening to. One song that always makes me feel good inside is music from the movie "Up." It's just really cheerful! Anyway, I hope that wherever you are reading this things are looking up for you and that you have some nice music that you like to listen to to help you feel good!

A thought for February

The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within. William C. Bryant
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/william_c_bryant_189764?src=t_sunshine

I really like this quote because it's February and as I'm in a climate that's cold in winter, it's nice to think of the sun making things come alive again when spring comes. I just like to think of things growing and thriving. Wherever you are I hope there is lots of sunshine and growing things around you! 

A song for Best Friends

I heard this song today called Everybody Needs A Best Friend sung by Norah Jones and it made me feel really happy because it's shamelessly cheerful and makes me feel like dancing and on top of that it made me think about how awesome friends are! If I could wish something for everyone it would be that everyone would have many friends and a lot of nice music in life! Happy Sunday everyone!

Some advice to spread the love

"Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you." L.R.Knost 

There is so much love in people and that love (at least in my mind) brings so much more light into the world. So I say, love as much as possible and spread the light!

Happy thought for a Friday!

Happy thought inspired by the link video: if I ever get upset about my age I’ll think of myself as being a year older than I actually am and then when people correct me and say you’re actually a year younger than you think, then I’ll say oh my gosh I’ve got a whole year back! This is great!  Happy Friday everyone! 

Fun word for the day

I love languages and words (as evidenced by how much I love writing in this blog). Anyway, today I found the word "pablum in something I was reading. Pablum makes “bland and insipid" sound so much more interesting to me. It just shows me how words can make even the most boring things more fun. As long as languages exist I know I can be happy!