Most colorful picture of stars in the universe!!

The idea of a picture being worth a thousand words has been proven true! The latest picture from the Hubble Space telescope was released recently and apparently it's the the most colorful deep space image ever taken. When I saw it, it made me feel really happy to see all those lights and to know that we're all part of a universe that can produce so much beauty.  I like to think that everyone lives under the same stars and so perhaps they unite everyone in that way. That thought makes me feel closer to my family and the people I care about most. It is one more reason why I've always liked the stars!

Photo from: http://preview.tinyurl.com/q28v4kn

A lovely day for a picnic!

I haven't had a picnic in quite a while and so as a way of getting together with two of my friends who I hadn't seen in a while, we decided to have a picnic on Boston Common. It was lovely just to catch up with my friends while sitting and watching kids playing or people walking their dogs and just having a good time. Since I grew up on a farm I've always liked wide open spaces. Plus, where we were sitting we had an excellent view of Boston's Prudential Center and surrounding buildings. As much as I love my home I know that Boston will always have a place in my heart as well because it is such a beautiful city and I have really wonderful friends here. I hope everyone has some place special like that, at least a place they find beautiful and somewhere where they belong. Everyone deserves to have that I think.

Hard work pays off!

I'm happy to report that I've recently been listed as one of the authors of an article that's published in an academic journal. I realize I've "published" a lot of things myself through this blog but to have my name in print like that makes me feel particularly happy. In a previous job, I was one of a group of researchers on a project examining focus groups on women's opinions on the latest changes in mammography screening guidelines. I'm writing about this article now because I just found out very recently that the article had been published. I just feel proud that I was part of research that might help others in terms of getting better care for women with breast cancer. The fact that it got published means a lot to me. I hope everyone has the opportunity to have their work recognized or at least can stop and take a few minutes to feel proud about something they've worked hard for and celebrate that work. I hope you also have people to celebrate with you when you do that great work-it makes the achievement seem that much better!  Even though I might not ever know about the great things you'll do, I still feel proud of you and everyone who reads this just because I believe everyone has the ability to do so much good, which keeps me believing that no matter what might happen, there is always hope for us. As for me, I'd like to publish more and someday I hope to be the lead author on an article. I think it would be cool.

If you are interested in reading the article I've discussed in this post please follow this link: .http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/1169

Love never forgets

I saw this clip below and I had to share it. It's about a man who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's who wanted to buy flowers for his wife for Mother's Day (as he had done every year). He got lost trying to get the flowers but somehow he knew nothing was going to stop him. Two policemen eventually found him two miles away from his home trying to walk to a store. Instead of taking him right home, the policemen took him to the store and not only helped him pick out the flowers but they also helped him pay for them too. I liked the story because it shows that love can be instinctual. Love doesn't forget and the fact that the two policemen didn't hesitate to help the man get the flowers shows how one person's love can touch many other people's  lives  for the better. Just as love can withstand illness, it can also be infectious!

The greatest pleasure

"The greatest pleasure of life is love." -Euripides

I like this quote just because I know that I am happiest when I'm with people I care about.  I figure as long as I keep these people and the love I have for them in my mind, I have every reason to be happy. (Of course listening to the song "Happy" also always helps as I love it too!)

Unexpected gifts

Today I was given two unexpected gifts. First, I was given a scarf and  although I was given it as it's part of the uniform for the Liberty Belle Chorus I joined recently, a choir member had an extra scarf that she said she didn't need so she gifted it to me so I wouldn't have to buy one. It was a nice surprise because the scarf is pretty and I didn't expect to get one today. Also, another member of the choir who had traveled abroad recently (and who I'd asked if she could bring me back a postcard) brought me back not one, but 3 cards along with  a magnet and chocolate. All of that has been a wonderful start to this week. It's unexpected things like that that make life seem so much better because they are such lovely surprises. In this case, being given those things reemphasizes to me how kind and generous people can be. I'm forever grateful that I've made so many good friends in the chorus (including my friend Kathryn in the picture below). Being part of the group is like a gift in itself as it's so much fun and we make beautiful music together as a barbershop chorus. If you would like to have the chorus perform for you, please go to this website: http://libertybellechorus.org/hire-us.html.

Me wearing my new scarf taking a selfie with my good friend Kathryn

Walking with friends

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."-Helen Keller

I've found this quote to have a lot of truth in it. I know that when I'm going through something that isn't so easy, being able to go through support from other people makes things a great deal easier. Just the presence of a friend either in person or through messages or phone calls, has made all the difference t my life, especially in times that seemed less bright than others. I've been very lucky in that I've always had support from many people to help me with everything I've done and everything I have faced in my life. I may not be able to physically walk with you dear reader but I believe that I am with people I care about, in spirit because I feel that people I care about (including you) are always in my heart. So if you are facing something that is difficult please know that I am thinking of you and I want you t know that you aren't alone. I believe in you and whatever it is that you're dealing with, in my heart I feel that we all have so much strength in us and so I believe you can and will get through this difficulty. I wish you the very best.