Inspiration

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope.

Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith.

Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love.

No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint.  Therefore we must be saved by the fin al form of love which is forgiveness.”

(posted 10/29/26)

Abbreviated from an on line NYTimes article by Jancee Dunn:

Joy is an emotion that sustains hope, makes us feel close to others and “helps us sense the value of life itself,” Dr. McGonigal said. But it is a resource that requires “tending and cultivation,” she added. To do so, she suggested several easy “joy experiments.”
Share ‘joy memories’
Try getting in touch with people you care about and asking them to recall something that gave them joy, Dr. McGonigal said.
Research shows that sharing memories enhances relationships and improves well-being. “And it’s often a wonderful way to learn about people,” she said.
Dr. McGonigal once asked this question of her father, whom she described as “a stoic person.”
He told her that before she was born, he had visited a farm in Pennsylvania. He was so overtaken by the beauty of the countryside that he “started twirling down the hill,” Dr. McGonigal said. “He remembered feeling absolutely filled with glee and freedom.”
The story revealed a surprising side of her father that she never would have known, she said.
Another good conversation starter: What’s the most joyful sound in the world to you?
Dr. McGonigal’s question helped me remember mine: When I was a child, if I made a joke to my grandma that she thought was especially funny, she would laugh until she wheezed. I lived for that wheeze-laugh.
Look for ‘micro-uplifts’
As you go about your day, Dr. McGonigal said, make a point of noticing “micro-uplifts,” or the tiny doses of joy that you might normally miss (and which, research shows, increase your well-being).
For example, that little hit of pleasure you get when you compliment a person’s outfit, which benefits both the giver and the receiver, or grab an item off a high shelf for someone at the supermarket.
“These really small moments don’t have to fix everything to matter,” she said.
You can even go on a “search for joy,” Dr. McGonigal said, at a specific location that has potential for uplift, such as a park or a library. Then let your attention wander, she said, and seek something that gives you a burst of delight.
Greet people with enthusiasm
People often blossom when you greet them with warmth, Dr. McGonigal said. This simple practice also increases the greeter’s life satisfaction, according to a study of over 60,000 people.
So choose a short window of time, like 24 hours, she said, and simply acknowledge people with a bit more liveliness: “There he is!” or “Great to see you!”
I tried it and found it worked especially well with people who were a bit shy, I told her. “Attention is a form of care and respect,” Dr. McGonigal said.
Cheer others on
Rooting for and encouraging others allows us to practice positive empathy, which means feeling some of the same joy that is felt by the person you’re supporting.
And you don’t need to know the person or group you’re cheering on, Dr. McGonigal said. Join the sidelines of a charity run or a parade, or watch a high school marching band performance. I love quirky community events, like this parallel parking competition in Philadelphia.
My kitten yoga class was a form of “collective effervescence,” in which joie de vivre spreads through a group of people participating in the same thing, such as being at a comedy club or at an athletic event when somebody scores.
To experience the full uplift of collective joy, Dr. McGonigal said, “you must join in.”

(posted 10/20/26)

This is the time to do what action you are called to. To gather together in peace and health, and harmony and Embrace Bold Energies.  Plant the seeds for gardens that may seem impossible to grow!  And tend to them, believing in the miracles that are plentiful through dark storms .

Thanks to Masjah Studios of Harwich for this week’s inspiration.

Thanks to NIA Member, Center for Spiritual Journey ( https://csjcapecod.org ) for sharing this lovely message from historian and author, Isabel Wilkerson:  ”Every song ever written, every skyscraper ever built, every feat of engineering, every invention we now take for granted exists because someone imagined what had never existed. I ask you to imagine a world free of strife and division, a world of peace and belonging for all of humanity.“

Powerful request from Isabel Wilkerson – 2025 Wellesley College Commencement Speaker

Pondering Philippians 2:1-4

berries on bushes

the rabbit and the rosemary leaves still alive in the snow

the beach

the stones

the owls

pay attention to them

we are one

the trees

the flowers

the fish and the pond

the one with dark skin

the one with the big flag on the truck

the one in the box outside

the person you don’t know

don’t like

don’t understand

don’t see

the young person

discovering who

they

are

Closing Reflection 4/10/2025 by Brooke Eaton-Skea