Below are one of my favorite quotes and a photo I was lucky to shoot in Hollywood (Florida). I hope that you’ll like them.
What sweetness is left in life, if you take away friendship? Robbing life of friendship is like robbing the world of the sun. A true friend is more to be esteemed than kinsfolk.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
SUNRISE
I would appreciate very much if in comments to this post you shared whatever you like or proud of (giving links to your blogs).
Thank you.
Time will pass and seasons will come and go.
There are seasons in life. Don’t ever let anyone try to deny you the joy of one season because they believe you should stay in another season… Listen to yourself. Trust your instincts. Keep your perspective.
Another season passed and we are going back to New York, to our family and friends there.
I will be 81 soon. It’s a very good number!
I read long time ago that in Mongolia “9” is a happy number. 81 = 9 X 9.
Is it nine times happiness?
We are going from stunning sunrises in Florida to terrific sunrises in Queens.
Sunrise in Hollywood, Florida
Sunrise in QUEENS, NY
Everything looks wonderful and full of joy.
I will not post anything for a week.
Please enjoy 750 old posts.
Best to you!
*NONE OF THEM WAS HAPPY!
“Do not ask your childrento strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.”
― William Martin
“And while it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving it away. It is venturing to give new life and to nurture it to maturity. It is working hard for the pure joy of being tired at the end of the day. It is caring and sharing and giving and loving…”
― Marilyn Thomsen**
PAINTING by JF
Yesterday on my way home from a daily walk I heard divine music.
I could not believe it as my hearing is very, very bad.
But then I noticed that several people stopped near me. They were looking up.
I could see joy on their faces.
Music continued.
What a concert!
I took out my Canon and photographed all performers.
Look at them!
SINGING TO THE SUN by JF
I am thinking. Day and night. Without getting even a minimum wage!
Thinking is a very hard work! It might be very emotional too!
So I try to think about something very nice. However, it is not possible if you turn on TV or listen to the radio.
I am thinking that we have so much wonderful in our design!
For example, is not our memory a miracle?
When I was a 9 years old boy I decided that I would be a scientist. Scientists needed good memories.
A wonderful woman who worked in the local library liked me and advised me what to read. She found for me a book about training memory.
I started to train my memory and continue to do it now.
What are results of this training?
My native language is Russian. After living 40 years in America I still speak and write authentic Russian. If in the future I meet Anton Chekhov we’ll communicate without problem (I always wanted to ask Anton Chekhov how he became an expert in women).
I still remember thousands of wonderful books that I read. I am 80 now but I remember all major events that happened in my life after I became 7 years old and many terrible lies that our government told us (I lived in the Soviet Union until 1975).
My second language was Ukrainian. I learned it in school less than a year but I still remember poems of Taras Schevchenko.
My third language was Uzbek. I learned it in the high school but I’ve never been fluent in it. However, I still remember pages of Uzbek text.
Then I learned English. Today I can judge all nuances of books written in English by people from different countries. I trained myself to read very fast and to remember everything interesting and important.
My memory was extremely useful in my college years (I graduated from Moscow Textile Academy in 1956 and 1961 (PhD) and later from Queens College in 1978). I understood that many subjects were not necessary and deleted them from my memory immediately after passing exams.
Surely, a good professional must remember basics of her/his profession. It happened that due to emigration to America I had to change many professions. My memory helped me to survive.
However, all the above are only some examples of how important memory is.
Memory allows you to create your own definitions what is good and bad and follow them. It gives or does not give you an opportunity to love people and to have many people who love you, who are your friends. .
Memory allows you to remember facts of history and prevents you from being brainwashed by medias or by people who care only about themselves.
I use memory as a mighty daily source of joy. We can relive some good moments of our lives daily.
For example, at any moment I can see places we stayed in Paris, its streets, gardens and monuments, people we met, paintings and sculptures in museums.
I read a post about Copenhagen today and enjoyed the post and sweet memories of wonderful three days in that city.
And now several quotes about memory:
God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.
Of what use is the memory of facts, if not to serve as an example of good or of evil?
Every man’s memory is his private literature.
When this blog just started I published a post “I am not Irish”. You can read it HERE.
I mentioned in the post that years ago during an Irish Festival in Pocono Manor I bought a book “Irish Blessings” (1983, Random House) and I shared three blessings with my readers.
It is spring and very soon I am going to Pocono Manor again. Today I want to share with you two more Irish Blessings.
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May brooks and trees
And singing hills
Join in the chorus too,
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.
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Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play.
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!
I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.
The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’
Nothing I’ve ever done has given me more joys and rewards than being a father to my children.
The death of my father is probably the biggest thing that I ever faced. Daddy and I were best friends.
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS 