Mother Teresa is believed by some to have said:

“I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”

Others say that she said:

“Don’t tell me what you are against; tell me what you are for.”

It doesn’t matter whether the words came from Mother Teresa or not.

Emphasizing what we want, what we intend, what we are FOR focuses us in that direction.

It’s an investment in positive energy.

“You gotta ac-centuate the positive,” sang The Old Lady, “e-lim-inate the negative…”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

The Hidden Life of Trees could change the way we perceive these longest-living life forms on Earth… as well as how we treat the Earth itself.

Author Peter Wohlleben shares the latest research along with his personal observations as a professional forester. Both show that trees learn, communicate, and live in community.

The information about the so-called “wood wide web” proves that we must seriously reconsider how we interact with both plants and the soil in which they grow as we plan the future of agriculture and wood production.

“Plus,” added The Old Lady, “trees provide a metaphor that we might do well to pay attention to as we restructure our human society. READ this book!”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

“In my continuing effort to help you FEEL BETTER,” continued The Old Lady, “let me recommend that you consciously and deliberately have yourself some FUN.

“Whether it’s playing with a chunk of dead wood down by a river… or whatever floats YOUR personal boat… having fun causes your body to release all those feel-good chemicals that the state cannot regulate.

“Don’t be afraid to play, to be silly and laugh, it makes you FEEL BETTER.”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

“Thank you for the kind responses to my last missive,” The Old Lady humbly mumbled.

“I want to say a little more about gratitude.

I don’t recommend that you feel grateful for what you have because you SHOULD… I recommend it because it will make you FEEL BETTER.

Gratitude is the first step on the path of joy because focusing on what we HAVE pulls our attention from what we do NOT have.

Look at it this way: expressing gratitude is for the benefit of others; FEELING gratitude is for the benefit of YOURSELF.

Hey, I would not be harping on gratitude if I didn’t think it would help you to FEEL BETTER.”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

“Thank you for reading my blog,” gushed The Old Lady gratefully. “Today my subject is gratitude.

And I’m not talking about the kind of gratitude like when your Mom makes you write a thank-you note to Aunt Clyde for the ugly sweater she knitted you for Christmas.

I mean basic everyday gratitude like for the fact that you are still breathing as you read this, and for the fact that somebody taught you to read so that you CAN read this.

Gratitude brings you more mindfully into the present moment, into the NOW which is really all we have. We can’t change the past and we can’t predict the future. NOW is where we spend our time. NOW is where eternity lies.

Live NOW… love it, and be grateful.”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

Take a look around you.

No, seriously… REALLY look around.

Better yet, go outside where you can not only see better but see better stuff.

Now take a closer look.

Shift your focus from the telescope to the microscope and back again. Use your wide-angle lens. Check out the view through a kaleidoscope!

“For 2020,” resolved The Old Lady, “I intend to pay attention and try different perspectives. I am determined to see clearly.”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

As 2019 wound down to a close, The Old Lady did something positive for her health.

She took a walk.

In the woods.

And it was wonderful!

The Japanese call it “forest bathing”, and scientific studies show that simply spending time outdoors in a natural setting boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, relieves anxiety… let’s cut to the chase, it’s GOOD for you and makes you FEEL better as well!

While you are making New Year’s resolutions you might want to add Forest Bathing to the list… it can even assist with other popular resolutions, like quitting smoking and losing weight.

“I just want everybody to feel better!” exclaimed The Old Lady. “Is that too much to ask?”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

While taking care of some horses, The Old Lady found a type of gate latch she’d never seen before.

A simple mechanism, but so well designed. It takes only one hand to open and close the gate, but once latched the gate is secure.

True genius shows in even the smallest inventions, which often improve our lives as much or more than the big ones.

Sometimes The Old Lady feels rather full of herself. She becomes opinionated. She gets mouthy.

“Hey, I’m entitled!” she snapped. “I earned it! I am The Old Lady!”

Her latest soapbox: Constructive Criticism.

“It’s still criticism,” she snorted, “and offering it when one hasn’t been asked presupposes that one thinks one’s self better than the recipient of our patronizing largesse. Maybe we could just tell each other all that we like about the thing, and give no notice or energy to what we do not like.

It’s all opinion, after all.”

LISTEN to The Old Lady!

One afternoon The Old Lady shivered in a chilly wind at a local outdoor wingding while a young musician named Taylor Cook played guitar and sang.

His fingers must have been freezing. Nobody was paying him much attention; they were all in full conversational party mode. And still he sang on, because that’s what he does whether anybody’s listening or not.

The Old Lady listened, not just because Taylor Cook is an excellent and entertaining performer, and applauded at the end of every song even though it feels rather foolish to be the only person clapping. Because, you know, that’s what she does.

“Anybody who’s got the guts to get up on stage and perform,” she observed, “deserves our attention, support, and encouragement.”

LISTEN TO The Old Lady!