If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently.

You shield it and protect it.

You never abuse it.

You don’t expose it to the elements.

You don’t make it common or ordinary.

If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new.

It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by.

He or she has to live inside that energy all the time

If your Dad buys a Lego camper set for you, it comes with a canoe.

You can walk to a nearby stream and put the canoe in the water.

The current will carry the canoe downstream,

as many times as you want! It's great fun!

And because it is summer, the same stream might be completely dry the very next day!

The day before, further up the stream, there might be a little pool that your Lego guy can swim in.

If you tie a piece of twine around the Lego guy, you can throw him in the middle and let him float back. Or pull him in like you are fishing.

And drag him along the trail back home.

But he might get a little scratched and lose his visor along the way.

And on the way back, your mom might lose the Lego dog she was carrying in her pocket. You're so nice, you say it's ok.

But if she takes the dogs on another walk later and retraces her steps, she might find the lost Lego dog and surprise you.

And that is how you can have fun two days in a row, in a stream, if your Dad buys a new Lego set for you.

One of my favorite views is less than five minutes away from our house.

Makes me want to kick back and relax. :-).

After a gray day of rain,

the evening sun is a treat.

And the earth smells delicious.

(Etsy shop colorsandmorecolors.)

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's approval and his protection.

Thank you!

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which like the toad

Yet wears a precious jewel in his head.

And this our life

Exempt from public haunt

Finds tongues in trees

Books in the running brooks

Sermons in stones

And good in everything

I would not change it.

Shakespeare

The more sharply attentive we are, the more keenly we will sense another person's inner state...

The more empathy and compassion we have, the more we want to change another person's inner state.

Self absorption stops us from trying.

In short, self-absorption in all it's forms,

kills empathy, let alone compassion.

Self absorption leads to loneliness and emptiness.

It's hard to say no to these little faces.

I look forward to a long walk with them everyday. They love it! Especially if they can greet another dog or another person along the way. They anxiously rub their muzzles all over their friends.

Then they prance away as if they have accomplished something great.

If only something that simple could make me that proud, I'd feel like a queen everyday! :-).

Lazy river to relax in the heat.

Cardiac canyon for some crazy rapids

Top it off with a churro for a fun day!!