Fresh Apples

Once a year in the fall, my uncle would drive us to a place filled with all kinds of fresh apples. They were in hundreds of tall, round baskets. The place was called Aspetuck. It was an old farm stand, a large wooden room, like a barn, filled with apples everywhere.

The aroma of the apples was overwhelming, like a perfume made from all the different kinds of apples. We’d bring the aroma home with us. And they were beautiful to look at, too. The yellow leaves had fallen, and were falling, all around us. This is pure New England fall.

Fountain of Youth

As we age, we all begin to show it. But there is a sample in the population that seem to defy aging. At least a little.

This group, they stay younger longer. They stay more active longer. Their bodies are capable of movement longer. Their minds seem to be more interested in new activities longer. And their spirit definitely seems younger longer. In fact, all the senses stay more vital, their eyes, their taste, their ears, their torso, their mind, and their spirit.

All six are revitalized, so what is this activity? What is this fountain of youth?

Forgiveness

To heal, you have to forgive.

If you’re bound with old thoughts about people who you haven’t let go because they have hurt you, you will have difficulty healing. Body parts, all functions well. Pain seems to hang on. And you ask the patient, “Have they forgiven everything?” And they will say, “Yes, except.” And they will recall the exact incident, sometimes many years ago, where they have been hurt.

So once they deal with the situation, then they can start to function again on a normal basis. But they must let this go.

Food For Thought

Hi, my name is Amla Mehta and I’m a speaker, author, and teacher.

I’ve written two of my own books and one of my books is called Amla Speaks 365. There are 365 reflections in this book.

I’m going to read the passage from "Reflection 236." The theme is called “Food for Thought.”

“Why do we as humans question when we are sad or unhappy. When we are happy, we usually accept the feeling with open arms. Throughout the process of self-realization, one must accept the positive and negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings equally to maintain equanimity.”

Flow Kakou - The Balance of Everything

Introduction
John:

Could you explain what Flow Kakou means?

Matt speaks:

Absolutely. Flow Kakou is my non-profit, my 501c3. We’re based in Hawaii. The title Flow Kakou – I took the word “flow” from the Buddhist definition of balance. The presence of both yin and yang at the same moment.

“Kakou” in Hawaiian means “everything.” To the stars, to the sand, to the water, to the people, to the animals, to the grass, even to the little bugs that we hate – that’s all Kakou.

Flip Flops

Flip Flops

"Flip Flop I was taking a bath," I think that is the song.
Or is it "Splish splash I was taking a bath"?
I think this was the song.
Hi, it is summer and it is hot.
A lot of humidity in the day here today.
I went out there to do some yard clean up.
We had a really bad storm here in Newtown, CT.
It was actually a tornado a micro burst or macroburst or something like that.
There are branches down everywhere.

Fire

Why does fire seem so alive?

That flame on a candle seems so peaceful, so meditative -- like it, itself, is putting out a presence.

A candlelit dinner. How charming.

One of the houses I pass on my walk has a gaslight lamp, that always has a flame burning.

I really like that.

I remember sparklers that we would light on the fourth of July. They’d leave a trail of light in the night air.

Perhaps these things remind us of our own sparkling light.

Finding Fairy Wings

My daughter came running in the house, saying that she found fairy wings. She really wanted us to see, too.

Yes, there were 2 identical wings, silver, white, delicate – about the size of a young child’s finger. These wings could easily belong to a fairy.

I want to believe in fairy wings, and dogs that talk with their eyes – that there is a layer of enchantment cast everywhere, waiting to be discovered.

Finding De-Light - What Truly Is Ageism?

She stared at me with her oh so serious and piercing eyes, chin resting on her hand, and said in a most sincere voice: “I love talking to old people.”

There she was, one of a gaggle of elementary school girls at the first meeting of our new workshop, and these were the first words I heard out of her mouth.

Well, I responded, "I love talking to young people, so we’re going to have a great time together – sharing and learning from each other."