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Gratitude Journal – Prompt #7

/ Luanne Shernisky / 3 Comments
memories

Photo credit: Michal Jarmouk/StockSnap.io

Day #7 – What memory are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

Today marks Day 7 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Prompts. Like the others, it’s impossible to narrow the choices down to only one. But, as I mentioned in an earlier post, “gratitude enlightenment” is about realizing the great number of choices we have. 

And I have many happy memories. Birthdays, holidays, school events, sleepovers, ice skating, sled riding…the list goes on and on. 

But, one of my many favorites is summer vacations at the beach. I was five years old when we took our initial trip to Florida. I remember my first glimpse of the ocean. There was water as far as the eye could see, all the way to the horizon and beyond. The sheer size of it amazed me. I loved how the waves never stopped rolling in. We spent hours riding them on our rafts, trying desperately not to capsize.

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We also enjoyed playing in the warm sand, building castles and searching for shells, delighted when we found small crabs and jelly fish. 

Bologna sandwiches somehow tasted better at the beach, despite the sand that always managed to find their way between the slices of bread. 

Sometimes I would lie on my towel, close my eyes and just listen. The hot, tropical sun warmed my bones as the sounds of the surf and seagulls lulled me to sleep.

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Of course, it wasn’t all magical. There were painful sunburns and bouts of car sickness and swimmer’s ear. There were fights with siblings and jellyfish stings. Occasionally, a wipeout while riding the waves caused brush burns, swallowed saltwater, and more than a few tears.

But, the memory is funny that way. It’s selective and we tend to remember the good stuff over the bad.

I believe this is one way that we unconsciously choose to be happy.

These wonderful memories were the beginning of my love for the beach. Returning year after year reinforced the feeling that I belonged there. They add to a wealth of other happy memories for which I’m truly grateful.

Spend some time today thinking about a favorite memory of your own. It may help to make a difficult day a little brighter or a good day even better!

Carpe diem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Finish Friday

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Photo Finish Friday 3

Another beautiful day at the local park…

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News Flash!

/ Luanne Shernisky / 7 Comments

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Okay, I realize that I’m somewhat of a cheap date.

At 55 years old I’m impressed with cut & paste and TVs that can stop a program while you run to the bathroom. I’m amazed with long distance telephone service, let alone being able to SEE the person you’re speaking to (if you opt to use Skype.) I still remember the sense of wonder I had when IBM upgraded its Selectric typewriter to include an internal correction feature, which eliminated the need for cover-up tape and whiteout.

Wow.

So much has changed and advanced over the course of my lifetime. We truly are living in the technological revolution. 

amazon-dash-buttonsYesterday I was, once again, astounded by a new product. I don’t watch network television or buy magazines and newspapers, so most of the advertising I see is on the Internet. In case you haven’t heard of it yet, this little gem came up on my Facebook newsfeed and I wanted to share it with you.

They’re called the Amazon Dash Buttons.

Jeff Bezos and his software engineers have devised another way to retain current customers and attract new ones with the simple push of a button.

Forget shopping lists and strategically placed sticky notes. Now you can place a Dash Button near the item in question and when it runs low, simply push the button. It is connected to WiFi and automatically places an order with Amazon for that particular item. 

Genius.

Or is it Evil Genius?

The idea behind the Dash Buttons are to make shopping convenient and  increase Amazon’s bottom line. But, is there a downside? 

Mark Wilson wrote a piece for Fast Company that talks about the negative aspects, while the link above takes you to the Amazon page that details the advantages of this product. 

As is always the case in consumer affairs, you be the judge. Then let me know your thoughts in the comments section. I’m interested to hear if anyone has used this yet.