A Thanksgiving Greeting From Diana Raab, Author of Writing for Bliss!

NOVEMBER 2017 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! "Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for." ~Zig Ziglar

Dear Friends,  As many of my readers know, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Not only do we have a lot to be grateful for, but I love it because for the most part it doesn't have materialistic connections. What can be so bad about a holiday that focuses on good food and being surrounded by loved ones? One way to document or acknowledge our gratitude is by engaging in gratitude journaling. Begin by writing a gratitude list, and then pick one or two topics to describe in more detail. Those who regularly keep gratitude journals choose to write either early in the morning or before retiring for the day. A dear writing colleague of mine kept her gratitude journal on her bedside table, and each night she made a list of five things she was grateful for. This exercise can inspire us to look for positive events during the day. It also helps  take the focus off the negative. After a while, this attitude can spill  over into everything else you do. I am very grateful for your readership and giving me your time. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving! EXCERPT FROM WRITING FOR BLISS: Gratitude is about feeling love and appreciation for the self and others. As poet Pablo Neruda says, "You can pick all the flowers, but you can't stop the spring." Many of us take our lives for granted and do not express gratitude often enough. In addition to keeping a gratitude journal, it is important to permeate each day with gratitude and marvel at the life we are living. This is one of the many reasons that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. More often than not, I think gratitude should be a built-in part of our everyday life and journey. Expressing it is like keeping a tuning fork alive and vibrating the joy throughout the universe....  Gratitude encompasses love and appreciation. It is important that we all feel and express and cultivate gratitude in our lives. Gratitude is a key component for living a spiritual life. We never know what circumstances will confront us, but we do know that every day we are presented with the miracles of life. There are many reasons why it is important for you to feel gratitude and express it when you are able. Expressing gratitude is important for your happiness. A sense of appreciation makes other people like you because you will appear to be less self-centered.

Creatively yours, Diana dianaraab.com

Gratitude prompts from WRITING FOR BLISS  List 10 things you're grateful for.  Choose one thing on your list, and write for ten minutes about that topic.  Write about how you express gratitude to others. Write a thank-you letter to someone who changed your life.

Visiting with Adolfo Caso Through Photography and Poetry...

Visiting Adolfo through his photography...

This rhododendron (I think) looks just like the azalea in my yard, just more red... The deer have been keeping my rhododendron from growing faster but it's steadily resisting its enemy...

And behind the bush as Adolfo wandered around...

Adolfo, you've made me want to get out and share my own beauties!

IDLENESS

Poet,

what are thou?

A Man

of yesteryear,

today,

and tomorrow,

of your heart

speaker

                            of waveless seas

which we see not

or touch

and yet despair?

~~~

Entrero

Buia e la caverna

ed ho paura di entrarvi

Vieni con me;

fammi  coraggio;

assieurarci la vita

e godere

insieme

il miracolo

d'un'altra scoperta

/

/

/

I will enter 

Dark and the cave

And I'm afraid to get in

Come with me; 

Let us live our lives

Give me courage; 

and enjoy

Of another discovery

together 

the miracle*

~~~ 

*Water and Life has two sections of poetry, one of which is in Italian.

This translation was done by computer...

A Message From Above by Joseph Michael Fortney

A Message from Above

Did you hear the whispers from above?!!

The angels sent word by a dove--

The roll's been called

Another soul'd taken flight, to guide

And watch over those who soon will follow.

Their presence is felt;

Their spirit lives on and becomes the wings

of warmth and comfort when the wind

chills us so.

Did you hear the whispers from above?!

The angels sent word by a dove!

Keep the home fires bright

For soon another takes flight...

Did you hear the whispers from above?!

The angels sent word by a dove

"I lived!! I loved!!!"

~~~

I lost touch with Joe after I had worked as editor to prepare his poetry for publication...and then moving to my present home...
But I came across his book, One Man's Madness, a set of poems he wrote while being treated...and...living... with Aids.
He was a special guy and I grew to care deeply for him as we worked together on his book...I plan to share more as time goes on...It's been years, now, and he may be gone from this earth... But I still miss him...I picked out this song to send to him...

There are many individuals we will always remember and love...may this song also touch you and your memories of all your loved ones...