Inspiration 365 Days!

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I am thankful for everything
That you two have done
I am sure it was quite stressful
And at times, not much fun

From the ninja turtle phase
To all the baseball gear
You always found a way
To make sure I never finished in the rear

I know I don’t show it often
But most of your knowledge was caught
And now that I am raising my own kids
I find myself quoting you a lot

I know sometimes it was tough
And we may of said some things we didn’t mean
But even to this day
I wouldn’t change a thing

Give thanks. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Invite someone for dinner who would otherwise be spending the holiday alone. For each family member, press a dried leaf and write a word of thanks with a permanent marker. Donate your extra groceries to a food bank that serves needy families. Interview your neighbhors about what they’re thankful for, create a scroll from their responses and hand out a copy to everyone. Dedicate the day to truly give thanks and embrace each encounter as an opportunity to express kindness.

— Random Kindness Idea

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• Donate your professional clothes to an organization that helps people get back into the workforce.
• Give gently worn home furnishings or household appliances to a person or family who might need them or donate them to an organization.
• Take warm clothes, blankets or food to a homeless person that you often cross paths with.
• Donate toys and books to a homeless organization. Toys and books are just as important to kids as food and shelter.
• When shopping, buy a couple extra non-perishable food items and take them to a food drive or pantry.

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It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

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Limbe Wildlife Centre caretaker Jonathan Kang, who overcame a lack of formal education growing up in his native Cameroon to become one of Africa’s top primate experts, has recently been selected as a Disney Conservation Hero. The programme rewards the dedication of individuals who, often at the risk of personal safety, work tirelessly to save animals, protect habitat and educate surrounding communities.

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Boat, beneath a sunny sky
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July–

Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear–

Long has paled that sunny sky;
Echoes fade and memories die;
Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die;

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Control Alt Delete

Get you outta my mind

Reboot my brain

There’s a virus inside

You tricked me when I first saw you

You went by another name

When I looked inside you

You wreaked havoc on my hard drive

So get out the anti-virus program

And let’s send you to the trash

I’m revamping my disk space

And now you have no place.

— Wendy Moravec

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Distant water won’t quench your immediate thirst.

— Chinese proverb

Image by torre.elena via Flickr

Ninety per cent of inspiration is perspiration.

— Proverb

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Last April, I read this Time article and the numbers stunned me- “Every year, more than 500 billion plastic bags are distributed, and less than 3% of those bags are recycled. They are typically made of polyethylene and can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade in landfills that emit harmful greenhouse gases.”

More than the numbers, however, my main takeaway was that we (normal people and not scientists or radical activists) can do something about it- “Reducing your contribution to plastic-bag pollution is as simple as using a cloth bag (or one made of biodegradable plant-based materials) instead of wasting plastic ones. For your next trip to the grocery store, BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag).” Hmmmm, I can do that. And maybe I can get other people to do it, too.