Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘play’

Making Friends

It’s easy to say, “Make Friends.”
But how do you do that?
It’s not as easy as it sounds.
Not like putting on a hat.

To have a friend, you must
Be a friend, they say.
I say that’s important…
But there’s another important way.

To have a friend, you must
Reach out and share your heart.
You can’t be afraid of rejection –
You just have to be the start.

Be the start by helping others.
Be the start by praying.
Be the start by being compassionate.
Be a friend who’s there for playing.

Play the games they like to play.
Invite them over for tea and toast.
Go out riding on your ATV, or
Ask them what they like the most.

Don’t limit talk to texting words.
Don’t just “friend” on a Facebook page.
Call ’em up. Send a card. Drop by.
Go out for lunch or go dance on a stage!

Friendship is like Love, I think.
It’s a verb, an act of doing.
Lost a friend you used to love?
Reach out and start renewing.

Renew your commitment to be the one
Who is steady, honest, and true.
That friendship can be kindled afresh.
But being a friend is UP TO YOU!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, Sharing

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Happy Birthday x2

Today was a joint birthday party for
my granddaughter, Hope,
and my great-grandson, Xander

Hope +X @Xander's2nd

It was a crazy busy day…
but  I can’t go to bed without sharing a few photos
to let my JanBeek followers in on the fun!

V PUSH 4 WHEELER

It was a beautiful blue sky day (thank you, God)
and the children loved playing out in our back yard.
This little girl, Victoria, was a hoot to watch!
Her moods were many … what a cutiepie!!

Victoria @Xander's2nd

She was curious about everything!

Dining room @Xander's2nd

She loved riding with Xander on his new four-wheeler.

V + X @Xander's2nd
He wasn’t always too sure he always wanted her on it with him!

Victoria+X on 4 wheeler @Xander's2nd
But he got used to it!
(Awww… what’s not to love?)

X on 4wheeler@Xander's2nd

He actually needed her help to figure out how to get it to move!

cake @Xander's2nd

Besides the four-wheeler, his other favorite thing was the cake!

cakemess@Xander's2nd

But, he had trouble getting it into his mouth!
His mom was smart to take his shirt off before this mess started!

Mary+V+X+Hope

He wasn’t too keen on opening presents.
That’s his mom, Hope, on the right.
Victoria’s mom, Mary is on the left.

Xander couldn’t figure out why these things
had to have paper around them!
He liked the ones that didn’t come wrapped the best!

Like the “Build a Bear” he received
from his maternal grandparents…

kiss bear @Xander's2nd
Sweet!

It was a beautiful day … and everyone had a good time.
But now I’m pooped! I know why God gives kids to the young.
Time to go to bed.

4 kids @Xander's2nd

Kids wear ya out, don’t they?
But, aren’t we lucky to have such a nice big yard…
and such good weather today?

Happy Birthday, Hope and Xander!

And Happy Mother’s Day all you moms out there.

See you tomorrow!

Category:

blessings, children, Family, Love, Montana

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Make Work Play

This month’s copy of HealthMonitor Magazine had a special focus on Senior Health. In it, Diane Keaton shared some tips for aging gracefully. Make work play, the phrase she quoted from a former piano teacher, resonated with me. As I sit at the hospital reception desk, working my weekly volunteer shift, I realize, this is fun!

As I grow older, one of the benefits I am experiencing is that I get to choose how and when I “work.” It’s really all play, because it’s what I choose to do to use my time constructively. But, as I look back at my career in education, I remember feeling like each day in the classroom with my students also was play. I was doing what I loved! I think that’s one of the keys to living happy days, don’t you?

One of my colleagues, Jerry, seemed not only to always make each work day a play day, but his joy was infectious. I used to wonder if he got tired of laughing all the time, being the one that everyone looked to for funniness. Do you know people like that?  Here in my place of retirement I have a friend whose laugh is infectious the way Jerry’s was. She finds joy in living – joy in places others might find a reason to grumble. Being around her makes life fun, makes work play. Do you have the privilege of knowing someone like that?

Diane Keaton cited in her list of tips for aging gracefully a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. She shared that researchers “found that people who had a strong sense of purpose in life experienced a 30% slower rate of mental decline compared to those who had less purpose.” Work that is joyful, work that makes us smile, work that is meaningful often seems more like play than a job. It adds purpose to our lives – and at the same time it infects those around us with the joy we radiate. So, when I retired, I didn’t stop working. I just found a different kind of work. Volunteer activities that use my skills, provide encouragement to others, and share the joy of living constitute work that’s play. They help me age gracefully.

Go to HealthMonitor.com and see the entire article. Look at Diane’s other tips. I love the fact that she embraces aging with vim and vigor. She says, “I love life!” I do, too. What tips might you add to her suggestions?

Category:

Living in Harmony, Love, Serving One Another

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