Thought about this quote when I woke this morning — “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love,” Marcus Aurelius. And thanks for the gift of sight to see the wondrous dark blue sky, nary a cloud in sight, blue as far as the eyes can see, not even a bird flying to ripple the ocean blue heavens.

“I’m walking on sunshine, and don’t it feel good,” Katrina and the Waves. I feel I’m walking with on sunshine today and it does feel great! The day is so pleasing and pleasant, puts a smile on my face. I ate my Mrs. B’s biscuit perched in the swing while Kat and Penelope stared at me like they were homeless and starving. They finally gave up begging. Penelope laid down for a nap in her play pen and Kat jumped up on the bannister to cat nap under the scuppernongs vines. My mother was petrified of cats and I wonder what she thinks as she looks down from heaven and sees Kit Kat seems to own the porch now. She’s probably disappointed in me.

My yard is again full of cardinals and purple finches with an occasional dove and downy woodpecker stopping by. A titmouse and a chickadee are visiting the feeder closest to the porch when they’re sure Kat is snoring. The fighting purple finches breakfasted loudly on sunflower blooms in the flower garden. Got a crick in my neck from looking and listening to the fighting on one side of the yard and the singing songbirds’ symphony on the other side of the yard. Juvenile birds are so beautiful this time of year. Some of them look like Mother Nature dipped her bush in every color of her watercolor palette, dabbing the breasts and backs of the songbirds with her paint brush bristles, colors so wondrous she had to have God’s help. Looking forward to all the migrating birds stopping by in the coming fall and winter.

Been reading a few quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson today. This quote seems fitting now in this world we’re living. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” It’s so hard to be ourselves as we’re constantly bombarded with society’s suggestions on how to live and how to be happy. Happiness is a fleeting emotion that comes and goes but contentment is something we should strive for. God wants up to live full, happy lives, doing good deeds, being kind and compassionate, bringing others into this kingdom through our Christian witness.

Everyone is so quick to judge now, not thinking before they speak hurtful words on social media, condemning those who think or act different from themselves. Children are growing up trying to decided who they are, afraid to be just themselves because they don’t want to feel different. Our uniqueness is what makes us special and we should celebrate those traits and be proud of what makes us different. Life would be boring if we were all constituted the same.

Emerson says success at life is “based on how we leave the world after we depart from Earth and what we did in life to leave those around us better off than they were before.” We should all try and leave the world a better place than we found it. It’s not rocket science and one little act of kindness can have a long reaching affect on others around us. Life is too short to not walk in the sunshine and to not share the warmth of God’s love with others.

On leaving the world a better place, Julia Prentice writes, “I have always taken this to mean that, whatever you can do, no matter how small, will brighten the world. Even just giving someone who passes you on the street a smile and a kind word.” Let’s all share God’s love and help light the darkness of the world with God’s grace. One by one we can make the world a better pace. Every act of kindness and compassion will be multiplies as it’s passed on. Let’s make a conscious effort leave the world a better place.

“Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place — or not to bother.” — Jane Goodall