Throwing Money Away--Literally

Throw-Away Culture

  

Find a penny,

Pick it up

All day long,

You’ll have good luck.

As I walked the dog earlier today, I spied two open penny wrappers spilling their penny contents and saw pennies scattered in and on the side of the road. “They’re just pennies,” said my son, dismissing the copper coins cooking in the Central Florida sun. I disagree. It was no embarrassment to me to stoop and pick up the almost-empty rolls and carry them inside, making a mental note to fetch the balance later when the metal no longer steamed from the heat of the day.

Dust-covered pennies on a shell-rock road

I’ve seen coins tossed aside like so much fast-food litter—pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters. I’ve yet to see paper money flung to the breezes, but I suppose one day it won’t surprise someone when they hear (or utter), “It’s just ones,” as they see several Washingtons flutter by or lie in a dust-covered heap at the side of the road.

Several hours later, I ventured outside to see if the pennies remained. They did. Passing cars had pressed some into the shell rock, but they were visible nonetheless. No one had bothered to pick them up and gather luck. I did.

Several pennies for my thoughts . . . 

I picked up close to 100 pennies. Does that mean I have a store of good luck? Or does it simply mean that I know 100 of those pennies equal a dollar, five of those dollars equal a five-dollar bill, two fives equal a ten . . .

It pains me to see so much devalued in our culture. A clean roadside has little value to someone who opens a car window and uses the world for his or her dumpster. A bulging landfill is most often out of sight, out of mind for those who mindlessly consume, toss, consume, and toss some more.

But money? Who throws away money? Pennies are money. I hope I never reach the point where I look at a copper coin on the ground and say, “It’s only a penny . . .”

After soaking and washing, these guys will find a home in my bank

My Compliments to . . .

Fill Your Heart With Joy—

By Filling the Hearts of Others

Oio naa elealla alasse' – Ever is thy sight a joy

(Elven Language Compliment)

Compliments—we love them when expressed with sincerity. I’m not talking flattery, which often has dubious intent, and is more in line with “what can I get from you” rather than “what can I give to you.” I’ve received many, many compliments in my life, but a few stand out. My sister gave me one of the finest compliments I ever received.

Compliments on my gardens made me realize the joy they brought to others.
In turn, I received joy from those compliments.

I was speaking to her about my admiration for one of my professors at Florida Atlantic University. I shared that I heard the professor could speak Middle English and she was a Tolkien scholar. A few weeks later, during another conversation, my sister related the following: “Chris, I know you’re impressed with your professor’s language skills, but I’ve traveled through Europe and heard many languages. I watched all the Lord of the Ring movies and listened to the Elven language. However, the most beautiful language I’ve ever heard is the one you used when talking to your babies.”

That compliment still gives me chills. English major I am and editor and proofreader by trade, I make my living choosing the precise word, the exact phrase, and putting verbs and adjectives and clauses and other parts of speech too boring to name in their proper place, be it a sentence, paragraph, chapter, or entire book. I’ve stepped away from the staunch grammarian role in my personal life because it makes me seem angry and judgmental. But I always used correct grammar and “big words” with my children when they were learning to talk. Their extensive vocabularies give most people pause: “Where did that child learn to speak like that?”

But my babies? Oh, that was a whole other story. When I held those babes in my arms, I spoke silly talk. I made up words. I made up phrases. I gooed and cooed and giggled. I created rhymes and songs and names for things. If one of them called something a zany name, we kept that in our “family speak.” Little do most people know that “bargool” is garbage or that “hangrahan and makersholtz” are a hamburger and milkshake. “Molly Magoo” was a pet name for Alexa because as a toddler she most reminded me of Mr. Magoo, bumbling and stumbling through her days. Sometimes, I just laughed with my babies and spoke gibberish. Of course, this was during playtime—or Mommy and baby time. The rest of the time, I simply spoke to them the way I’d speak to anyone else, proper sentence structure and advanced vocabulary in place. Looking back, I’m happy for my gibberish time with my babes. I'm grateful that  my language gave my sister joy and that she was touched enough to give me one of the most lovely compliments I ever received.

Giving is as good as getting when it comes to compliments. I often think of giving compliments, but then I shy away from sharing that compliment out loud, especially when it regards a stranger, someone behind the counter in a retail establishment, or someone I meet in passing. Why is that? I know how kind words can brighten my day. I know that when I have given compliments, the recipient has been so pleased and that pleasure has been reflected back to me. It’s part of the holding back that is so endemic to many aspects of our culture. We may write it on a Facebook post or send a text, but the spoken word often eludes us.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Who can you compliment today? What can you say aloud—and not as a comment on a Facebook status—to brighten someone’s day, to make them feel valued, admired, cherished? Today, look for a way to compliment someone, to bring them joy. You likely will receive joy in return.

Put a Little Joy in Someone's Mailbox

Fill Your Heart With Joy—

By Filling the Hearts of Others

Love It and/or Hate It, Snail Mail Can Spread the Joy

Snail mail—we hate it. Junk, bills, credit card offers, mattress sale flyers, coupons for bad pizza, and home security system ads that scare you enough to run as quickly as you can from the mailbox to the door and lock it—deadbolt, alarm, heavy furniture pushed against the door—as quickly as you can. Keep the recycling bin at the door next to the baseball bats and whatever else you have to protect yourself because almost everything you fetch from said mailbox will go into that bin.

Snail mail surprises

Snail mail—on rare days, I love it! Few people like to send snail mail—it’s too slow, stamps are a pain, bill payments don’t arrive on time—but almost everyone loves to receive real mail. I was surprised and blessed, yes blessed, with two pieces of real mail yesterday. It filled my heart with joy—really, it did. One letter was from a friend, and just the act of someone sending you a letter reminds you that you are thought of, that someone cares enough to put something in an envelope for you, address it, stamp it, and put it in the mail. My other real mail was an unexpected gift from another friend. Receiving a gift—an unexpected one at that—for no particular reason except that someone loves you and wants to let you know is one of life’s treasures, a gift in countless ways.

I’m focusing on joy in my life. Finding that joy can be a singular experience—a lone experience—although being aware of life’s joys in turn causes me to put on a happier, more grateful face for the world. However, I realized that it isn’t enough simply to be aware of joy; I want to share it.

Today, to share the joy, I turned to love-it/hate-it snail mail. I gained so much joy from yesterday's mail that I decided to send some snail mail myself. Yes, it’s a pain. You have to find paper, an envelope, something to write with, take the time to write, and then there’s the stamp. Who has stamps? Most of us have stamps. And if we don’t, it’s easy enough to get them.

I set my timer for 15 minutes. In that time, I wrote two short notes, stamped them, walked to the mailbox, put them in, and lifted the red flag. Now it's your turn to write a note, only one note. Think of someone you want to contact, to reconnect with, to send some love, to share a bit of joy. Set aside 15 minutes—you probably spend at least that much time several times a day on Facebook and e-mail—write a note or a letter, stamp it, and mail it. Imagine the surprise and the smile on the face of the person who, in a few days, will get snail mail that they love. Imagine that they experience a moment of joy.

Did you write a note today? Please add a comment and let me know how you felt about writing and sending a note. How do you feel when you receive real mail? Can you find some joy in the mailbox?

Filling Your Heart with Joy

“This Music Fills My Heart with Joy”

A joyful sunrise

What fills your “heart with joy”? When The Lord of the Rings, the Return of the King was released on film in 2003, I took my 10-year-old son to the movie. We had spent countless joy-filled hours as I read and he listened to The Hobbit and The Trilogy, so we eagerly anticipated each movie’s release. Not long after we saw The Return of the King, to recapture some of the film’s magic, he bought the soundtrack on CD.

It was late fall or early winter, and it was cold as we started our drive home from Barnes and Noble. The seat heaters in the Subaru Forester took the edge off the car's frigid interior until the car heat kicked in and we stopped shivering. It was dark and quiet in the car as we navigated the twisting New England back roads. My son unwrapped the CD, put it in the player, and we began listening.

As we listened, he turned to me and said, “This music fills my heart with joy.” Hearing him say those words filled my heart with joy. Each time I recall the sweetness and innocence of that poignant moment, my joy well is filled again. I don’t remember the exact cut on the CD; it had played for only a few minutes, so it was either "Hope and Memory" or "A Storm Is Coming." Music created that moment, but such moments are not limited to music. Moments that “Fill My Heart with Joy” happen often. What’s important is to notice them—to give whatever fills our hearts with joy the attention it deserves.

Gardenia joy comes from fragrance and beauty 

What fills my heart with joy? Flowers, bread just out of the oven, butter dripping across its surface, dew sparkling on leaves and blades of grass early in the day as the sun rises and turns that moisture into the most precious diamonds that exist. An infant’s laughter is perhaps the most joyful sound I’ve ever heard. My children’s laughter as I hear them from another room. The ocean’s roar as well as gentle waves that lap the shore. Putting every leaf in the dining room table to accommodate the family gathered there. Simple joys fill my heart as well—an hour curled in my rocking chair with a treasured book. A heart-to-heart phone call with a friend.

Passion flowers are a joy to behold.

What fills your heart with joy? Notice your joy and savor it. It is one of life’s most precious gifts.

You can listen to a sample of “Hope and Memory” here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018APCSQ/ref=dm_dp_trk2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335877556&sr=1-9

You can listen to a sample of “A Storm Is Coming: here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018AKBNC/ref=dm_dp_trk1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335877556&sr=1-9.

You can get The Lord Of The Rings 3-The Return Of The King CD and listen to other cuts here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-3-The-Return-Version-Jewelcase/dp/B0018AM1ZS/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335877556&sr=1-9

Disingenuous John [Edwards]

Disingenuous John [Edwards] Didn't Fool Me 

Some people were surprised when John Edwards and his mistress were outed by The National Enquirer a few years ago. Not me. In early 2008, I had a tug-of-war in my mind whether to vote for Edwards or Obama in the Massachusetts primary. I volunteered at the debates in New Hampshire, so I had the opportunity to hear all the Democrat candidates and at the same time study their style, to see just who had grace under pressure. I also researched the candidates and their positions on issues that mattered to me.

One glaring fact about Edwards jumped out at me: His house was 28,200 square feet! That’s more than 14,000 times the square footage of my house! (At 1800 square feet, my space is more than ample.) I decided that anyone who had a home that huge was out of touch with me and certainly almost every voter in the United States, Democrat or not. My vote went to Barack Obama.

A few years later, finding out about Edwards and his unwholesome (to put it mildly) activities, I was relieved that he didn’t get my vote. He was so much more than out of touch: His obvious belief of his personal entitlement extended beyond living space and into living arrangements. What a disappointment for those Americans who were fooled by him. I am happy I wasn’t one of them.

The Empty Pen

    It warms my heart to see an empty pen, used until the ink has dried and words and lines no longer flow from it. I love it when that pen is mine. I wonder what I wrote with the ink, what words, thoughts, feelings, I expressed. I look at an empty pen and see accomplishment. I look at an empty pen and it reminds me that I wrote, that I wrote hundreds, thousands of words, that I indulged in what makes me feel most alive and real.

Words of Wisdom... Then Again, Maybe Not

Words of Common Sense

     Sitting in bed writing is one of the great pleasures of my life. I indulged for far too long this morning, and as I got up from the bed, I realized my right leg was asleep. Rather than wait for the tingling, pins-and-needles sensation that my leg was ready to do my mind's bidding, I ignored my asleep leg. Falling to the floor woke up my leg as well as my common sense. I originally thought that I would share the following words of wisdom, but have changed them to words of common sense:

If your leg is asleep, do not ignore it. You will fall on the floor.