Author: energywriter

I giggle at the least provocation and love to pass my warped sense of humor to anyone who will listen or read. My favorite activities are my individual play dates with my five great-grandsons. No, I'm not THAT old. My family just has a tradition of marrying at five years old. Seriously, I am retired from the State of Wisconsin where my favorite job was as an outreach coordinator for aviation/space education. I've been a reporter for two newspapers, a copy editor for an international agricultural program, and been published in several regional magazines. My degree is in Professional Communication from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis. While they didn't promote humor writing, the instructors fostered an atmosphere of looking at the world through a lens that would allow us to explore what was being said beneath the obvious.

Which path?

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

Thoughts to Ponder

“When your life is over,
how do you want the world to be different
– in larger ways or small –
because you have lived?”
Martha Beck

Message

This quote requires much thought and introspection. Most of us would say we’d like to know we made life better for our families and others who have crossed our path.
How do we do that?

We must walk the walk as well as talk the talk about our own personal truths. What our truth is does not matter so much as living that truth. For many of us that means sharing our faith, however, sharing our faith verbally, is less important that showing it in our actions.

We’ve all heard of televangelists who have strayed from the path, spending the congregation’s donations on luxury items or building a huge worship center rather than giving to charities as they claimed in their sermons. These people’s misdeeds are remembered long after their good deeds are forgotten.

We’ve also seen people who act saintly in public, yet mistreat their families. In this instance the families often go along with the act and praise the “saint” while fear churns in their bellies. Eventually, the truth becomes evident, leaving the do-gooder to sit in the ditch. Their home is no longer a refuge.

On the other hand, we’ve seen people who never mention their faith, yet live it every moment. They do good deeds and encourage others without caring for awards or praise. This person is the one who makes the world a better place.

One way to check which road you are traveling is to imagine what words will be engraved on your grave marker. Will it say, “____ ____” born ____, died ____? Or will it say, “____ ____ made the world a better place?” If your imaginary marker does not say what you would like it to say, you can make changes in your words and actions. It is never too late to walk a new path and correct your wrongs.

Moving ourselves onto a new path is not always easy. Sometimes the old habits do not want to leave. You and they were comfortable with the old way. We can make a list of things we want to do and check it daily. We can keep a journal and watch our progress. We’ll know we have made the change when we feel content more times than not.

Meditation

Creator Spirit, thank you for giving us reminders when we wander from our true path. We know that if we don’t respond to the small reminders, larger, painful ones will follow. We thank you that when we are on the correct path we feel peace, love and joy.
And so it is.

© by Sharon Dillon, August 18, 2014

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net and Laugh your way to peace, love and joy at http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Contents may be forwarded, but please give credit where credit is due and erase all email addresses on original message.

Who are you?

by energywriter, posted in Whimsy

Who Are You?

On Jeopardy the answer would be, “What was the most asked question at the Shelby (Ohio) High School 50th class reunion?”

After mysterious people introduced themselves to other mysterious people, hugs and warm handshakes ensued. The experience was fun and heartwarming, but often baffling. Some of the people who hugged me had never spoken to me during our four years of high school. Others had spoken to me only when required by courtesy.

Even so, the meet and greet and the reunion dinner were fun. Some women still have shapely bodies and lovely faces. Some men are still as handsome as they used to be, albeit with gray or no hair. Some men look every minute of their 68 years. No woman has passed 25.

I found myself walking up to both men and women and introducing myself, something I would have been afraid to do in high school. My most amazing adventure was speaking to the Class Hunk. Back in high school all the girls adored him, even though we knew that he was not aware of our existence.

I approached this tall, slim, retired judge whose white hair did not age him, but added a patina of sophistication. Knowing exactly who he was, I asked, “Are you ____ ____?”

“Yes, who are you?” I told him, knowing my name would mean nothing to him. Then I said that I had read about some of his decisions in the newspaper.

Shocked, he asked, “What newspaper?”

“The Daily Press.”

After a moment he made the connection and replied, “I went to law school at William and Mary and liked the area, so decided to stay there.”

Grinning, I asked if he had taken any classes from George Wythe (W&M’s first law professor and Thomas Jefferson’s mentor.)
He asked me to repeat the name. I did and spelled it out. Then he caught the joke and responded that he wasn’t able to take any of his classes. We laughed, bid each other farewell and never spoke again.

Then we faced the real test of our age – dancing to the oldies. A few remembered the steps, most of us pretended we did. Some pooped out after a few dances. Our bodies couldn’t rock all night like they did in high school. Couples still slow-danced the same way they did at prom, steps that seemed unique to our school; at least I never saw those steps at any other dances I attended over the years.

Learning that after 50 years the class VIPs are just regular people was worth the trip across three states. The measuring stick for who is “in” and who is “out” is gone for good. We’re all adults, first year baby-boomers, who still like to play. And play we did. You should see the “dress up” photos. We picked outrageous costumes and posed dramatically. The results were hilarious.

Several of us began leaving about 10 p.m., a travesty in 1964, but necessity in 2014. We went to bed and dreamed of being 18 again.

© by Sharon Dillon, August 12, 2014

Formula One Thoughts

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

August 5, 2014

From “Agnes” cartoon, August 1, 2014
Tony Cochran

Agnes:
It feels like my thoughts are racing in tiny Formula One cars, up one side of my brain and down the other. Some crash and burn, some stall and hit the wall, some blow a motor and leave a toxic trail of antifreeze and busted parts. It just makes me crazy.

How do you keep your thoughts from driving you crazy?

Trout (Agnes’ best friend):
I don’t buy ‘em cars.

Message

Many of us experience life like Agnes does. Our thoughts race through our brains like Formula One cars: crashing, stalling, or blowing motors. Those thoughts clutter the track and don’t allow the thoughts that are still operating to drive through the mess and get to the finish line. Then, like Agnes, we feel like we’re going crazy. We can’t make good decisions because of all the debris.

Often we can’t sleep because of all the cars roaring around our brain. We don’t give proper attention to the task at hand, be it driving, developing a business plan, or playing with our children. We miss what is important.

– We don’t see the car that just cut off the driver ahead of us and miss taking proper precautions to avoid an accident.
– We type incorrect numbers into our business plan that should give us the information we need to succeed.
– We miss that precious moment when our child reveals what is on his/her mind. We only hear the words and not the meaning behind them. “I’m afraid of spiders” could mean “I’m afraid of my teacher.”

So what do we do about it? Like Trout, we “don’t buy ‘em cars.” We have to deliberately slow our thoughts to walking speed. Only in that way can we discern whether this thought or that one will help us and those around us. Yes, easier said than done. However, once we learn how to slow our thoughts, life will begin to bloom around us. Several years ago I arrived at a meeting and announced, “I saw flowers today. I heard the birds singing.” I had not realized how much of life was absent because I gave all my attention to my racing thoughts.

We have many ways to learn to slow our thoughts. We can notice our breathing is fast and shallow and take a moment to breathe deeply and slowly. After practicing a while, we’ll notice when our breathing is too rapid and automatically slip into conscious breathing patterns.

We can meditate. We can do formal practices like yoga or focusing on a candle flame, always good for our mental and physical health. Prayer is good, if done consciously. Sitting down and allowing the thoughts to float away helps. A walk in the woods is refreshing. When exercising we tend to start our routine with rapid, incomplete repetitions, but soon we slow into a deliberate pattern which helps both our body and mind. These are just a few suggestions. If we stop a minute and think about what works, we’ll recognize our best choice.

Those methods and many more have the same conclusion. They slow our breathing and our thoughts. We can focus on the issue at hand and make conscious decisions based on our needs and wants, not what just what seems easiest at the time or which race car is damaged least. Our thought tracks are clear of debris. We can stride to the finish line carrying that checkered flag.

Meditation

Creator spirit,
Thank you for teaching us to slow down and get more done. Thank you for giving us methods to slow those race cars in our brain. Thank you for giving us clear thought patterns. You made us with brains and bodies that help us reach our goals. This is a gift we treasure and use with care.
And so it is.

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net and Laugh your way to peace, love and joy at http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Contents may be forwarded, but please give credit where credit is due and erase all email addresses on original message.

Fear or courage

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face . . . You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Message

We all have fears, even those of us who think we are fearless. Some of us are afraid of spiders, flying or loud noises. Or we fear the dark, being alone or making a mistake. Each day, no matter how we try to plan our lives so we don’t encounter our fears, we face them anyway.

Many times our fears protect us from danger. We know that if we go swimming during a hurricane we will drown. If we play golf in thunder storm we have a good chance of being struck by lightning. Those fears are based on fact and have been proven many times. So our reactions to these events aren’t fear, but acting on knowledge, or what our parents called common sense.

Our worst fears are those involving the people who are closest to us. How do we know if he/she is our own true love? How will I feed my family if I lose my job? Am I a good parent? Will I ever follow my dream, or is this all there is? How do I tell my loved one that he/she needs professional help? What will happen if I become so disabled my family takes away my car keys? The list goes on and on. We all know the litany because we go through it almost daily, or even many times a day.

Often we allow our fears to control our lives by avoiding confrontations, high places or anything else that intimidates us. Usually our fears are based on previous experiences, especially fears of speaking up or challenging another’s statements. By avoiding these situations we live limited lives. It is only by standing up for our beliefs that we become the people we were meant to be. We were not put on this Earth to cower but to live fully.

In the quote at the top of this page Mrs. Roosevelt stated so clearly why we must face our fears. Only by doing “the thing which you think you cannot do,” can we grow to be better people than we were yesterday. Sometimes we have to face a situation many times before we can resolve it confidently.

Facing fear is like taking our turn at bat in a baseball game. Initially we learn that we don’t need to duck when we see the ball coming toward us. Then we get brave enough to swing the bat and feel warm inside. Then we hit the ball but it doesn’t go far, and we think we might learn how to play the game after all. Slowly we learn how to take a stance, hold the bat and swing. Finally, one day we step up to the plate, take a mighty swing and hit a home run. We did it!

As we become more confident in our own abilities, whether at home plate, in our families or on the job, so do others. We find that we are earning respect. Our friends ask for and listen to our advice when previously we asked them what to do. Doing what needs to be done makes us better people, someone we are proud to be. Learning to be the best we can be is why we were put on this earth.

Meditation

Creator spirit,
Thank you for teaching us that we learn by doing. Each attempt at a new skill gives us more confidence to do that thing and do it well. Facing fear is just another new skill we need to learn. Confidence doesn’t come easily. We have to learn and earn it. We thank you for presenting opportunities to help us grow into the people you want us to be. We thank you for the warm feeling you give us each time we learn a new skill, whether mechanical or psychological.
And so it is.

If you know someone who would appreciate reading “Thoughts to Ponder,” please suggest that he or she contact me at: energywriter@cox.net

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Contents may be forwarded, but please give credit where credit is due and erase all email addresses on original message.

I’m an artist

by energywriter, posted in Humor

Having received a one of those eagerly anticipated letters from my Home Owners Association that said my house was lovely, as were my weedy flower garden and my splintery deck. However, they suggested a few tweaks to come into neighborhood compliance. Most of the suggestions required stain or paint.

Dutifully I bought deck stain and door paint and brushes. I have plenty of can openers and stir sticks. In fact I have enough to keep my paint cans open and stirred until I reach the point of hiring the job out to a lesser artist than I.

My largest purchase was a gross of edging tape to help me stay within the lines. I carefully taped anything that was even close to another color. Then I donned my oldest clothes, safety glasses and plastic gloves and began to spruce up my house.

The deck and front porch are now a new color, but close to the old color, as required by the HOA color guidelines. I changed the front door from the dark red that it has proudly worn for the past 12 years to a lovely forest green that matches the house number plaque I purchased at Busch Garden’s Christmas Market a year and half ago.

After a few weeks of work, an hour here and there, the project was complete and I carefully removed the edging tape. This was a sad duty, because I was beginning to like that blue outline. I thought it set off the other colors and made my house more cheerful than the others.

Once that task was completed I stood back to admire my work. I noticed that while my edges were all neat, several drips, splashes and smudges made the siding and door frames look like a Jackson Pollock painting. What an exciting prospect! If Pollock could sell his drips and splashes for thousands of dollars, why shouldn’t I get at least a million for a work of art that included a two bedroom house?

Regrettably, all I got was another letter from the HOA telling me to get some paint that matches the siding to cover up the various drips, splashes and smudges.

Some people just don’t appreciate valuable art!

© Sharon Dillon, July 19, 2014

Thoughts to Ponder – July 9, 2014

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

“The most important decision you make
is to be in a good mood.”

Voltaire

Message

We can decide to have a good mood?

This is a shock to many of us who grew up believing that our moods were dictated to us. We learned to reflect the moods of those around us. As children, that meant our parents and teachers. We were we told, “You should be happy, because . . . . Or, “Why are you happy? Just look at what is happening . . . .” The pattern repeated itself as we matured. We learned to feel what we thought we were supposed to feel.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t empathize with those around us. Empathy is a gift to us as well as to others, but we don’t need to wallow in another’s pain.

Eventually, we began learning and integrating the revolutionary idea that we could feel how we felt. We finally gave ourselves permission to feel happy when others were sad – and to feel sad when others were happy.

We can choose to be in a good mood, no matter what is happening in our surroundings. We don’t need to mask our true feelings, but we can avoid getting sucked into another’s vortex of despair.

We learn that most of the time our good mood is contagious – to us as well as to others. Perhaps we wake up in a good mood because we slept well. We can hang on to that thought even though traffic is making us late for work or, or, or . . . . As the day progresses, we will notice that our good mood extends itself. We still feel good at the end of the day.

Best of all, good moods are contagious. Often a smile and a simple “thank you” is enough to lift another person from the doldrums. If not, well, there is always the next person.

Meditation

Creator Spirit,
Thank you for the gift of joy, the gift of knowing we are happy inside even if others are not. We know that being in a good mood, is an extension of gratitude. If we are grateful, a good mood naturally follows. Good moods are contagious.
And, so it is.

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Be careful what you wish for . . .

by energywriter, posted in Humor

My parents used to remind me on a frequent, sometimes daily, basis, “Be careful what you wish for,” with the caveat “you just might get it.” Of course, there were other times when they would say, “Wish in one hand and spit in the other. See which one gets full faster.” Of course, Walt Disney constantly reminded us, “When you wish upon a star . . . .”

What a dilemma of mixed messages to a child! As I grew older I began reading books like The Secret (Rhonda Byrnes) and Law of Attraction (Abraham-Hicks). More confusion. Why didn’t a million dollars show up on my doorstep like it did for the authors? Recently I’ve been learning how to use the power of attraction in small ways, but not always with the results I had in mind.

A couple weeks ago that came to my attention in a startling way.
Two weeks ago I became dizzy and nauseated at work. It was a very hot day and I had not slept well the previous night so was not concerned. After sitting in his office a few minutes my supervisor called Health Services. Envisioning a short nap and back to work, I said yes.

Two hunky young men came, asked a few questions then pushed me up the hill to Health Services. Because the hill was steep and I weigh a bit more than I should, they ran up the hill. Whoo Hoo! This was the fastest ride I’d had in the park for several years.

Once there an aid remarked several times about the puffiness under my eyes. I told her it was a lack of sleep and old age, but she didn’t buy it. After a while they discharged me to my daughter’s care and told me to see my primary provider. I called for an appointment and was told to go straight to the ER. Why? Just go.

Once in the ER I was allowed to don a fashionable, faded gown that had a portion missing. Then a gurney ride down the hall that was more exciting than the wheel chair ride, just as fast and more obstacles. Soon I had a plug installed in my inner elbow, just in case it was needed later. Soon a nice young cardiologist arrived and determined I needed a heart catheterization.

The next evening I was wired to the first plug and another one. The doctor threaded a mini-camera from my groin to my heart. I could see something that appeared about 4” long twitching and leaping. I knew it was an artery or vein moving as my heart beat. Later I told the nurse that I saw something that appeared to be a praying mantis jumping around. She said, “There was no praying mantis. You were drunk.” I guess nurses aren’t into metaphors.

The absolutely worst part was an intravenous bag that kept filling me with fluids but the nurses wouldn’t allow me to use the bathroom. I’d awaken with urgencies and automatically sit up. An alarm blared like I was breaking into a bank vault. Four nurses would run into the room yelling at me to use the buzzer. I’m supposed to break 60+ years of training in five minutes? A little later loud shouting disturbed my slumber. It turned out that a man got up to use the bathroom and wandered into someone else’s room.

Finally, morning arrived and the nurses disconnected me from all the tubes and told me I could actually use the potty. Ahhhh, luxury! After that joy and brushing my teeth I went for a short walk down the hall trying to hold the gown together, hoping the other occupants would not be treated to the sight of my pasty-white nether regions flapping in the wind. Ah, a flash of insight! Back in my room I donned my work shorts that were tucked away for my trip home. New confidence. The second lap was much more fun than the first. The gown could flap all it wanted and I didn’t care.

The hospitalist arrived and said I could go home. No damage to heart, but the new medicine schedule included additions, subtractions, increases and decreases.

When my daughter arrived to drive me home, I whined about my situation. She stopped me short, saying, “Mom, you said you wanted a few days off work.”

July 1, 2014

Ideas for peace, love and joy

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

June 20, 2014

This week I’ve been a bit under the weather so am offering you a few bits of knowledge I’ve picked up here and there. I originally thought this might be a Mid-year Resolution list, but know living in the moment is more important. Besides resolutions don’t work unless you think you are worthy of the outcome.

“Anything is possible. Stay open, forever, so open it hurts, and then open up some more, until the day you die, world without end, amen.”
George Saunders*

Message

Dr. Phil McGraw – Words to live by in 2014*
– Everybody has a personal truth.
– A strong sense of self is the foundation….
– A successful reinvention … happens when you love yourself enough to believe you can do better and deserve better.
– The Universe rewards action.
– The major difference between a dream and a goal is a timeline for progress … (and) accountability.
– We generate the results we believe we deserve.

Martha Beck’s Plan for finding joy*
– Have a vision.
– Let go of what doesn’t work.
– Don’t be afraid to fail.
– Pay attention to what really matters to you.

Brené Brown – Dare to play*
– Create a play list … activities you could do for hours on end.
– Carve out time on your calendar – protect playtime the way you protect work ….
– Play well with others …. things that make us all our most silly, creative, and free-spirited selves.

Iyanla Vanzant – How do I break a negative pattern?*
– Notice it.
– Know its cause.
– Slow down! … to see things for what they really are.
– Forgive yourself.
– Check in … What am I doing and why?

* All of the quotes come from the January 2014 O, the Oprah magazine.

Meditation

Creator Spirit,
Thank you for these wise people who offer their knowledge to us. We know that there are many more teachers circling us daily. We know, but sometimes deny, that we are teachers too, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. Please show us how to step into our truth and be the best teachers we can be.
And, so it is.

If you know someone who would appreciate reading “Thoughts to Ponder,” please suggest that he or she contact me at: energywriter@cox.net

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net,
Go to http://energywriter.me to read postings at “Laugh your way to peace love and joy.”
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Contents may be forwarded, but please give credit where credit is due and erase all email addresses on original message.

Thoughts to Ponder

by energywriter, posted in Thoughts to Ponder

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but
people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou

Message

This is not a tribute to Dr. Angelou, though I’d be glad to add my praise to all the others who’ve taken the time to write about her impact on their lives. I’ll just say that she gave me courage to keep on keeping on.

Her quote explains how most of us got to where we are today. Our station in life often reflects how people have made us feel over the years. Retrospectives are a pain, but they often teach us what we need to know today.

• Did our parents, teachers, friends and spouses let us know they valued our presence, knowledge and love?
• Did they show us that we were a nuisance, substandard and a drain on their emotions, money and time?
• Did they just ignore us and pretend we didn’t exist?

We’ve all felt valued, devalued and ignored. Which of those dominated our lives and made us the people we are today? How do we treat other people? Do we value, devalue or ignore them? How will our actions impact those people as they go out into the world?

No matter how we have been treated in the past, we can determine to be better people. We have a choice about how we treat ourselves. Are we kind, considerate, forgiving of our selves. How we treat ourselves is reflected in how we treat others.

As someone once said, “God don’t make junk. So don’t act like you are.”

Meditation
Creator Spirit, thank you for the gift of life and the ability to evaluate our actions and how they’ve been impacted by our experiences. We thank you that you’ve given us the ability to learn and improve. We choose to be messengers of love, kindness and thoughtful action that bring peace and confidence to those we meet on our journey.
And, so it is.

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com

Contents may be forwarded, but please give credit where credit is due and erase all email addresses on original message.

Thoughts to Ponder – Anger

by energywriter, posted in Whimsy

June 4, 2014

“Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrong.” – Charlotte Bronte

 “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” – Indira Gandhi

“What I’ve learned about being angry with people is that it generally hurts you more than it hurts them.” – Oprah Winfrey

 Message

 People seem to be angry lately. We were angry in the 60s and 70s, but seemed to come back to our senses and live more quietly. During the decades since our world made a lot of strides and a lot of mistakes, but we grew and lived together in relative peace, that is, until the past few years when our personal, national and international anger has grown and become more dangerous for the citizens of many countries, including our own.

In some countries the citizens are overthrowing their governments. Others are being invaded by larger and more-well-armed neighbors. Some people think that anyone who has a different outlook on life should be killed. In our own country more and more people who feel alienated decide to take it out on others, sometimes many others. We then grieve for those who gave their lives.

Some of our politicians seem to think that the only way to achieve their ends is to set up blocks to any kind of progress or change. Some seem to think that anything proposed by the other political party is evil and must be obliterated. Some seem to think that particular politicians are determined to destroy our country. This was the attitude in the years leading up to and including the Civil War and several years after.

Do we want to relive those years with more deadly weapons?

Are we willing to see that we all bleed the same color blood?

Are we willing to try to accept our neighbors for who they are?

Are we and our politicians willing to listen to the others’ opinions?

Are we willing to accept that we all want the same outcome but are approaching the problem from different angles?

Are we willing to talk to each other and learn what is in the other person’s heart?

Or are we going to continue to act on what we think the other person is thinking?

 Meditation

 Creator,

Thank you for this beautiful world and all the people and creatures on it. Open our eyes to see that all of us just want what we think is best for our loved ones. Open our hearts so each of us can learn to accept the other for who he or she is inside. Open our minds to be willing to reach out to those we think are our enemies. I ask this for each person on our planet Earth, no matter who he or she may be. And, so it is.

 If you know someone who would appreciate reading “Thoughts to Ponder,” please suggest that he or she contact me at: energywriter@cox.net

Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me

Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists

Is author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com and available in print and e-format at Amazon.com.