A World of Possibilities

     School is out; summer is here. Looking forward to July 4 brings to mind the birth of our nation, the possibilities of democracy, the promise of summer and the start of vacation.

     Meryl Baer reminds us that traveling is an exhilarating but also exhausting experience. No matter how wonderful our vacation may be, we are also glad to get home . . . for a vacation from our vacation.

     However, homecoming from Israel was put on hold for Baer, as she and her hub detoured to spend a week grandsitting three of their adorable, extremely energetic granddaughters. Now, as she tells us in her post Transitions, she eagerly awaits some long-awaited downtime, following travel, grandparenting . . . and an introduction to purple hair.

     Laura Lee Carter extols the virtues of home . . . without the travel. She points out in Mindfulness: Relax and Let Go that ABC News found in a new survey that the thing most people would prefer to do on vacation is . . . nothing. People want to disconnect from the world, and simply and fully relax. Or as spiritual teacher Stephen Levine writes: 

     Nowhere to go, just now. Just here.
     Nothing to do. Just be.
     Holding nowhere, we are everywhere at once.

Riley says ...

     But for Carol Cassara the world of possibilities began when she started her own business. She reports, now that she's in her 60s, she has never worked harder in her life -- or had to be more creative. If you're interested, check out If Lipstick Always Lifts the Spirits to see her promotion of a free lipstick with purchase from her site.

     Meanwhile, if you are planning to go away for the Fourth, make sure your pet has a safe, anxiety-free weekend. In Riley Recommends: Your Pet and July 4 Cassara's dog Riley gives you some great ways to keep your cat or dog safe and calm when the thunderstorms or the fireworks start booming.

    On the Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, Rita R. Robison writes about the need for access to the outdoors for residents in assisted-living facilities. She also calls out the hazards that detergent pods pose for older adults with dementia. (Who knew?) In her post on  Senior Housing she offers a link to a checklist for those who are selecting a facility for themselves or a family member.

     Finally, Kathy Gottberg of SmartLiving 365 tells us that The Only Thing We Know for Sure Is That We Don't Know Anything for Sure. This is a curious title for a self-avowed optimist, isn't it? But she goes on to explain that positive thought is different from positive thinking, precisely because just thinking about things doesn't change them . . . but when you change your thought patterns it often does spur the actions that lead to real change.

     She cites the work of Harvard professor Ellen J. Langer who has done research on the "psychology of possibility" which starts from the position that we do not know what we can do or become . . . and thus offers us all kinds of possibilities. If you're not sure what this all means, check out the post and see how Langer's approach encourages us to try new things we may never have considered before. Perhaps like . . . purple hair?