Courage is a place where Happiness finds its Heroes

written by

Jeannette Zink

The other morning I was channel cruising on my non-SMART, non-HD and non-4K television.  I stumbled upon the tail end of a children’s program on WETA/PBS.  My channel changing finger was all set to click to the next venue of choice when I heard these words of wisdom spoken from T. rex on the Dinosaur Train … “When I found my courage, I became happy.”  I could barely move from my human tracks and fingers were frozen in mid-air of a click.  What had just happened – a lifetime of searching for happiness – finally declared and definitively described from the mouth of a whimsically charming dinosaur!

What do you know about happiness and courage, Mr. Dinosaur Train conductor … you are just a figment of imagination created inside the minds of a creative animation team and writers for a children’s program.  Why should I take a made-up dinosaur to heart in my never-ending pursuit of happiness?  Really, has it come to this, Jeannette … taking advice from a dinosaur! 

So, I shrug and strut around with a huff and puff swagger reasoning that this is nothing more than a silly kid’s television program far beneath my intellectual competency.  Let’s just see what the experts have to say about courage and happiness.  I turned to the twenty-first century e-book of knowledge, GOOGLE, to fact check this little smarty pants of a dinosaur.  Well, the internet indeed is a wealth of information, even on philosophical, emotional and psychological topics as the thesis of courage and happiness.  While my research only scratched the surface of this hypothesis that courage and happiness may be linked to a life of bliss, I am leaning toward the side of the Mr. Dinosaur Train conductor.  That’s right, my friends, dinosaurs may have been the first philosophers to roam the happy trails of earth.  They were certainly courageous as they fought the good fight to stay alive, while perhaps much less worried about finding their true state of happiness.

I will admit that in watching the recent movie, Jurassic World, I did witness the occasional smile of courageous victory on the faces of the brave dinosaurs as they scrambled to safety and/or were in hot pursuit of the genetically modified dinosaur, Indominus rex.  One could even see a bit of a wink in the eye of the friendly Blue dinosaur as a show of courage to protect the alpha hunk Chris Pratt and the fellow cast of characters.

Moving from the days of dinosaurs to the world of great American novelists and short story writers … I quote Nathaniel Hawthorne:  Happiness is not found in things you possess, but in what you have the courage to release.

No matter the source of our garnered wisdom – dinosaurs, philosophers, or novelists – we will know it when we see it/hear it/feel it with our hearts and accept as a way of life …  be brave, be strong, and be courageous … these are our stepping stones to everlasting happiness.

I leave you with one of my favorite all time biblical quotes:  Jeremiah 29:11

  

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and hope….  

Enjoy your courageous journey, my kindred spirits, there is a smiley face waiting at the release of each fear and doubt.  Courage is a place where happiness finds its hero in each of us.

      

You may enjoy visiting my blogs:

http://jeannettesartandstories.blogspot.com/

http://doodlngwithwordsbyjeannette.blogspot.com/

Cookie Prayers … in due respect

~ an Adalyn Grace essay ~

written by

Jeannette Zink

January 1, 2016

My nineteen-month-old phenomenally terrific great-niece, Adalyn Grace, insists that her cookies receive a proper blessing before she will take so much as one morsel of a bite.  So, heads are bowed, hands are linked and prayers are offered in respect to the gracious God who has seen fit to provide today’s selection of savory cookies at the table of this most earnest child and her loving family. 

  

One may expect that there be only one prayer voiced for the entire spread of the cookie platter.  However, one would be underestimating this child’s intention to pay homage to our dear Lord of all things great and small.  Thus, each cookie is blessed before the sugary delectable may be consumed by the parents and grandparents of this extraordinary and … I am just going to say it … brilliant child.

On the surface, this gesture of blessing the revered cookies may appear to be nothing more than a really cute emulation of “like mommy and daddy so goes the child” minute.  But, then my mind begins to meander through the fields of “but wait a minute” where I find myself in a land of “wake-up calls.” It is at this precise intersection of pause and reflection that I have a V-8 moment, and take respectful note of this beautiful child’s unassuming grace and loving spirit.  A clarion chime is heard and an understanding of the importance in thanking God for the trivial gifts that make our lives just a little more sweetly bearable … like Adalyn Grace’s sacred cookies … is chiseled into my conscious.  Thank you, Adalyn Grace, for putting life in perspective – you are the mentor to lead us in conducting our life as God intended.

Today just happens to be the start of a brand new clean canvas of a New Year.  A whole new plate of cookies await our consumption, but only after we take an Adalyn Grace moment to say our sincere prayers in due respect for this delicious life of God’s grace and shining light of love.

Blessings and Happy New Year … my dear family, friends and kindred spirits!!!  

Givers and Receivers

Givers and Receivers … ‘tis the season

written by

Jeannette Zink

December, 2015

‘Tis that time of year when, at the first chime of a silver bell, we leap into the spirit of gifting … lists are jotted down, decisions made and fretted over, mad dash from store to store in search of THE perfect gift, and the inevitable regret of ill-chosen presents to be consigned for re-gifting … yes, the fun time of the year is in full poinsettia bloom.  The season when givers and receivers deck their holiday spirits with hearts of gold and ponder which side of the coin purse to pay homage …  the giver or the receiver side of humanity’s best kindheartedness.

It is a proven biblical fact that in Acts 20:35 the undeniably best position to take on this issue is to be on the giver side of the noble coin …“it is more blessed to give than to receive.”  So, what more is there to think about if it is a given proclamation of biblical proportion?  Why would we even pause to give a second thought when there are so many other important decisions to make, like what to give Aunt Agnes this year -- she who has a lifetime of everything one could possibly want or require.  But, be that as it may, I find myself circling this intriguing aspect of seasonal mayhem … giving vs. receiving.

Then it hit me, just like the meticulously chosen Christmas tree that sprung from a car’s roof top in the middle of a very busy intersection, maybe it is not an either/or kind of Socratic question – perhaps there is space for the conjunctive “and” to join in the festive season of goodwill and eggnog cheer.

Recently,  I had the opportunity to visit with a Subject Matter Expert in the field of giving and receiving.  The following is an excerpt of my interview with the renowned, Mr. Santa Claus:

JZ  Good morning, Mr. Santa Claus.  Thank you for taking a few minutes to visit with me.  I know what a busy time of year it is for you and your team.

SC  Happy Holidays to you!  It is my pleasure to talk with you.  I sense you have a few questions that have been giving you some cause to take a step back from your usual course this holiday season.

JZ  You are very perceptive Mr. Claus.  I have been doing a little cerebral debate on the question of which is better … to be a giver or a receiver of all things good during the holidays.

SC  Yes, that is an intriguing question -- one that givers rarely have the opportunity to allocate a second thought.  The givers are too preoccupied in their herculean quest for the perfect gift.  I do chuckle when I see them so ruffled in the scrabble for the perfect gift, the perfect wrapping, the perfect decoration, the perfect … I digress.  Let’s get back to your question.

JZ  If you could share your thoughts on this question of giving vs. receiving, it would be very helpful to all the givers that are in such a frenzy to find the absolute ideal gift.  It appears that the givers may be on the short end of this peppermint stick.  You know what I mean, Mr. Claus?

SC  Yes, indeed, I do know what you mean.  My helpers and I work very hard all year to find just the right gifts.  Oh, what joy when the deliveries are finally made to the intended recipients!

JZ   Have you ever considered not being the giver, but rather a receiver of these precious gifts?

SC  Well, it has been my experience that to give is to receive.

JZ  Please elaborate on this concept.

SC  Gifts come in all kinds of beautifully wrapped packages.  I think the best gifts are the ones that are wrapped in love, tied by ribbons of laughter and dance with the sparkling lights of simply BELIEVING in the mystery of the unseen.  These are gifts that will travel a lifetime journey in the hearts of young and old … gifts that make the giver a big time winner, in my humble opinion.

JZ  Are you saying that you are really the recipient of these gifts that you deliver to others?  You get the better deal in this gifting transaction!

SC  Yes, I do believe that I am a blessed recipient of the giving season.  The tangible and nicely wrapped gift is an expression of something far grandeur than its content.  The giver is sharing their grace-filled love with each gift.  The receiver of the gift returns twice over their appreciation and gratitude for our kindness.  My heart sprouts wings of joy, and my reindeer and I take flight to make more deliveries … surprisingly, our heavy load is never too heavy for us.

 

JZ  So, in a way, it is not a question of either/or  … either you give or you receive …  maybe …

SC  Allow me to finish your thought, if I may.  By giving we receive such wonderful blessings, and by receiving we give such wonderful blessings back to our giver.  Just think about how you feel when you give someone a gift.  Your heart is so full of joy that even the reindeer have trouble finding a place to park their sleigh.

  

JZ  Maybe, we are all givers and receivers in one way or another.  It’s just that the packaging comes in many different styles and form.  The Mistletoe Express of win-win, as it were.

SC  Are you familiar with Acts 20:35 … “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

JZ  Yes, I am familiar.  And, for the first time, I think I may have discovered the North Star of understanding its intended meaning … what a wonderful gift!!  Thank you, Mr. Claus, for spending all this time with me and helping me navigate through this giving and receiving maze.

SC  The pleasure was all mine.  What a wonderful gift you have given me.  Enjoy the giving season, no matter what time of year it may be.  It’s like the soft swirl of whipped cream topped with chocolate sprinkles on a hot cup of cocoa … the perfect finishing touch.  HO HO HO!!!

JZ  See you next year, Mr. Claus.  Have a safe journey.

SC  May your joyful spirit know the love in giving and the graceful blessing in receiving THE perfect gift … blessings and peace to all and to all a good night.

Love is THE perfect gift … given and received with no strings … wrapped with passion and grateful joy … a precious gift valued most when shared.

Peace and Love … my dear family, friends and kindred spirits.

Popular Word

Popular Word … takes on a life of its own

 written by

 Jeannette Zink

I have a passion for words.  So, when an interesting word begins to repeatedly show up in conversations, my lexis-loving heart sends hugs and kisses to the alphabet universe of well-arranged letters. 

 

One such intriguing word that seems to casually find its way between the exchange of thoughts and decorative elaboration of topics is the word narrative.  I love the beauty of its intoxicating sound.  The visual on the page of this delightful word is like viewing a romantic waltz as the letters dance in rhythmic composition.  I almost feel like attempting a curtsy to show my respect to its elegance. 

 

First things first, let’s review the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of this beauty of a word… narrative (adjective):  describing events or telling a story.  See what I mean – even the definition is simply exquisite.

Before I know it, I begin to build this beauty of a word into my sentences.  After all, I am a well-educated person; I cannot be left behind at the expressive engine-language gate.   No, I will consciously insert this graceful word in with my community of words used to form sentences -- telling my story -- in the spirit of human verbal interaction. 

Just the other day, I wove in a little refined pizazz, in what could have been a very ordinary sentence, by embroidering my best new friend-word, narrative.  Are you ready for this ….  Every story has two sides, some day we will learn the narrative to this untold side.  See what I mean … just makes one want to dance a jig with this catchy linguistic partner.  One of those… you had me at narrative … kind of moments.

Life offers many joys … the narratives are endless.  Go out in the world, my friends, and tell your narrative.  The narrative you share will soon take on a life of its own … oh, the places a narrative can and will go!

May we all enjoy the narrative of each new day.