“Shame on the body for breaking down while the spirit perseveres.” (John Dryden) Do you remember the story of Dorian Gray? As a young man he looked at a picture of himself. “What if the picture were to age, and I would stay young?” And it happened; the picture aged and Dorian did not. Imagine if it were to happen to you. I like the reality of Dryden’s quote. We can’t stop the aging process, but we can work at keeping our spirit vibrant. How do you do it? ;-) Jack
FROM VW MS: Partly by depending on encouragement from people like you...====JACK: In the movie, The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood sang: "Everybody Needs Somebody."
FROM JT IN ST JOE: Whine!====JACK: Do you want some cheese with that whine?====JT: That made me chuckle 😄!!
FROM RI IN BOSTON: My best motivation for good spirit and creative attitude is to spend time with young people. It challenges me when they come to me seeking advice for dealing with their contemporary situations. My best go-to source for spiritual uplift is my two granddaughters, age 7 and 3. They are amazing!====JACK: One of the great things about aging is the opportunity to see the younger generations mature and begin to relate to us in new ways.
FROM WALMART REV: I follow Jack's morning blog . . . its always good for the soul!! ====JACK: The people I meet daily tend to inspire me. I suppose it's that way with you, too, as you sit at Walmart and also do your chaplain duties.
FROM BUGGMAN: By trying to be there for those who are spiritually in a low place and finding joy and strength in the many "vibrant" people that I know (or have known). On ageing - I feel like our 57 Ford - it seems like every time I do something, I have to fix or adjust something. But we're both still running - albeit with a little more care - and having fun.====JACK: Here's a bit of trivia: Only 6.2% of '57 Fairlane buyers ordered seatbelts for their car. Does yours have factory-installed belts? They tend to help extend the ageing process.====BM: You never cease to amaze me. Where did you find the stats on Fairlane seat belts? No, it does not have any seat belts -factory installed or add-ons. I'll work on that. When these tanks were involved in accidents , the cars survived better than the passengers.====JACK: Back in the 1950s and very early 1960s, not even seat belts were standard. Sexy styling, not safety, is what sold cars. The industry even had a motto: 'Safety Doesn't Sell.' It was a long-held belief that seemingly was proved when a 1956 attempt by Ford Motor Co. to sell a package of innovative safety features called 'Lifeguard Design' failed miserably. The motto stuck for decades. You'd think that by now the Bugg Fairlane would have seatbelts.
FROM HONEST JOHN: How do you define "spirit"?====JACK: In this instance, I'd use the word, elan.
FROM GUSTIE MARLYS: I sure do not get as much done during the day as I used to!!===JACK: There isn't as much to do, either, as when you were taking care of a husband and the kids...but it was fun, wasn't it?====MARLYS: Sure was. I miss it and I am sure you do too. ====JACK: In the hymn, "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," there's the line..."Time, like an ever-rolling stream..." changed lots of things.====MARLYS: God helped in the past and continues to help to this day. I don’t know how I could go on without Him!====MARLYS: I love your WW. They help me remember all that I have. Thanks Jack.====JACK: Like with being a pastor....You have to know the needs of your customers...and try to meet them.
FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL: i like this line: we don't grow old so much as we get old when we stop growing... ====JACK: Do you remember when you wanted to be a grownup? BTW< when is the perfect grownup age?====PAUL: i do recall a day in my first year in college when i was quite sure that i was stronger, healthier, and likely smarter in some ways than my Dad. i.e., i was no longer a kid. i had become an adult! it was a very good feeling too!
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I don’t look in the mirror! Lol We keep youngish by working so hard on this farm! No animals yet....at least none we’ve brought here. Deer stop by, ducks, birds of every kind, rabbits, coyotes, opossum, raccoons, and lots and lots of loud frogs, bullfrogs, toads snd turtles fill our pond! It’s a new symphony every night! Also, it’s all in the attitude!!====JACK: So. the "farm" is more interesting than the cul-de-sac? ...and forget about the mirror!
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: By keeping up with my 18 grandchildren, trying figure out all of the new tech stuff (which is not easy) , by travel, by reading, watching tv and keeping up with our world, by the life long learning classes, etc. ====JACK: ....just like when you were in school...always doing stuff. You're a busy-body, in the best sense of the term.
FROM DS IN SOCAL: Ha ha.... that's why I inserted a life-size picture of my high school graduation and put it on all my mirrors. Ah, the good 'ol days!!====JACK: Well, at least I'm now at the same weight as when in my late 20s. Does that count? Other stuff has changed.====DS: I'm pretty happy that I only weigh about 8 pounds more than when I played basketball at Augie. Of course it's distributed a lot differently.
FROM BB IN CHGO: I just loved Dorian Gray and most recently saw it with Peter at a local theater. They set the play in the psychedelic 60’s and had Dorian (and his mates) a bit delusional with drug use on top of their own personal insecurities. It was quite moving.====JACK: Have you ever longed for the Dorian experience...maybe for a day or so or more? ====BB: I think that will happen down the line at some point. For the most part, I am very content where I am just now and the less than perfect exterior matches the less-than-pristine interior fairly well====JACK: I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in. No Dorian wish for me.
FROM BLAZING OAKS: Great movie with a message! Having a pretty full social calendar always gives something to look forward to! Slowed down at present with the broken "wing". Breaking the Humerous bone is not funny!! pun intended! A sense of humor always lightens every situation.. ====JACK: I have an interest in etymology, the origin of words. Humerus...is derived from Latin: humerus, umerus meaning upper arm, shoulder, and is linguistically related to Gothic ams shoulder and Greek ōmos. Most humerus fractures are nondisplaced and will heal within a few weeks if the arm is immobilized. Try to be a patient patient.
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