[caption id=“attachment_4608” align=“aligncenter” width=“642”] “SENIOR CITIZENS COME FROM ALL WALKS AND TALKS OF LIFE.” ~ Jean Janki Samaroo[/caption] On October 1st which is tomorrow, Seniors are being celebrated in Canada and internationally as well. In Canada, it’s called National Seniors Day. October 1st is also designated by the UN as the I_nternational Day of Older Persons_. I’m sure many Seniors don’t even know about it. Seniors tend to be seen as a “dying breed.” We all know what happened in long-term care homes during this COVID-19 time. Many Seniors succumbed to the virus. We older persons as a whole have to be very cautious and extra careful these days as the Coronavirus is still very much here. ...

SCARED I’m scared of this “new” Coronavirus I can’t see it, hear it, or feel it. Sneaky thing – your droplets rest on surfaces when a person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. I can’t touch my own nose, eyes, or mouth. You’ve made me afraid of people now! I’m scared to stand close to anyone lest they breathe on me. They feel scared to be close to me too. Breathing ...

[caption id=“attachment_1635” align=“alignleft” width=“525”] To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour. ~ William Blake[/caption] It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by so quickly. It seems that it was just the other day that I turned 70. As the years go by, time seems to go faster. It was a very busy year for me. I decided to get a new kitty after my beloved Cali died. My new cat, Ali, was just 9 weeks old when we brought him home. He was very active and had a way of getting into everything. I was overjoyed to have him but I had to muster lots of energy and stamina to care for my new “baby. ...

[caption id=“attachment_4501” align=“alignleft” width=“929”] You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. ~ Walter Hagen[/caption] As I walked over to the pharmacy yesterday, I couldn’t resist stopping to enjoy the flowers in our condo’s garden. I started to admire them long before I got really close to them. When I reached where they were, I stopped and took in all the colours - yellows. whites, and purples. They looked so beautiful, delicate, and sometimes even fragile, but I knew that they could stand up to a strong wind. I didn’t smell them though - but I did slow down. ...

I’m happy to be able to share about my two new books with all of you. Turning seventy last July was momentous for me as I had never ever expected to live this long. To celebrate/mark this important milestone in my life, I undertook two projects. The first is a book for Seniors called “Late Blooms: Inspiration for Seniors.” The second is a children’s book called “Making New Friends.” ...

If you’re at all like me, it’s difficult sometimes to take a break from the constant barrage of Coronavirus news, news of police brutality, widespread racism, Black Lives Matter, climate change, and other issues. Don’t get me wrong - these are realities that we have to face and confront and deal with, each in our own way and collectively as members of the human race. The Coronavirus is deadly and so is the virus of hate. We aren’t talking “survival of the fittest” these days. We all want to survive, both the fit and unfit, the old and the young, the black and the white and those in-between. We want to survive with our bodies, minds, and spirits intact. ...

[caption id=“attachment_3312” align=“alignleft” width=“4320”] _Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the center of the universe. ~ Elie Wiese_l[/caption] The United States has certainly become the place where it’s all happening these days. Apart from having the highest number of Coronavirus cases in the world, their other virus has once-again reared its ugly head in a horrendous way. The other virus that I’m talking about is Racism. The very people that are supposed to protect the citizenry are the perpetrators of hate, discrimination, and murder. The “men in uniform” this time were the police. ...

[caption id=“attachment_3656” align=“alignleft” width=“2048”] ’Tis the perception of the beautiful, A fine extension of the faculties, Platonic, universal, wonderful, Drawn from the stars, and filtered through the skies, Without which life would be extremely dull. ~ Lord Byron[/caption] I’m sure that there are many instances in life where we’re surprised by what we find out about ourselves. At the very beginning of an online course that I took through Coursera, we were assigned to go to the VIA Institute online and do a survey to find out what our character strengths were. I’d never heard of the Institute before but was curious to find out what my character strengths might be. I thought that maybe I had a few! ...

[caption id=“attachment_4465” align=“alignleft” width=“987”] “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ― Confucius[/caption] It’s Easter time once again and we’re all having to keep a safe distance from each other. For Christians who are usually immersed in the religious celebrations that mark Easter, this is a difficult time. For those of the secular population who just celebrate Easter as another holiday, it’s also hard to be away from family and friends. We have to keep ourselves and others safe though and maybe we can share this Easter in other ways with our loved ones and friends. ...

 The Coronavirus is uppermost on people’s minds these days. We are moved to come to terms with the way it’s affecting us by responding in different ways. I felt like writing a poem yesterday and am pleased to share it with you below. It’s called “Corona Virus You Tire Us.” At the same time, I looked to see if there was any other relevant poetry from others that might be meaningful at this time. It’s also my pleasure to share these with you. ...