At Table

"It's a French term, à table, like time stops and that you're breaking bread, and you're drinking wine. And you're telling stories, and you're talking, and you're sharing. You know, I think back on Thanksgiving memories and how that brought the family together and cousins. And in a little way, that's what we do is that we bring people together, and it's almost like a little Thanksgiving dinner and that just sensual joy of eating and drinking really good things."--Chef Frank Stitt

And on that note, I recently discovered that Martha Stewart's strawberry bread recipe is delish.

Good Dirty Fun

"If a kid is dirty at the end of the day, they probably had a good time." --Cousin Jodi

The first time I took my first baby to the park, I was traumatized by the idea that my pristine angel might come in contact with . . . dirt (shudder). I've loosened up a bit since then, but I still have to remind myself that it's more important for my kids to experience life than to keep their fingernails perpetually clean. That's why the good Lord gave us soap and water.

I'll Untie The Knot

With thoughtless and impatient hands
We tangle up the plans
The Lord hath wrought.
And when we cry in pain He saith,
“Be quiet, man, while I untie the knot.

--Anonymous
cited by Pres. Packer

Celestial Fire

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience." --George Washington

Bad Judgment

"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment." (Jim Horning)

I made a colossal error in parental judgment today. When I took my two kids to Trader Joe’s, I only requested one balloon from the cashier. Both my kids love balloons. I won’t make that mistake again.

Food and Fire

"A house is no home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as for the body." --Margaret Fuller

Fight Fire with Water

“Conquer the angry man by love. Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness. Conquer the miser with generosity. Conquer the liar with truth.” (Buddha)

. . . and the impatient man with patience, and the rude man with courtesy, and the grumpy man with (measured?) good cheer . . .

"Conquer" is an interesting word choice, since as I understand it Buddhism is a rather peaceful philosophy. I suppose the implication is that it requires more strength and discipline to respond positively than to react negatively.

Resolved

"Man’s partial good resolutions that always succumb to ingrained habit are like the cleaning, scrubbing and adorning that we practice on Sundays and feast days. We always get dirty again, to be sure, but such a partial cleaning process has the advantage of upholding the principle of cleanliness." --Goethe

This seems a fitting quote for the new year, when so many of us are making (and all too soon breaking) resolutions to be better. It's important to remember that even an imperfect effort to improve makes us better, if only because it reinforces what we value.

I don't know how often I'll post this year--maybe weekly, maybe monthly, maybe this is the only thing I'll write this year (I hope not)--but every now and then I read or hear something that I want to share with you, and I believe it will do me (and hopefully you) more good if act on those good impulses rather than telling them to go play somewhere else.

Happy New Year, gentle reader, and here's to resolutions, kept or otherwise.

P.S. For whatever reason, most of my readers seem to be of the non-commenting sort. While comments are still very much appreciated if you feel so inclined, I've added a feature at the bottom of each post where you can just click to say if the post made you smile or made you think. I appreciate your feedback in whatever form you prefer to give it. --KB