April 29, 2023

 

SUNLIGHT

 

Sunlight - like a fly - flies around

and settles on this and settles on that.

A moment here and a moment there….

I see it on leaves and rocks. I see it

on the hair of terriers and poodles.

The sparkle of sunlight seems to be

waiting to put what's around us in

the limelight. Better get outside and look – 

all this is time sensitive – yet what's 

around us doesn’t look too bad 

in the Spring or Summer rain.

Autumn and snow? Oh no! Unless

you’re working on becoming a poet.

 .

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 

 April 29, 2023

Quote for Today

"If you have not often felt the joy of  doing a kind act, you have neglected much, and most of all yourself."

  A Neilen

 April 28, 2023

 

WHALES AND PORPOISES

 

He lived on the edge of the ocean

and I heard him say several times,

“I’ve lived here by the sea all these years

and I’ve never seen a porpoise or a whale.”

And I heard this neighbor of him say

in return, “Oh I’ve see at least 100 of them.”

I guess some people can sit and watch

and wait and some people can’t. Oh I

Forgot, some people can lie and exaggerate.”

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 28, 2023

Quote for Today

"If you pursue happiness you'll never find it."

C. P. Snow

April 27,  2023

 

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

 

Sometimes everyone is sleep

dancing.  The music is playing

a fluid melody – then surprise.

Something happens – the lights

go off. The music dies. Planes

crash. Everyone and everything

stops when the music dies.

There is a death in the family.

There is a family fight. News

of cancer hits the room. “Oh no!

Not expected….” and nobody has

a clue just what to do. It’s real

life the day the music dies.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 27, 2023

Quote for Today

"A happy life is made up of little things ... a gift sent, a letter written, a call made, a recommendation given, transportation provided, a cake made,  a book lent, a check sent."

Carol Holmes

April 26,  2023

 

SILENCE

 

Silence – looks so weak – at times –

when I can’t answer the question –

but it can be so strong – when the

other knows – that I chose not to

answer. A pause can also have power

when I stop speaking and I then make

a significant different than expected

comment that releases information –

that is not expected – and it changes

everything we didn't know was on the table.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 

 April  25, 2023

Reflection

April 25,  2023

 

DETAILS

 

Some say, “God is in the details.”

Others say, “The devil is in the details.”

Whatever! Life is loaded with details.

Batteries for flashlights – car keys –

knives and forks – ball point pens –

and a zillion other little things – that

surround us – pillows and blankets –

and that phone call we have to make

in the morning. Make a list. Don’t forget

to do the dishes and get some milk

on the way home from work. Don’t forget.

Are some people better with details than

others.  Guess so because details are

not my thing and others make up for

my sloppiness and imperfections. Sorry….

 

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 26, 2023

Quote for Today

"Some pursue happiness, others create it"

Anon

 April  25, 2023

Quote for today 

"Happiness is  never stopping to think if you are."

Palmer Sondreal 

 April  24, 2023

April 24, 2023

THE  CANE

 

They told me to get a cane.

They said, “It will be good for your safety.”

Evidently, they thought about me

doing that for a while now.

I began thinking about it

for the past few days.

Lots of thoughts:

I’ll be carrying not just me now –

but a wagonful of thoughts about aging –

what it means to see someone with a cane.

Well, I’m not a crutch. I’m a cane. I’m a help.

I hope I’ll be good at this.

 

 Reflections, Andy Costello

THE  CANE

 

They told me to get a cane.

“It will be good for your safety.”

Evidently, they thought about me doing that

for a while now.

I began thinking about it for the past few days.

I’ll be carrying not just me now – but a handful of thoughts

about aging – about inability - what it means to see someone with a cane.

Well, I’m not a crutch. I’m a cane. I’m a help.

I hope I’ll be good at this. 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April  23, 2023

Reflection😁

April 23, 2023

 

CREDO

 

Before you go any further –

sit down and write down –

write out – your beliefs.

Like: “I believe you can

never fail with kindness.”

Only after that -  take the

Church’s creed – and look

at each belief one by one.

Then put a “U” under them

or above them – if you get

what that belief is about.

Put a “M” under or above a

belief you think you misunderstand.

Then – next time – you say

The creed – notice the difference,

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 

 April  24, 2023

Quote for Today

"A British judge said, 'Women make the best murderers, but men do most of the killing."

 April  23, 2023

Quote for Today

"I take it that what all are really after is some form of,  perhaps only some formula of, peace."

James Conrad

April  22, 2023

Reflection 

April 22, 2023

 

OBSCURITY

 

Everyone is obscure – at least

to the members of his or her family.

They don’t know this or better put:

they won’t know this till they are 55

or older – when they have begun –

figuring out their parents and 75

when they are putting their own life

Into words and incidents and key

memories. Best of luck. Be ready

for the disappointments in your life.

P.S. Tell your kids what you have

come up with – so their figuring out

who you are – will be a bit easier.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April   22, 2023

Quote for Today

"Forgiving those who hurt us is the key to personal peace."

G. Weatherly

 

April  21, 2023

Reflection For Today

April 21, 2023

RARE  BIRD

 

They considered me a rare bird.

It was meant to be a negative –

but I saw it as a compliment.

Like everyone I have unique

gifts and unique takes on life.

Let them fly. Let them abide.

Let them be for the good of all.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 21, 2023

Quote for Today

"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere."

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

 April  20, 2023

Reflection Today

April 20, 2023

 

LIES AND CONSEQUENCES

 

We’ve all heard the phrase:

“Truth and/or Consequences.”

But what about the consequences

of our lies? I would think that

pondering them would bear the most fruit.

I would think that they stick to our

memories the most and the deepest.

And maybe after that first big lie,

the ones that followed had the

greatest cling and the greatest damage

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 20, 2023  

Quote  For Today

"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of God no matter what the conflict."

 April  19, 2023  

reflection

April 19, 2023

APPLAUSE

 

Tell me about a moment in your life

when you experienced applause.

Everyone needs at least 3 of them.

You did a drawing and it made the

refrigerator door. You got the winning

hit or score in softball game. You had

a part in a school play and you were

great – and the audience clapped.

As I said, “Everyone needs at least 3.

What were yours? Take some time

and take a good look back at your life.”

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 

 April 19, 2023

Quote for Today

"I have been told that Wagner's music is better than it sounds."

Bill Nye

American humorist.

 April 18 2023

Reflection

April 18, 2023

 

CRACKERS AND CHEESE

 

Crackers and cheese –

So simple. Yet they could

represent some caring. Some

stopped into the supermarket

to get them – thinking,

“He likes crackers and cheese.”

Then comes the moment

of holy communion: “Here ….

I know you like crackers and cheese.”

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 17, 2023

Reflection

April 17,  2023

 

GOLDEN MOMENTS

 

I don’t know if I ever had one –

that is: a golden moment.

Who did or does? Every

moment has coffee stains

or tiny rips or dents. If we

could unravel our motives

we would find sneaky

slights of hand or selfishness.

But why do that? Why do that?

We do what we do because

of the good example of our

parents or just plain luck.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 18, 2023

Quote

"Too beautiful for our ears, and much too many notes, dear Mozart."

Joseph II, 

of the Abduction from the Seraglio [1782

 April 17, 2023

Quote for Today

"General notions are generally wrong."

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

in a letter to her husband,

March 28, 1710

 April  16  2023

Reflection

April 16,  2023

REGRETS

 

Would be great if my regrets

would be forgets. But they

would no longer be regrets

if I had forgotten them. Yep ….

Forgiving self – talking them

over with another – those 2

mind switches and strategies

sometimes work – plus doing

what I did and comparing my

mistakes with the mistakes

and sins of another – that’s

another way of dealing with regrets.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

April 16, 2023

Quote for Today

"We may not look at our pleasure to go to heaven in feather beds; it is not the way."

Thomas More  (1478-1535)

in William Roper's Life of Sir Thomas More

April 15, 2023

Reflection 

April 15.  2023

 

THE  FUTURE

 

The future is always sitting there

watching and warning and getting

ready for more of us – whether we

like it or not. Silent! The watching

and the waiting are usually silent.

Those older than us show us what

we might become. So better be careful.

The future: how much can we do

about it? How much can we change

about ourselves which we don’t like

in those around us? A little or a lot!

Pay attention.  Time will tell all.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 April 15, 2023

Quote for Today

"When in doubt what should be done,  do nothing."

William Lamb (1779-1848)