March 20, 2023: SPRING Equinox & World Happiness Day

 Spring has arrived and is spreading its charm, while every tree and every flower is waking up to its splendor.

Wishing you a very happy spring and a lovely year ahead!

SPRING Classical Music (audio)

On March 20, 2023, the entire world is also observing the International Day of Happiness.

According to UN, “we can create a happier and kinder world together by adopting simple, daily practices. This year’s theme is: ‘Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind’

There are lots of issues in our world right now. We can’t always change what is happening, but we can choose how we respond.”

So, ‘Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind’…give it a try and if you find it helpful, share it with others too!

● My previous greetings on the same themes: SPRING Equinox & World HAPPINESS Day: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2023

Before the astronomical winter was completely over, on Sunday (March 19’23), I organized the first session of the year for my seasonal book club (the winter session of 2023). At this on-line gathering, all my guests presented a number of favorite books, and because our group was of such a reasonable size, some titles were discussed in more depths.

Also, I was truly happy that Mihai was able to join us again, this time explaining the audience, from a medical perspective, how reading books could benefit both physical and mental health, and how those benefits could last a lifetime….reading for at least 30 minutes every day could take you far!  
Additionally, he briefly touched on “neuroplasticity” (also known as “brain plasticity” – this is a term that refers to brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience), which is a central concept to theories relating to memory and learning abilities as well.   
Apparently, there is a lot of scientific research which indicates that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain, and the more you practise it (the more you read) those networks get stronger and more sophisticated.

Now, back to the books we’ve discussed that evening, here I’m glad to share only several titles that were briefly touched on, hoping that by doing so, you might find the inspiration to read them (in case you haven’t yet):  
– “When Breath Becomes Air” (by Paul Kalanithi)                           | – “Sense and Sensibility” (by Jane Austen)
– “All the Light we cannot see” (by Anthony Doerr)                          | – “To Kill a Mockingbird” (by Harper Lee)
– “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” (by Dr. Joy Dispenza)      |– “My Brilliant Friend”…The Neapolitan Novels (by Elena Ferrante)
– “Gone with the Wind” (by Margaret Mitchell)                                 |– “The Biology of Belief” (by Dr. Bruce Lipton)

– “Shogun”…the Epic Novels of Japan (by James Clavell)                 |– “The Old Man and the Sea” (by Ernest Hemingway)

– “The Prayer of Jabez” (by Bruce Wilkinson)                                    |– “Finding Me: A Memoir” (by Viola Davis)

Of course, many other books and writers were also referred to (spanning from spiritual to health, from science to fiction, and so on), but for the purpose of this briefing, the above mentioned titles might suffice.

So, dear friends, once again, I would like to refresh that reading is an indispensable skill in life, which allows you to discover new facts, by opening for you the door to new ideas, stories and opportunities. This beautiful habit of reading books could bring people knowledge & wisdom, making them more intellectual & sensible.
In closing, once again, many thanks to all my friends who honored this invitation! Until we meet again, warm wishes for a beautiful spring to come!
Alice  

“The journey of a lifetime starts with the turning of a page.”

Life needs meaning to be lived with joy

 “Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught,
but a quest for meaning. The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her own life.”

I’m sure you all agree that life is about Joy and Meaning, not about the calendar.

One of the major concepts of living with joy is to always keep your sense of "wonder" while carry on with life, because life in itself is truly an extraordinary miracle.  

For instance, the birth of a child is the "normal" way of coming alive, and yet, what a marvel!

On the other hand, each year, spring always comes after winter and yet it always fills our hearts with rustle and emotions.

Also, snowdrops are the ones that cope with the harshness of the cold weather, but yet they remain soft, graceful, pretty, "courageous" and amazingly inspiring every year.

Aside of that, the sun sets every day, but each time it gives us a different splendid spectacle.

Only mentioning these few aspects of our daily lives, we all could agree that our world is a place full of beauty and miracles, and if we truly open our hearts to them, we could appreciate them even more.

And yes, life needs meaning to be lived with joy! Meaning comes from fulfilling your purpose in life, and every single human being has its own purpose…one just needs to pursue it….

The advice of the elders of the world is to live our lives with joy, to be good, to help our fellows and we all will live well…and I can’t agree more with that!

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live.
 Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” (Albert Einstein)