The third Sunday in June has been designated as Father’s Day for 62 years in the United States, and was not officially recognized as a holiday until 1972. A young woman, Sonora Louise Smart Dodd was inspired by her own father, who raised her and her five siblings alone, and campaigned for a special day honoring all fathers to be celebrated on his birthday.
Even if you sometimes butt heads with your dad (like me), make sure to tell him how much he’s appreciated today.
Let’s hear it for dads!
When you travel by air, before the flight takes off, there are always safety instructions in the event of a loss of cabin pressure. Part of those instructions are ensuring that your oxygen mask is securely fastened before assisting others. I hope that you never experience a loss of cabin pressure where you have to use the oxygen mask; however, the same wisdom can be applied to our everyday lives. Before we can truly help others, we must ensure that our own needs are met. Take time to make sure that you are adequately nourished, inside and out, so you can be there for someone else.
Self care is never selfish.
One day, someone made a series of decisions to bring you into the world. A world that is full of chaos, challenge and unspeakable difficulties. But someone decided that it would be worth it to give it a go and bring you, yes you, into this world. Along the way, there were many sacrifices and unknown mountains to climb. First they gave you part of their body and carried you, and then risking life and limb, they birthed you into the world. Then, in your most vulnerable state, that person cared for you. They fed you, clothed you, socialized you, read you loads of storybooks repeatedly, made sure you had the right toys at the right stages of your development, and poured over information about how to ensure that you would grow up to be the best possible you. You weren’t always grateful and it certainly was not always easy, but here you are.
If you are lucky enough to still have that someone in your life, make sure to call them up and say Happy Mother’s Day.
Thank you to all the moms, their hard work and unspoken sacrifices
It is really a wonderful thing to have people in your life to care for. However, the best way to care for those special people in your life is to make sure that you also take care of yourself. If you are happy, balanced and fulfilled you can better take care of those you love. And those good vibes are likely to be contagious!
Happy Easter to all who celebrate. If that is not you, that is ok, I hope that you were able to capitalize on the commercialization of the holiday and enjoy some chocolate. If that is you, I hope you had a lovely day as well.
Did y’all know it was Easter? Good news, summer is just around the corner!
So, yesterday I dragged my family to a goat sanctuary that was not open to the public. I felt fairly bad, as it was a beautiful day and being cooped up in the car is no fun. Luckily, along our journey home we happened upon Pear Tree Farm Shop in Cheshire. It is a lovely shop, run by a very friendly woman with a son about the same age as mine. We walked in and fortuitously she mentioned something about goats! And there they were, three Pygmy goats enjoying the sunshine! My son enjoyed a delicious sausage roll and this morning I fried up half a dozen free range eggs for breakfast. Plus, I have a few new goat photographs for the archives.
Hanging out at Pear Tree Farm
Find someone in this world who you can rest your head on. At the end of the day, a good partner is someone who supports you no matter what, even if you need to take a nap using them as your pillow for a bit.
A good friend will always have a place for you.
If you find yourself in a bind and you don’t know what to do, sometimes the best act of kindness is just to be present. Simply being there can make all the difference. 
Desire paths are those trodden, foot created trails you sometimes see across open spaces representing places that lack a proper paved sidewalk or footpath that people (and or goats) use to make their journeys more efficient. Perhaps they signal a certain yearning to rebel against the modern world, forge your own path and thumb your nose at the algorithms of urban planning. On one hand, they are a form of active resistance, dividing planted grassy knolls and designated open spaces, but on the other, they are literally perhaps the “path of least resistance” making traveling across these spaces perhaps easier and less time consuming. Desire paths are the physical manifestation of one of the paradoxes of being human – a longing to be your own, individual person, guided by your own desires, intuition and knowledge that is better than anyone else’s for your experience; however, longing to belong and fit in with others, to experience the stages of life in their proper order and to share your life’s path with others. Perhaps there is no real solution other than finding balance between our yearning for individuality and belonging, and maybe updated urban planning algorithms.
What is your desire path?
Always make sure to remind the people closest to you how important they are. Your gentle and loving words could transform someone’s day. Showing gratitude for our companions, family and friends is a wonderful way to practice kindness and self care.
Share your appreciation of those closest to you.
Goat of the Day 