Mother Teresa Smiling

Mother Teresa lived from 1910 - 1997.  During her lifetime, she was a world figure.  She felt destined to be a nun, and left home at age 18 for Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto Abbey. She then went to India where she taught school for nearly twenty years.  She remained in India for her entire life.  One one website, her occupation is listed as "Saint". She experienced what she termed "the call within the call" on September 10th, 1946, and began missionary work with the poor two years later.  She begged for food and supplies and lived among the poor. She received Vatican permission for the diocesan congregation which became the Missionaries of Charity.  This  grew to 450 brothers and 5,000 sisters worldwide, operating 600 missions, school and shelters in 120 countries.  The charity work was focused on hospices, orphanages and leper houses throughout India.  She was first recognized by the Indian government in 1962 and received numerous awards from the government.  She received international Peace Awards and other recognitions.  She received the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize.  Her great contributions have received criticisms and there is controversy over her missions. There is also controversy about the miracle and canonization. What is remarkable is the number of amazing quotes attributed to her.  There are hundreds, probably a thousand.  So many quotes show up when I research topics. Here are few about 'smiles': Let us always meet each other with smile, for the small is the beginning of love. Peace begins with a smile. We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do. Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile.  Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family. I found this emerging fern at the garden centre earlier in the week.

Witticisms

It is easy to find humour on the internet. Here are some sayings from witty-quotes.com The real trouble with reality is that there's no background music. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. House Guarded By Shotgun 3 Days A Week. Guess Which Days. Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege. War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left. And famous people have said very humorous, entertaining things. Here are some from tk421.net "Don’t be so humble - you are not that great." - Golda Meir (1898-1978), to a visiting diplomat "Give me a museum and I’ll fill it." - Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) "The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about anything, and that all the pains that I have so humbly taken to verify my notions have only wasted my time." - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) "I have an existential map; it has ‘you are here’ written all over it." - Steven Wright "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Here are some of the images from the Series Niagara's Blossom Trail, 2017.

Benjamin Franklin's Frugal Talk

Frugality has a great history in the United States.  Both Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson extolled and promoted the 'simple life.' Quotes from Benjamin Franklin: 1. “A penny saved is a penny earned.” 2. “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” 3. “Having been poor is no shame, being ashamed of it is.” 4. “He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.” 5. “Rather go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt.” - Benjamin Franklin Today's pictures are the sort of 'castle ruin' we have in Ontario - a barn silo standing alone in an abandoned field. This one is up on the escarpment.