Friday, 31 December 2010

Future

The nicest thing about the future
is that it always starts tomorrow.
- unknown

Wednesday, 29 December 2010

Slow

It does not matter how slowly you go,
so long as you do not stop.
- Confucius

Monday, 27 December 2010

Responsible

I’m not responsible
for the reactions
that I think I’m provoking.
– Gretchen Rubin

Friday, 24 December 2010

Who We Are

Where we are is
often the first clue to who we are.
- Julia Cameron

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Involved

‎Sometimes I forget
that I just don't need to be involved.
- unknown

Monday, 20 December 2010

Drama

There comes a time in life
when you walk away
from all the pointless drama
and people who create it,
and surround yourself with people
who make you laugh so hard
that you forget the bad
and focus on the good.
Life is too short
to be anything but happy.
- unknown

Friday, 17 December 2010

December 17, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

The countdown to Christmas is on! Of course, the way the days fly by (especially for us adults) we’ll blink and it will all be over for another year.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Did you know that people used to celebrate the Christmas season, not just Christmas Day? The traditional Twelve Days of Christmas marked the days between December 25 and January 6. Depending on what source you read, the twelve days are from Christmas Eve to Epiphany Eve (the 12th night), or Christmas Day to Epiphany Day (the 12th day).

Other traditions extended the Christmas season a total of 40 days! Thus, the season ended on Candlemas (February 2).

Maybe if we returned Christmas to a season - rather than just a day or week - we would be able to once again really experience the miracles, wonder, peace, joy, and love that Christmas represents - not just at this particular time of year, but throughout the whole year.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15FcS73r1w7MuqmCewQLCHNbMrGRnUU43/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Miracles

If a miracle solved your … problem,
what would you notice or be doing
differently in the morning?
- unknown

Monday, 13 December 2010

Hurt

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you;
you just gotta find the ones
worth suffering for.
-Bob Marley

Friday, 10 December 2010

Prayer

When you pray,
who hears your prayer?
You do.
– William Powers

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Truffles

You gotta have a swine
to show you where the truffles are.
- Edward Albee, U.S. playwright

Monday, 6 December 2010

Difficulties

When we long for life without difficulties,
remind us that oaks
grow strong in contrary winds
and diamonds are made
under pressure.
- Peter Marshall

Friday, 3 December 2010

December 3, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

At a Christmas craft sale last weekend I saw a plaque that read something along the lines of: The best days always end with the dirty clothes.

How very true that saying is. It is often the day when we end up getting a little dirty, or when nothing goes right, or when plans get tossed out the window, that ends up being, in hindsight, the best day.

A detour or lengthy delay can result in an unexpected encounter with an old friend, or with a stranger who becomes a new friend.

A slight mishap can lead to either a great moment of sharing during the clean up, or a serendipitous discovery as something new emerges from the mess.

During this Christmas season, when schedules are fuller than usual and life seems to be more chaotic than normal, take some time to truly enjoy the blessings these unpredictable situations offer to us.

After all, these are the best days of our lives.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15TUWBFnmWQPxcic3pqDZiN5yCK986Q_F/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Slowly

Smile, breathe and go slowly.
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Monday, 29 November 2010

Faith

Instead of hope, have faith.
– Larry Winget

Friday, 26 November 2010

Leadership

Leadership is getting someone to do something
that they wouldn't have done
until you encouraged them to do it.
- Jeff Rebraca

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Wisdom

Wisdom is the reward you get
for a lifetime of listening
when you’d have preferred to talk.
- unknown

Monday, 22 November 2010

Powers

Deep within humans dwell
those slumbering powers;
powers that would astonish them,
that they never dreamed of possessing;
forces that would revolutionize their lives
if aroused and put into action.
– Orison Marden

Friday, 19 November 2010

November 19, 2010 Chautauqua

From the Editor's Computer

Do you realize how fortunate we are to live in this country and province? Do you really??

In the October, 2010 United Church Observer Magazine, editor David Wilson’s column began by mentioning some of the troubles facing the United States right now. Then David was asked, by an American relative, what the “big controversy” was in Canada right now. In David’s words: “I thought for a moment and replied, a little sheepishly, ‘The census form.’”

Many of us just attended Remembrance Day services the week previous. Some countries have had their land and buildings totally ravaged by the effects of war - past and present. As well, natural disasters are destroying homes and lives around the globe. Some countries are still struggling economically, and probably will for a long time to come.

We here in Canada really have nothing to complain about at all - not even about the weather!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/114_t1SpKtieRahGNsTAQmIvp1XtWzRME/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Wandered

My body has certainly wandered a good deal,
but I have an uneasy suspicion
that my mind has not wandered enough.
– Noel Coward

Monday, 15 November 2010

Yourself

If you are going to be with yourself
just the way you are in this moment,
will you be happy?
Can you live with yourself throughout eternity
just the way you are?
- Michael Bernard Beckwith

Friday, 12 November 2010

Prudent

A prudent man will think
more important to him
what fate has conceded him,
than what it has denied.
– Baltasar Gracian

Wednesday, 10 November 2010

Gained

For everything you have missed,
you have gained something else.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monday, 8 November 2010

Perfect

Do you want to change the world?
I do not think it can be done.
The world is perfect and cannot be changed.
– Lao-tzu

Friday, 5 November 2010

November 5, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

I recently read "Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us” by Daniel Pink.

Usually when we think about motivating someone we think of rewards or punishments. According to the research that Pink quotes in the book that only works for very routine tasks (i.e. stuffing envelopes) and for a very short time period. Plus the drawback is that if you expect someone to do the same task at another time, you need to up the ante on the reward (or punishment).

People will allow themselves to be motivated if the task you want them to do has meaning to them, and has a creative and/or beneficial aspect which makes the person participate in the greater good of the world.

That said, the reality is that no one can be motivated. No matter how perfectly the project or task is in terms of helping the greater good, people won’t participate unless they want to. Bottom line...you have to want to participate, no one can motivate you to.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U8Lu2nUghr4fxvcNV6pKSYYAYr9vwi9V/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 3 November 2010

Mind

If you don’t like what is happening in your life,
change your mind
– Dalai Lama

Monday, 1 November 2010

Destiny

Adapt yourself to the things
among which your lot has been cast,
and love sincerely the fellow creatures
with whom destiny has ordained
that you shall live.
– Marcus Aurelius

Friday, 29 October 2010

Lost

Sometimes in life,
you need to get lost
to find your way.
– Mark Victor Hansen

Wednesday, 27 October 2010

Truth

Don’t worry if you write the truth.
It doesn’t hurt people, it helps them.
– Dainin Katagiri Roshi

Monday, 25 October 2010

Courage

There is only one thing
that it requires real courage to say,
and that is a truism.
- G. K. Chesterton

Friday, 22 October 2010

Magic wand

You will realize that the magic wand
is actually a pen and that,
pen in hand, you can transform your own life.
– Julia Cameron

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

Younger

Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
– Bob Dylan

Monday, 18 October 2010

Story

Those who do not have power
over the story that dominates their lives,
power to retell it, to rethink it,
deconstruct it, joke about it,
and change it as times change,
truly are powerless,
because they cannot think new thoughts.
– Salman Rushdie

Friday, 15 October 2010

October 15, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

October's the month
When the smallest breeze
Gives us a shower
Of autumn leaves.
Bonfires and pumpkins,
Leaves sailing down -
October is red
And golden and brown.
- Can Teach Songs

We have been very fortunate to have such nice weather in October for harvesting. I hope you all get a chance to enjoy the sunshine and summer-like fall we are having as we move toward winter.


Let’s go hiking just outside of town,
Through the leaves as they come drifting down,
Red and yellow, lovely golden brown.
It’s October!
- Author unknown

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1miyrIMGRz5slSRfWUt8onjJtVeSUAdHP/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

People

Whenever two people meet
there are really six present.
There is each man as he sees himself,
each as the other person sees him,
and each man as he really is.
– William James

Monday, 11 October 2010

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, 8 October 2010

Thinking

What do I think about
when I’m not thinking about anything else?
- Julia Cameron

Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Words

The words you choose and use
establish the life you experience.
– Sonia Choquette

Monday, 4 October 2010

Sing

I want to sing like birds sing
Not worrying who hears
or what they think.
– Rumi

Friday, 1 October 2010

October 1, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

What makes for a great newspaper?

To me, a community newspaper is similar to a public library. The content should reflect the diversity of the population, and be varied enough to appeal to a broad range of individuals. There should not be too much emphasis on one particular group of people. There should be items to entertain, educate, and challenge individuals. The tricky aspect is that everyone reacts differently - what I may find educational, you may find entertaining.

As well, a great newspaper, like a public library, will have items that don’t appeal to everyone (nor should they), and individuals have the freedom to ignore what doesn’t strike their interest. If a newspaper, or library, had what appealed to “everyone” there wouldn’t be much use for it.

“If all printers [or editors] were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.” - Benjamin Franklin

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ihJCmfytZn_plHvVTd2vYMKmVkG85E6s/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Work

What you do instead of your work
is your real work.
– Roger Ebert

Monday, 27 September 2010

Insight

A moment’s insight
is sometimes worth
a life’s experience.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Friday, 24 September 2010

Master

If one is master of one thing
and understands one thing well,
one has at the same time insight into
and understanding of many things.
– Vincent van Gogh

Wednesday, 22 September 2010

Unlived

May that all is unlived in you
Blossom into a future
Graced with love.
- John O'Donohue

Monday, 20 September 2010

Advice

Nobody can give you wiser advice
than yourself.
– Cicero

Friday, 17 September 2010

September 17, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

On September 4th I attended the Aaron Coates play The End of the Rope at the Bashaw Majestic Theatre about Robert Cook, the last man hung in Alberta, and his lawyer David MacNaughton. Even 50 years later, reactions to the case are very mixed.

Personally, I don’t know if Robert Cook murdered his family, however I don’t think he should have hung as there were too many details that don’t really add up to the obvious conclusion that Cook’s juries arrived at.

Have you ever seen the movie “12 Angry Men” (1957) with Henry Fonda? If not, I recommend it. The movie follows the deliberations of 12 jurors who must decide whether to send an 18 year old to the electric chair for killing his father. It also highlights how blind people can be to the obvious when emotions run high and the facts of a situation presented are too cut and dried.

Sometimes it only takes one person, with one question, to change the course of events.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E7El_QjEMNI9l9LrsRhmdEyjlnL-Kcc_/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Remember

One of the oddest things in life,
I think, is the things one remembers.
– Agatha Christie

Monday, 13 September 2010

Soul

No weapon can pierce the soul;
no fire can burn it;
nor water can moisten it;
nor can wind wither it.
– Bhagavan Krishna

Friday, 10 September 2010

Work

The less you work,
the more you produce.
– French proverb

Wednesday, 8 September 2010

Answers

Many people pray and receive
the answer to their prayers,
but ignore them – or deny them,
because the answers didn’t come
in the expected form.
– Sophy Burnham

Monday, 6 September 2010

Do Right

We must use *time* wisely
and forever realize that the time
is always ripe to do right.
- Nelson Mandela

Friday, 3 September 2010

September 3, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

It is back to school time. Time to return to our usual routines. Time for many clubs and organizations to resume their regular activities. Time for meetings to start up again.

September is also when we tend to join new clubs or sign up for extracurricular activities or life-long learning classes.

Every year there seems to be more and more choices of activities to involve ourselves in, with each choice appearing more exciting than the others.

After the summer break why do we suddenly over-schedule our lives? This fall, before you automatically sign yourself and your family up for various activities, ask yourself if you are signing up because you are really interested in the activity, or are you signing up because you think you should. A sense of obligation is not a real reason to join as that means you will not give the group/activity your very best. If you are not excited about the activity/group, why are you joining?

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w7EJyA6fJi0YkPhJWfyL7oBGqkK3EIqd/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Sunset

The sun will set
without thine assistance.
– Talmud

Monday, 30 August 2010

Today

I always knew that one day
I would take this road
but yesterday I did not know
today would be the day.
– Ragarjuna

Friday, 27 August 2010

Slow Down

Slow down and enjoy life.
It’s not just the scenery you miss
by going too fast – you also miss
the sense of where you are going and why.
– Eddie Cantor

Wednesday, 25 August 2010

Time

Always leave enough time in your life
to do something that makes you
happy, satisfied, even joyous.
This has more of an effect
on economic well-being
than any other single factor.
– Paul Hawken

Monday, 23 August 2010

Art

All the arts we practice are apprenticeship.
The big art is our life.
– M.C. Richards

Friday, 20 August 2010

August 20, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

Sometimes you can find the most interesting treasures in your own backyard, or pretty close to your backyard.

The other day, my mom and I did a little exploring around Alix. I’d never been out to the Alix Cemetery, and have on occasion been asked directions to it, so I figured I had better find it so I could send folks in the right direction.

It is amazing how much the land can change just a short distance out of Alix. There are the hay flats, hills, bush, and of course lakes.

We found the cemetery easily enough, and thought we’d enjoy a peaceful stroll around the headstones. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes decided we were a real delicacy so we retreated to the vehicle.

We followed the road and ended up at the southwest end of Haunted Lakes - a very beautiful spot and view of the lake. We didn’t have to travel far to enjoy such a visual treat, we just needed to venture off the beaten path.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kSgbshQRhWEOpOQjMcLFEGdfIS84kGnO/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Learning

I am still learning.
– Michelangelo

Monday, 16 August 2010

Do

Let the beauty of what you love,
be what you do.
– Rumi

Friday, 13 August 2010

Pretend

We are never so ridiculous
through what we are
as through what we pretend to be.
– Francois, Duc de la Rochefoucauld

Wednesday, 11 August 2010

Expect

Expect your every need to be met,
expect the answer to every problem,
expect abundance in every level,
expect to grow spiritually.
– Eileen Caddy

Monday, 9 August 2010

Lose

A wise man never loses anything
if he has himself.
– Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

Friday, 6 August 2010

August 6, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

2010 is a very momentous year for me as it means I have been healthy for 10 years!!!!

When I was 14 years old, I had a very chronic case of mono which basically wiped me, and my immune system, out. Though I was told I’d grow out of the debilitating weakness and other problems by the time I graduated from high school, it actually took an additional 9 years to see real improvement.

From Grade 9 on, I experienced ongoing fatigue, chronic colds, chronic laryngitis (lost my voice for 5 months in 1989), and almost-daily chronic migraines, just to name a few of the more obvious symptoms.

I experienced bone-deep weariness and literally wasn’t able to lift my head off the pillow. I had days when I would walk across the room and then have to rest for a long time before I could make the return trip. I often slept 2/3rds of the day, or more. I had to force myself to make it through a whole day of school - though, usually I ended coming home with a migraine and going right to sleep. When I started working, I worked one day, slept all day the next, worked the following day, and then slept the day after that.

Despite such severe health challenges, I graduated (high school and university), I completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award program, I worked two days a week, and earned my Highland Dance Teacher’s Certification.

It was a very long struggle, to get to the level of health I enjoy now - about 95%, I’m not quite at 100% - there was no magic potion, only lots determination and perseverance.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16fGUwmN1qQxBatmUqm2dtkXkMY8TBgKv/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

Influence

The influence of a beautiful, helpful,
hopeful character is contagious,
and may revolutionize a whole town.
– Eleanor H. Porter

Monday, 2 August 2010

Change

When it is not necessary to change,
it is necessary not to change.
– Lucius Cary

Friday, 30 July 2010

Comfort

I find that it is not the circumstances
in which we are placed,
but the spirit in which we face them,
that constitutes our comfort.
– Elizabeth King

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Limit

I’m not going to limit myself
just because people won’t accept the fact
that I can do something else.
– Dolly Parton

Monday, 26 July 2010

Irritating

It is not irritating to be where one is.
It is only irritating to think
one would like to be somewhere else.
– John Cage

Friday, 23 July 2010

Artist

No artist is ahead of his time.
He is his time,
it’s just that others are behind the times.
– Martha Grimes

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Motion

If you just set people in motion,
they’ll heal themselves.
– Gabrielle Roth

Monday, 19 July 2010

Confidence

Always the wish that you may find patience
enough in yourself to endure,
and simplicity enough to believe;
that you may acquire more and more confidence
in that which is difficult,
and in your solitude among others.
– Rainer Maria Rilke

Friday, 16 July 2010

July 16, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

Lately I have been reading my way through Julia Cameron’s many books on creativity.

So many people don’t let themselves do anything creative because they are worried about how it will be received by other people. They are concerned about being seen as foolish, flaky, and/or a failure.

Yet, in art and creativity, as in life itself, the journey is far more important than the final destination. Doing something creative, creating something, is more important than presenting whatever it is you’ve done to the world for scrutiny.

If you want to write or paint or dance or sing or (fill in the blank), then don’t bother sharing it with others. Do it entirely for yourself. Do it for your eyes or ears only. Do it because you will feel more alive for having done it. Allow yourself to express whatever you need to express, in the way you need to express it.

Who knows, because there is no pressure, you may decide in the end to share it after all.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19Z-dd9zGmS_Pa5RX-tSOGCOY2ASvo06f/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Plans

We must be willing to get rid of
the life we’ve planned,
so as to have the life
that is waiting for us.
– Joseph Campbell

Monday, 12 July 2010

Originality

Originality does not consist
in saying what no one has ever said before,
but in saying exactly what you think yourself.
– James Stephens

Friday, 9 July 2010

Pose

Let the world know you as you are,
not as you think you should be,
because sooner or later,
if you are posing,
you will forget the pose,
and then where are you?
- Fanny Brice

Wednesday, 7 July 2010

Occupations

The best occupations are the least forced.
– Montaigne

Monday, 5 July 2010

Years

The days are long,
but the years are short.
– Gretchen Rubin

Friday, 2 July 2010

July 2, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

Mirror School’s doors have now closed.

I attended the Commemorative/Farewell evening at the school on June 17th and was thrilled to see and reconnect with former staff - Rob Pearn, Richard Brooks, Gerry Moen, Georgia Spence and Brent Buchanan. A few former students were on hand for us to all reminisce together of days gone by.

While it is quite sad that the school is closing, in one respect it is just a building. The vast majority of my personal memories of the school don’t really centre around the building itself. Okay, yes, there was that one time I kicked my running shoe on the roof and had to ask the janitor, Brian Bellamy, to get it down.

As we shared memories during the evening, our memories were mainly about the relationships we had formed there - many of which have survived time and distance. Mirror School really was one large family

They can close the building’s doors...they can’t destroy our memories.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua  here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1in2DTPxoKtZ6OTQoQkrJJOghfkbl3BRq/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Gratitude

In ordinary life
we hardly realize
that we receive
a great deal more than we give,
and that it is only
with gratitude
that life becomes rich.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Monday, 28 June 2010

Eyes and Ears

The eye takes a person into the world.
The ear brings the world into a human being.
– Lorenz Oken

Friday, 25 June 2010

Light

Make life light, not heavy.
– Unknown

Wednesday, 23 June 2010

Direction

You have to trust your inner knowing.
If you have a clear mind…
you won’t have to search for direction.
Direction will come to you.
– Phil Jackson

Monday, 21 June 2010

Relaxation

Tension is who you think you should be.
Relaxation is who you are.
- Chinese proverb

Friday, 18 June 2010

June 18, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

I read an interesting question the other day. The question was: “Whom would you take to war?” Some people in our lives are great friends, however they are not someone we’d want beside us in the trenches if we had to go to war.

Another question, along similar lines, is: “If you knew you had only 1 more hour to live, who would you want to spend that final hour with?”

The purpose of these two questions is not to get you feeling all morbid or doom and gloomish. Rather, it is to get you to really think about the people in your life and why they are important to you. As well, the questions highlight the people you should be spending most of your time with.

By all means, answer those two questions for yourself, and then let those people know that they are on your list. If you find out that you are on their list too, those are the people who should be the #1 priority in your world.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16qfkdHGrP1FTbESFgs3UWJZCteplkYKT/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 16 June 2010

Song

The brook would lose its song
if God removed the rocks.
- Unknown

Monday, 14 June 2010

Easy

It is easy to be poor when we want nothing,
to be humble when we are despised by no one,
to be patient if we never suffer injury.
– John Trithemius

Friday, 11 June 2010

Passions

Passions are wired into the real world
more directly than our workday routines are.
If you love something,
you’ll bring so much of yourself to it
that it will create your future.
– Francis Ford Coppola

Wednesday, 9 June 2010

Gift

If a person is in your life
it is because you have a gift for each other.
– Robert Holden

Monday, 7 June 2010

Live

When you trust yourself,
you will know how to live.
– Goethe

Friday, 4 June 2010

June 4, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

The ancient Celtic people had a world view that was quite different from other cultures in the world.

For instance, the Celts were the only society without some form of a creation myth. For them, the world always was, always is, and always will be.

They illustrated this “no beginning and no end” belief in many ways, the most tangible and familiar to us is the intricate Celtic knots that have no sign of a beginning or ending point.

This Celtic belief greatly impacted the way they viewed the world around them and their relationships with others.

Where we tend to see the world and our relationships in terms of polarity or duality (opposites), the Celts used trinities (such as past/present/future, mind/body/spirit, hot/lukewarm/cold, and more).

When you move away from a dual mindset and embrace a trinitarian view, you discover that the world is no longer divided along the lines of either/or, us/them, me/you, rather it is a relationship of and/and/and. Everything exists at once, in a type of harmony that we normally cannot envision or experience.

By viewing our worlds in trinitarian terms we discover unique ways of being that would never have occurred to us otherwise.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yt9MKAUM1XCCoeaOVD3sAo624BgAWU6B/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Think

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.
- Lorraine Hansberry

Monday, 31 May 2010

Less

It is vain to do with more
what can be done with less.
– William Ockham

Friday, 28 May 2010

Problems

We all have the right amount of problems.
– Shunryu Suzuki

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Living

Living with others
is like putting stones in a tumbler;
the stones are rubbed against each other,
and their rough and jagged edges
are eventually worn smooth.
- Unknown

Monday, 24 May 2010

One Day

Have you ever felt
that even though you’re taking things
“one day at a time”…
it’s about twenty-four more hours
than you can take?
- Unknown

Friday, 21 May 2010

May 21, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

In the past 5 years or so, people have undertaken a number of year-long projects and written books and/or blogs about their year.

These projects ranged in scope from Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project, to Julie Powell’s Julie/Julia project to cook all the recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to A.J. Jacobs quest to live as Biblically as possible for a year, to Elizabeth Gilbert’s international year of finding her true self as chronicled in Eat, Pray, Love.

One gal’s project was to use her crock pot every day for a whole year. Another gal wore the same homemade brown dress every day for a whole year (yes, she washed it between wearings) to protest the excess of the fashion industry.

In their year-long projects, some people stopped using a car, changed their eating habits, or changed their shopping habits. For some, the focus was on greener living, for others it was on more spiritual living. Some cut out things to simplify their lives, while others added to their lives to enrich them.

In each case, the person undertaking the project challenged themselves to step out of their comfort zone and commit to something for an extended period of time. In each case, they faced times when they wanted to quit, thought they were wasting their time, and wondered why they’d even bothered. Yet, they prevailed. In the end, it wasn’t so much the project as the year-long commitment that had the most profound impact on their lives.

What would you do for a full year?

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DDtgj93XJsZ5q4GuCKmrSFr8z4I4x0hJ/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Emotions

We all have the imaginable joy, sadness,
and contentment within us,
these feelings are already there.
Some people may bring out these emotions
more than other people,
but they are part of us, lying in wait.
- Unknown

Monday, 17 May 2010

Space

The extent of your consciousness
is limited only by your ability to love
and to embrace with your love
the space around you, and all it contains.
- Napoleon Bonaparte

Friday, 14 May 2010

Opinions

It never ceases to amaze me:
we all love ourselves more than other people,
but care more about their opinions
than our own.
– Marcus Aurelius

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

One Step

The elevator to success is out of order.
You’ll have to use the stairs
one step at a time.
– Joe Girard

Monday, 10 May 2010

Jump

As you go the way of life,
you will see a great chasm.
Jump!
It is not as far as you think.
– Native American saying

Friday, 7 May 2010

May 7, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

It has been said that what most people end up doing when they grow up is what they enjoyed doing when they were six or seven.

That is the age when children are still insatiably curious about everything. They are eager to learn and try new things. School is fun.

It is also the age before many children hear the dreaded “you can’t be that” or “be reasonable, you can’t do that” comments.

We ask children that age what they want to do or be when they grow up, and their answers are always bold and adventurous - and even if they change their minds in 24 hours, the answer they give is definite and unwavering in that moment.

Children at that age are full of possibilities and they know - they don’t just believe - that anything can happen. They don’t look for the safe or the obvious route, they explore the unexplored and create new paths.

So, what did you enjoy doing when you were six or seven? Are you doing it now?

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oAq-7RbNGhWpYx-zi0hssmdiBOr8G6-E/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Loose Ends

Animals always seem to know what to do.
They are seldom at loose ends.
– Gary Thorp

Monday, 3 May 2010

Own Time

What you are doing
and how you’re doing it
are what matter.
Every event happens in its own time…
occurring just when it’s time for them to happen,
just when they become ripe.
– Gary Thorp

Friday, 30 April 2010

Right

Always do right -
this will gratify some people
and astonish the rest.
- Mark Twain

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Box

Forget thinking outside the box
– you’re not in a box!
- Larry Winget

Monday, 26 April 2010

Scarcity

There is no scarcity of opportunity
to make a living at what you love.
There’s only a scarcity of resolve
to make it happen.
- Wayne Dyer

Friday, 23 April 2010

Better

Leave every situation better than you found it.
– unknown

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Do

Do what you said you would do,
when you said you would do it,
the way you said you would do it.
– Larry Winget

Monday, 19 April 2010

To Get Done

Have a To-Get-Done list.
It's more important
to get things done than to do things.
- unknown

Friday, 16 April 2010

April 16, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

A unique new fashion trend has been unveiled just in time for spring and has been sweeping across our region at a rapid rate.

It matters not your age, gender, body shape, or even income, this trend is available to all without restriction.

What is this great fashion trend of which I speak? It is the wind-blown look!

No need to purchase a whole new wardrobe or visit the beauty salon. Just walk outside and let Mother Nature herself give you a FREE personalized makeover custom designed just for you. What a fabulous deal!

While you may think such an equal-opportunity trend would lead to a uninspiring sameness, that is not the case as each person will retain their own unique style, and
sport a completely new look daily.

Personally, I’m waiting for the drenched look to come back into fashion! :)

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yrd8wBreNPcHicPjTIPaWzddbQkQGbJM/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

Education

Education is not an expense;
it is an investment.
- Larry Winget

Monday, 12 April 2010

Impossible

If you want to achieve the impossible,
you can't miss a day.
It's the daily discipline, the daily work
that makes achieving things possible.
- Larry Winget

Friday, 9 April 2010

A “no” uttered from deepest conviction
is better and greater
than a “yes” merely uttered to please,
or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
– Mahatma Gandhi

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Do

I will do today what other will not do,
so in the future I can do what others cannot do.
- Randy Gage

Monday, 5 April 2010

Carry

Carry a Heart that Never Hates.
Carry a Smile that Never Fades.
Carry a Touch that Never Hurts.
- unknown

Friday, 2 April 2010

April 2, 2010 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer

Every year about this time, my car is usually sitting in a mini-lake created by the melting snow. If there is a lot of snow to melt, then there is a matching mini-lake across the street and we speculate as to whether or not they will meet in the middle of the laneway.

This year is different. This year we had a few days with a large puddle and then nothing. The ground across the street is hardly damp.

That is a sign that the ground is very, very dry. So dry in fact, that hopefully the water we did have - it seemed like we got lots of snow in December - all got sucked into the ground and didn’t all evaporate.

We have had too many years of late with little moisture falling to replenish the depleted moisture levels in the ground. Sloughs have dried up that seemed to be in existence forever.

These dry conditions affect not only the wildlife and domestic animals, but all of us too, whether we are farmers or not.

Unfortunately, the situation is also compounded by the winds that we are experiencing. Valuable moisture that we need in the land is whisked away by days of wind. As more and more windbreaks are being cleared out, wind conditions, and the dryness, will get worse.

I am crossing my fingers and hoping that the old wife's tale of moisture 90 days after a fog is true. With the many foggy days the end of February and beginning of March we should be in for a real soaking this spring! And we need all the rain we can get!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H4W3tYLDiPwT4b7jGMB7dGNSiMH3SGig/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Success

The measure of success is not
whether you have a tough problem to deal with,
but whether it’s the same problem
you had last year.
- John Foster Dulles

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