Serving the Psycho-Spiritual Needs of People since 1984!! Welcome to the Quote of the Week. This week, an old phrase found me again — three simple words with deep philosophical roots that I first discovered years ago. They arrived at just the right moment, offering me the perspective I need for something I've been working through. 

 "Is that so?"

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This Week's Care Package

The Story Behind the Quote Three options:

• Kannon Do Zen Center — "Is That So?" (Deep, contemplative)
• Zen Kindle — "Is That So? Zen Story" (Clear, accessible)
• Inquiring Mind — Personal Reflection on the Story (More personal and reflective)

A Podcast: Finding Equanimity

"Finding Equanimity in Chaos" — Sam Harris on the 10% Happier Podcast 

A Song: "Let It Be"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4

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Bonus Care Package:  The Story of Hakuin

The most famous philosophical use comes from the Zen master Hakuin (1686–1769). When a young woman became pregnant and her parents accused Hakuin of being the father, he responded simply: "Is that so?" He accepted the child and raised it without protest. A year later, the woman confessed the real father was someone else. When the parents came to retrieve the child with apologies, Hakuin again said only: "Is that so?"

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  Stay open, don't cling, don't resist, and let reality be what it is.  

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 Welcome to the Quote of the Week!  Serving the Psycho-Spiritual Needs of People since 1984!!  Thinking about getting on a path to enlightenment??  This week's quote is a reminder that enlightenment is simply remembering that you already have what you need to begin!  

"The path to enlightenment isn’t really a path at all.
It’s a metaphor for the moment you finally allow yourself to be at peace with who you already are,
where you already are, and what you already have — no matter what."

Harry Soosaar

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CARE PACKAGE: Being at Peace With Who You Already Are

3 Questions to Think More Deeply

1. Where in my life am I still acting as if I need to “arrive” somewhere before I can feel at ease?

2. What parts of myself or my life are already enough — even if I rarely acknowledge them?

3. If enlightenment is permission rather than progress, what permission do I most need to give myself today?

Article: “The Disease of More” — Mark Manson

https://markmanson.net/do-we-ever-feel-we-have-enough?utm_source=ForTheInterestedNewsletter

TED Talk: “The Art of Being Yourself” — Caroline McHugh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veEQQ-N9xWU

3 Songs that echo the quote...

“Unwritten” — Natasha Bedingfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7k0a5hYnSI

“Let It Be” — The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4 

“Brave” — Sara Bareilles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

Choose your next step with courage.”

Are you like me and sometimes spend too much time waiting for life to start, rather than actually living it? We often worry about how short life is, but the real mistake is how long we wait to dive in. This week's quote by W.M. Lewis offers a perfect reflection on this dilemma.

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it."

W.M. Lewis

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Care Package

3 Reflective Questions

The "Wait" Audit: If I knew for a fact that the "perfect conditions" I’m waiting for would never arrive, what small version of my goal would I start today?

The Energy Check: Which part of my daily routine am I doing because I want to, and which part am I doing just to "get through the day" to reach a future point?

The Eulogy Test: If I look back from the end of my life, will I be more grateful for the risks I took to live fully now, or the safety I maintained by waiting?

Article: The Overlooked and Misunderstood Arrival Fallacy

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindfulness-insights/202503/the-overlooked-and-misunderstood-arrival-fallacy

 

Song: What are you waiting for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtBPPr_GVUg

2 Mantras to help you live this week's quote

  "The time is now; the person is me." |  "Start before you’re ready."

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 What if the peace we’ve been searching for isn’t somewhere down the road—but in the way we treat people today? Novelist, Jack Kerouac had a thought on that with this week's quote.

"Practice kindness all day to everybody and 

you will realize you're already in heaven now."
Jack Kerouac

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This week's Care Package

A Song: What the World Needs Now Is Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUaxVQPohlU

A Kindness Reflection...

Kindness isn’t just something we give—it’s something we experience.
Every smile, every kind word, every moment of patience… it all adds up.
Maybe heaven isn’t a destination. Maybe it’s a daily practice.

A Call to Action...

Today, offer one unexpected act of kindness—and notice what it does for you.

Questions to ponder:

• How would your day feel different if you treated kindness as your primary objective?
• What if "being in heaven" is simply a matter of attention and behavior, not belief or circumstance?

Explore Further:

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 Sometimes you hear something that makes you pause and look at your own life a little differently. This week's quote by Jane Goodall made me think and maybe it will do the same for you. It’s not about perfection — it’s about noticing your “reason” and simply doing your “bit.”

"Every day you live, you make a difference.
You matter. You're here for a reason.
Find the reason. And do your bit.
Then, we can save the world."

Jane Goodall

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Care Package for your consideration

Questions to Ponder

What's your unique "bit" that only you can contribute?
Have you been waiting for permission to matter, when you already do?

More about Jane Goodall...

A youtube short https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2GKxZ6NGKXs (Youtube short)

Article: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/jane-goodall/

Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LAnn1nRp0M

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

PS An Action-Oriented Mantra''...

“Each day, I do my part to make the world better.”

 

In the US, our culture is of hustle and urgency, however this Italian wisdom offers a different mathematics: speed often leads to burnout or error, while steady patience ensures you actually reach the destination. The tortoise understood what the hare did not. (BTW ~ This quote is dedicated to our Quote of the Week friends in Italy~ Silvia, Raffaele, Michaela, Stefania, Elena and Gian!! ~ "Buon cammino a tutti"

Piano piano, si va lontano."  
(Slowly, slowly, one goes far.)

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Care Package; Questions to Explore | 

• Where are you trying to sprint a marathon?
• What long-term goal might benefit from a slower, more sustainable pace?

Explore Further:

• Article: "Slow productivity" - Cal Newport's work on sustainable achievement
• Video Topic: Search for "Italian philosophy of slow living" - la dolce vita and life pacing

April 13, 2026

Quote: "Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you're already in heaven now." - Jack Kerouac

Intro: Kerouac, the restless wanderer always searching for enlightenment, eventually realized that paradise isn't a destination to reach but a practice to embody. Heaven isn't somewhere we go when we die—it's what we create through how we treat each moment and each person.

Questions:

• How would your day feel different if you treated kindness as your primary objective?
• What if "being in heaven" is simply a matter of attention and behavior, not belief or circumstance?

Explore Further:

• Article Topic: Random acts of kindness research - effects on giver and receiver
• Video: "The Science of Kindness" - psychological and physiological benefits

We’re three days into Spring now, and I have been seeing a lot of those little buds on the trees and plants waiting to open. This week's quote by Anais Nin sort of reminds us ( me) that Spring is nature’s way of showing us that it's finally time to let go and just see what happens when we open up."

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was 

more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

Anaïs Nin

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This week's Care Package ~ 

Questions for you (me) to Ponder:

“What’s one 'bud' you’ve been keeping tight that might be ready to bloom?”
“What feels more ‘risky’ right now: changing, or staying exactly where you are?”

"If you look at the buds outside today, they aren't 'trying' to bloom—they're just responding to the light. What's one area of your life where you can stop 'trying' so hard and just start responding to what you already know is true?"  

TED Talk: "Why Real Change is Uncomfortable (And Why That's Necessary" by Palak Chawan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05bfeZX93Qo

Songs that speaks to the Quote

"Keep Breathing" by Ingrid Michaelson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svfd999aej8

"Brave" by Sara Bareilles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4

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If you find yourself in any of these seasons of change or reflection, let these mantras guide you.

Career Transition:“I trust the risk of change more than the safety of standing still.”

Career Management: “Growth is my direction, not my destination.”

Personal Growth: “I give myself permission to blossom.”

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, but this week’s quote reaches back centuries before shamrocks and celebrations. The Roman Stoic Seneca reminds us that there’s far more to luck than the chance of finding a four‑leaf clover...

 

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." 

Seneca

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Care PackageRead & Explore More:

Article: How to Create Your Own Luck: 5 Easy Practices

https://fortelabs.com/blog/how-to-create-your-own-luck-5-easy-practices/

TEDTALK: The little risks you can take to increase your luck

https://www.ted.com/talks/tina_seelig_the_little_risks_you_can_take_to_increase_your_luck

A Question to Ponder:

What’s one area of your life where a little preparation could turn the next opportunity into “luck”?

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Wishing you a most beautiful and lucky day wherever this may find you! And Happy St Patrick's Day!  

 Welcome to the Quote of the Week — serving the psycho-spiritual needs of people on the go since 1984. What if you stopped chasing perfection and simply showed up as you are? Steinbeck reminds us that perfectionism is paralysis in disguise; “good” is often excellent — and always better than the perfect that never happens.  

When you stop trying to be perfect, you can finally be good."

John Steinbeck, East of Eden

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Care Package to Explore and Contemplate 

Questions:

Where is your perfectionism preventing you from being effective?

What "good enough" work have you been avoiding because it can't be perfect?

Article; Brené Brown; Perfectionism is armor

 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brenebrown_perfectionism-is-armor-perfectionism-is-activity-6422223430090846208-thst/

Tedtalk: Done is better than Perfect

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=done+is+better+than+perfect

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 What if the most important decisions you make this year depend on how honestly you answer one simple question: Whose life are you actually living? It’s a question that hits differently as I (we) get older and start to see how easy it is to slip into living by other people’s expectations.  This week’s Steve Jobs quote speaks directly to that:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

Steve Jobs

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Care Package to Explore and Contemplate

Questions to Ask yourself: 

Are you building a life you enjoy, or a life that looks good to others?
If you lost your internet connection for a week, what hobbies or passions would resurface?

Article to read: The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) – Why saying "no" is the ultimate 2026 power move.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-is-state-mind/201807/jomo-the-joy-missing-out

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 Can a no‑nonsense quote really inspire me to start digging through all the “stuff” I’ve accumulated over the years? 

I sure hope so!

"You’ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse." 

  As quoted by Denzel Washington  

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The Care Package: Explore & Contemplate

That quote really got me thinking — about what I’m holding onto, and why I’m holding onto it. I’m trying to thin out my stuff so it doesn’t turn into a burden for someone else someday (BTW, I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon ;-) — but still, you never know).  I’ve procrastinated on this for a long time, so I asked AI for a little help to get me moving. Here are 2 perspectives and 2 questions it offered. I would also like to hear your thoughts as well!

2 Perspectives: The world has a strict "no luggage" policy at the finish line. |  The best stuff in life? It doesn't actually fit in a box.
2 Questions: Do I love it, do I use it, do I need it? | Is this helping me live the life I want to live?

Watch:  You Can’t Take It With You (1938). A reminder to choose people over property.

(Amazon Prime/YouTube)

Watch: Denzel Washington’s Dillard Speech. (U-Haul quote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROiNPUwg9bQ

Search: "Swedish Death Cleaning.

https://www.margaretamagnusson.com/

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Another Quote to think about:

"The only thing we actually keep is our love and our character."
Grandpa Vanderhof (from the movie, "You can't take it with you.")

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Wishing you a most beautiful week wherever this may find you

 This week’s inspiration comes from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, reminding us that stagnation is the enemy of growth. Whether it’s a new habit, a fresh perspective, or a complete reset, let’s keep the gears turning and the spirit light.

 "We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves, otherwise we harden."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Your Weekly Care Package for your for Contemplation and Exploration

2 Contemplative Questions:

Where in your life do you feel yourself "hardening" into fixed patterns?
What's one small way you could introduce novelty or learning into your daily routine?

Explore:

Video: TEDx Talk "After Watching This, Your Brain Will Not Be The Same" by Lara Boyd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNHBMFCzznE

Article: Carol Dweck on Growth Mindset

https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-guides/foundations-course-design/learning-activities/growth-mindset-and-enhanced-learning

And in honor of President's Day, we have this quote by Theodore Roosevelt...

"The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits."

Both men feel  that true living requires a relentless, active commitment to growth and effort!   

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 Feeling the mid-winter blues?

This week, we look to our Norwegian friends for a reminder that perspective is everything. It serves as a gentle reminder that even when days feel heavy or circumstances cloud our view, the blue sky remains steady and waiting just beyond what we can see. We also dedicate this week's quote to long-time member Ashley Cox, who celebrated her birthday yesterday! Ashley is someone who always looks for the blue skies, perfectly embodying the sentiment of this Norwegian proverb!

“Bak skyene er himmelen alltid blå.”

Behind the clouds, the sky is always blue.

Norwegian Proverb

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This week's Care Package ~For your Contemplation and Exploration

Questions to ask yourself:

What "clouds" are you mistaking for the entire sky right now?
Can you recall a past storm that felt permanent but eventually cleared?

A Song or two

I can see clearly now: Johnny Nash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0cAWgTPiwM

Clouds: Zach Sobiech (Be sure to watch and listen to these 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDC97j6lfyc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guooaJ6lGI8&t=21s

Article: Behind the clouds the sky is always blue in Norway

https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/behind-the-clouds-the-sky-is-always-blue-in-norway

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Wishing you a most beautiful day with lots of blues skies wherever this may find you!

 Well, it’s Groundhog Day today — a quirky holiday and a movie that may look like light comedy, but is packed with deep insights and wisdom about how to live a good life (One of my favorite movies). So instead of a quote this week, here are a few life lessons inspired by Groundhog Day to carry into your week.  Which lesson most resonates with you?

Gratitude turns routine into joy. (When Phil, the protagonist starts appreciating what’s right in front of him, every repeated day becomes meaningful. Gratitude shifts our mindset from “Why me?” to “I get to.”)  
Every day is a chance to begin again. (We might not wake up to the exact same day, but we often face the same patterns, choices, and reactions. Each morning offers a reset — a new opportunity to do better, to grow kinder, and to live with intention.)

Growth isn’t instant — it’s gradual and built through daily effort. (Transformation happens through patience, repetition, and engagement.)

Self-improvement can't begin without self-awareness. (True change starts when we stop blaming circumstances and start noticing our own reactions. Awareness breaks the cycle and opens the door to compassion for ourselves and others.)

The present moment is the only day we ever really have. (The heart of this movie lies in this truth: life isn’t about escaping repetition but embracing the now. Every day, no matter how ordinary, is worth living fully.)

We all have our “Groundhog days. (Certain situations, conversations, or feelings seem to repeat. But small shifts in attitude and action can change the entire feel of our lives.)

The goal may be the destination, but life — and loving life — is the path. (Our big goals matter, but how we show up along the way is where meaning and fulfillment are actually found.)

If you are in a bad loop, you don’t escape by changing the world — you escape by changing yourself. (Stop asking “What do I get?” and start asking “Who can I become?”)

Service as a way of life. (When life feels stuck, serving others often becomes the key that unlocks our own sense of purpose and possibility.

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Care Package ~For your Contemplation and Exploration

The Ending Quote of the movie: “When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.” Phil Connors, Groundhog Day

Questions to ask yourself based on the Phil's journey:

If I had to live today over and over again, what would I do differently?

Am I spending my time trying to change my circumstances, or am I changing how I react to them?
Who can I help, or what small act of kindness can I perform today

Explore Further:

Check out the Film "Groundhog Day" (1993)

Article: The Science and Practice of Staying Present Through Difficult Times

https://www.mindful.org/science-practice-staying-present-difficult-times/

Meditation: The Present Moment

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIvsFLHJ0-I

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"On a personal note, I’ve always been drawn to the movie Groundhog Day, and playing the Grinch during the holidays helped me realize why. Both characters begin stuck in their ways, which serves as a reminder of how often I have my own 'Groundhog Days'.  I’m still a work in progress—at least, I hope so! Here’s to self-awareness, patience, and the lifelong process of learning."  

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!

 This week's quote, William James, reminds us that fighting reality drains the very energy we need to heal. Acceptance isn’t giving up—it’s the solid ground from which real change begins. Only when we face what is can we move toward what can be.

"Acceptance of what has happened is the first step 

to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune." 

William James

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Explore and Contemplate Care Package

Questions for your contemplation:
What reality are you still resisting that's draining your energy?
How might accepting "what is" free you to focus on "what's next"?

Explore Further: Video Topic: Search for "radical acceptance DBT therapy" - Marsha Linehan's work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTG7YEWkJFI

Article: The Second Arrow of Suffering
https://grandrapidstherapygroup.com/second-arrow-of-suffering/

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OneWord | OneYear 2026 Entries

 

Thank you to everyone who shared their word for 2026!

 May your chosen word guide you, surprise you, and bring you closer to the breakthrough you seek. 

Good luck on your journey!

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Wishing you a most beautiful day wherever this may find you!