Life is amazing. And then,
it's awful. And then
it's amazing.
And the awful it is
ordinary and mundane and
routine. Breathe in the amazing,
hold on through the awful.
and relax and exhale during the
ordinary.
That's just living heartbreaking,
soul-healing, amazing, awful,
ordinary life. And it's breathtakingly
beautiful.
It is build. It is chosen. It is
nurtured over the years. A beautiful life is made from the heart not the
head. It is not one we can rationalize our way into, it's one that must be felt. A beautiful life is not one that is immediately comfortable, but one grown through the acknowledgement of what is worth being uncomfortable for. It is not one that is easy. It is one that is worth it.
From: Wikipedia: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was founded in Long Beach, California, in 1966. Founding guitarist Jeff Hanna was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, but his family had moved to Long Beach four years prior.[1] While in high school, he befriended guitarist Bruce Kunkel, and the two played in a local duo called the New Coast Two.[2] As they wanted to form a larger group, the two began playing impromptu jam sessions at a Santa Monica music store called McCabe's Guitar Shop.[3] Through these performances, they recruited four other musicians. These were Jimmie Fadden, who at the time played washtub bass, harmonica, and guitar, along with Ralph Barr (guitar, clarinet), Les Thompson (guitar, mandolin), and Jackson Browne (guitar). All six members also served as vocalists. Browne quit the group after only a few months,[4] and was replaced by John McEuen, who contributed on guitar, mandolin, banjo, and washtub bass.[2] They briefly called themselves the Illegitimate Jug Band, due to their playing jug band music without actually having a member who played the jug. Soon afterward, they selected Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as a name,[1] inspired by their observation that many bands at the time had names that they considered long and unusual, such as Strawberry Alarm Clock.[5]
I had an early morning medical appointment and afterwards I decided to treat myself to breakfast. My neighbor Darlene had been telling me about a great neighborhood cafe “ Country Kitchen” in the corner mini mall of Cherry and Spring street. It was a really good recommendation. The place is not fancy but homey and the owners (two cousins Helen and Yusi) are warm and so welcoming. It seems to be a gathering place for regulars. The owners too were happily greeting familiar faces. Helen told me the restaurant opened in 2019 but they took over ownership in 2024. It’s a family run business and their cooks who are not related are like family to them. They introduced me to the cooks and we had fun chatting. They serve breakfast and lunch daily. I enjoyed my bacon eggs and potatoes. It’s a very nice family owned business that I hope you will support.
O, Lord, let me accept all that this day may bring as
coming from You.
May I bring You to others by kindness, generosity,
forgiveness, patience and love. Help me to break out of
the prison of my own self-concern, of what I think is
important. Give me the grace to be You to others and to
find You in them.
