From the Desk of Pennwell Gray
Daily thoughts. Points to ponder. Soulful reflections. The Musings of E.M. Murphy.
2022 has hit the calendar and I don’t know about you – but I’m no different.
I set goals – not resolutions – and came to realize tonight, that may be marketing spin.
Day one – failed. Day two – failed. Day three – contemplating if setting new goals on a specific, societal dictated norm is intended to change the world – or prove to us how fickle resolutions are. Continue reading “Same old. Same old.”
T.V. hardly had a place in my life for nearly 50 years. Truth be told, I purchased it only because the entertainment center seemed to ‘require’ one and it would have looked rather odd without that empty space. A lame and possibly pathetic reason, I know, but an honest one.
Then came COVID. My immersion into the world of television was an adventure, one in which I found some enormous value, therefore a constructive way to spend some time. Reading and writing still take precedence, both my pastimes of choice, but I’ve expanded my horizons, so to speak. Continue reading “I’m not only looking up. I’m seeing the light.”
As I scurry about, preparing for Christmas Eve, the time when my immediate family celebrates the Christmas holiday, I hold such gratitude in my heart.
And to each of you who follow my blog, making the time to read blog posts and articles – thank you.
I can only hope that something you read touched your heart, opened your mind or inspired change.
If nothing else, may it have made some difference, in some way, in your life.
I count each of you as one of the many blessings in my life.
May the magic of Christmas be with you always.
For those of us who celebrate Christmas, may we be reminded that the holidays aren’t necessarily filled with peace, joy and happiness for all.
For some, it is a time filled with grief, suffering and discomfort. It is a time of sorrow, upset and pain. Continue reading “Not every Christmas is Merry.”
Each day I choose a quote to embark upon the day and yesterday’s quote of the day is one that has stuck with me.
“I’m a human, and I’m multidimensional. If I was the perfect form of anything, I’d be boring. If I was a free spirit all the time, I would be boring; I would lack depth. If I was dark and enigmatic all the time, then I would lack relatability.” – Halsey
When I choose quotes, I do so with intention, always. It’s not just something to post. It’s something that spoke to me or provoked thought, thus I like to pass it on in the hopes that the same will happen for you. Continue reading “3 Tips to Being Genuinely You.”
As I sit in companionate silence with my fur-baby nestled in beside me on the couch, I find myself absorbing the peacefulness of the moment.
The day is gray and the temperature chill. Mother Nature has reminded us that she has turned the page and winter is with us.
Continue reading “We can’t buy zen, no matter how much we spend.”As my fingers struck the keys that crafted this title, in my head I could hear the grouches, the cynics and the naysayers.
Lately I’ve read articles penned by fellow writers bashing positivity, encouraging people to unleash their rage and letting them know that it’s absolutely acceptable to do that.
They pooh-pooh the silver lining, incite volatile emotions and invite others to practice anger.
I agree – believe me. Of course it is good to release those feelings and emotions. It is healthy to find an outlet that is cathartic – if it is, indeed, cathartic. Continue reading “Some days are purely magical.”
How often do we read that when we look back on our lives, we will never wish that our tombstones read: “I wish that I’d worked more.”
Yet I’ve grown quite comfortable and certain in saying that there are some who not only want that, but need that.
We try to help because we believe in taking control of our lives – personally and professionally, thus we expel experiences, stories and accounts of how they, too, can do this.
We offer up our wisdom and skills on how to manage time, energy and resources – yet the person never seems to make that work. They consistently find a reason or share a story – which is really an excuse – of why they are underwater and overwhelmed.
Continue reading “What do you want written on your tombstone?”
Someone dear to me shared a story today and it closed with the usual, “Do you see why I am the way I am? Why I have an attitude?”
No, I can’t empathize with that.
We have attitudes because we choose to have attitudes and we live in a state of perpetual anger because we choose to be angry.
Though I’m sympathetic to what we all go through, I’m not a blamer and I place an enormity of emphasis on personal responsibility, accountability and civility.
More often than not, things don’t go our way and yes, we all have bad days when we handle matters quite poorly. We may lash out, be unkind and act selfishly.
But there’s a difference between a person having a bad day and a person making each day bad.
Our attitudes impact our mental well-being, interactions with others and ultimately, the outcome.
So if you’re constantly having bad days, maybe you should check yourself.
It’s not the world’s job to rise up and meet us. It’s our job to rise up and meet the world.
A simple point to ponder this afternoon.
“The most effective way to do is to do it.” —Amelia Earhart
What great wisdom in this statement. We tend to wait to do most things.
We are never ready. We are afraid. We fear ridicule. We question our capabilities. We are filled with self-doubt, apprehension and angst.
But why? What could possibly go wrong if we just do it?
We may not do it well. We may be poked fun at. We may be brought down by those who don’t have the courage to try.
Or we may be pleasantly surprised.
We have no way to predict what the outcome will be, even if we make a good guess.
But we owe it to ourselves to try.
When we fail, we learn. When we learn, we grow. When we succeed, we gain confidence upon which a foundation for future success is built.
Keep this in mind today – then whatever it is you’ve been afraid to do, go do it.
