Magical Moment 395, "Limits, Everyone Has Them"

I recently played the piano for an event. The man who hired me asked me to learn a particular song and he searched through an enormous box of sheet music trying to find a copy for me. He pulled it out and glanced at the title.

"Hmmm, I can't remember if this is the right one," he said uncertainly. He handed it to me and asked, "Could you just hum that for me so I can tell if this is it?" I took the sheet of music and focused on the first line, a confusing mixture of 16th notes, scales, and crazy rhythms that would take me an hour to figure out on the piano. "No." I said, bluntly. He looked a little surprised by my answer, but I only shrugged.

I've been thinking about limits lately. Everyone has them. I've always been one to preach that you should stretch your limits, go outside your comfort zone, do things you never thought you would ever try. I still believe those things, now more than ever, but there is a difference between those kinds of ambitions and goals, and one's personal or emotional limits. There are times when I just have to say "nope." It's just one thing too much for me.

And I learned that today from my little nephew. Sleepy, cranky, and overwhelmed, little Zach tried to get through lunch at McDonalds. And when his mom asked him to sit down and eat his chicken nuggets, his answer was clear.

"Nope. It's one thing too much right now."

I guess sometimes you do have to make yourself a priority, take a step back, and realize your personal limits. After all, "Better bend, than break." (Carl W. Buechner)

"Learn to limit yourself; to content yourself with some definite work; dare to be what you are and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not; and to believe in your own individuality." -Henri Frederic

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Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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