You’ve got a friend. Ain’t it good to know?

When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand,

and nothing, oh nothing is going right,

close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there

to brighten up even your darkest night . . .

If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds

and that old north wind should begin to blow,

Keep your head together and call my name out loud

Soon you’ll hear me knocking at your door  . . .  From “You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King

Friends allow us to multiply our joys and divide our sorrows. They offer a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on and, if ncessary, to cry upon.  Love–and friendship–covers a multitude of sins.  A friend is someone with whom we can be ourselves without fear of judgement, without the need to walk on eggshells in their presence. A friend loves us because of our strengths and in spite of our weaknesses.  Friends can be found within our families and our neighborhoods; they can also live on the other side of the country or the world.

Never feel you must limit your pool of friends to those in or of the same age group, social background, nationality, religion or creed.  The common ground we can discover within one another can be astonishing.

A true, steadfast friend is a treasure, a blessing and a delight. Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend?

Never lose it.

Energize!

Need a mood boost? Want to lift some flagging spirits? Feel like ogling a really hot fella? Feel like working up a good sweat? I think I can help you with that.

 

 

Heroes . . .

(courtesy of Awkward Celebrity Encounters)

Monday musings: Mother Nature, beautiful and terrible

There’s a chill in the air here and a jacket and shoes do not go amiss when you venture outside. You step out onto the balcony and drink in the morning beauty, always amazed at the ever-changing seascape before you.  A couple walks slowly down the beach, pausing to watch a bird skipping across the water’s surface as it does a bit of fishing for its breakfast.

The view from the balcony in Orange Beach between 7:30 and 8 a.m. Monday. As Benny said, you get this great ombre effect between the sky and the sea.

Even as I enjoy all the splendid beauty of Mother Nature on this Monday morning, I am reminded that many people are facing a difficult day that may bring more than inconvenience and frustration. This storm could wreak significant havoc on life and property. Remember you are in our thoughts and prayers. I hope these images will lift your spirits, along with the knowledge that people who may live far away from you still care.

I made this video last year after a series of deadly tornadoes took a devastating toll on Alabama and other states in what was called “April’s Fury.”  I share it again now as a reminder we all need to encourage and support one another in times like this.  No man (or woman) is an island . . .