Martina’s Corner

Usually, I have so much to say in Martina’s Corner that we run out of space! This time I struggled for a
topic to wax on. Anything I though to write about seemed trite and unimportant in the light of what is
going on in the world. We all feel a little less gaiety in our lives, and perhaps have a greater awareness
of how fragile peace and life can be. I’m writing this on Veterans’ Day, and I started thinking about the
state the world was in during the last world war, or the Vietnam war, or the Persian Gulf war – on and
on could go the list – and somehow, we survived all of that. The human species is resilient and has
proven that it can withstand so much.

So, I decided to start looking at all the things – many of them very simple things – that could and do lift
our spirits and give us hope for the future. Our faith, whatever higher power we believe in, is our
greatest ally. Our children and grandchildren and broader family come a close second, in my opinion.
Friends……..where would we be without good friends!? And Mother Nature is the greatest healer of all.
Sit on a park bench and let your senses absorb their surroundings. Listen to the birds with their happy
songs – unless you happen to come upon a pandemonium of parrots – oh, boy, nothing happy about
their song! My search for a more peaceful frame of mind has led me to Bible reading and study. We
Catholics never studied the Bible back-in-the-day, but that has changed since the Second Vatican Council
which opened in 1962.

Anyhow, you get the idea of what I am trying to say here, I hope. Turn off the incessant news! Write a
note to a family member or friend you have been meaning to contact, go for a lovely walk each day, find
a wonderful book to read -just focus on positive things. Do what you need to do to counter-balance the
craziness that we are emersed in daily. I would LOVE for you to tell us via a message what brings peace
and joy to your life.

Until the next time…