The Quiet Symphony of Simple JoysThe June ActiveRain Challenge is all about you, your dreams and what you would like to create in life.At my advanced age, I have a lot going for me. My vision is going, my hearing is going, my back is going, my knees are going, and more. I now have physical limitations not previously experienced. So, thinking positively has become more important than at any other time of my life. I would gladly give several million ActiveRain points to always have a positive mindset.In a recent book that I read, one of the characters was advised to concentrate on the parts of life that deserve celebration and to find joy in the simple things. That is good advice for all of us. I got assistance from Google Gemini for the following article.The Quiet Symphony of Simple Joys... 06/10/2025

The Joy and Benefits of Active Reading for RetireesThe  June 2025  ActiveRain Point Store Challenge will give you an opportunity to slow down, and imagine what you'd like to create in your life and business. Here are a few ideas to start the imagination process......and you may add to the list as you like! Personal Goal Business Goal Health Goal Travel Goal Retirement Goal Hobby Goal Remodeling Goal Buy and refurbish an old car Goal  Athletic Goals Community Service Goal Financial Goal Cooking/Chef Goal For this challenge entry, I will talk about a personal goal. One of the benefits of retirement is that I have been able to read over 100 books each year, an interest that is shared by my wife, Dolores. I hope to be able to continue my reading for the remainder of my life. With a good pub... 06/11/2025

The Art of ListeningThe  June 2025  ActiveRain Point Store Challenge will give you an opportunity to slow down, and imagine what you'd like to create in your life.My wife, Dolores, reminds me almost every day that I need to become a better listener. That is a goal that will cost nothing but would be priceless.I received further inspiration by a recent blog post by Aura Alex that included the following statement: "This is the work of building bridges. Not solving everything. Not erasing conflict. Simply cracking open the door to hear another story—a perspective you hadn’t once considered."I asked Claude.ai for assistance with the following: The Art of Listening: Building Bridges One Story at a Time In our polarized world, where conversations often devolve into debates and opinions calcif... 06/09/2025

The Guest Children by Patrick TarrThe Guest Children (August, 2025) is a wartime ghost story by Patrick Tarr. Click on the link to reach the website. “The Guest Children is a novel that is both unsettling and deeply moving. . . . It will not only carry you away but return you to a forgotten place within yourself.” —Andrew Pyper, author of Oracle and The DemonologistNot all hauntings are confined to housesWith the mounting terror of the German Blitz on London in 1940, thousands of British “guest children” are sent abroad to escape the bombing. Among them are Michael and Frances Hawksby, who are shipped off to Canada to stay with relatives. Years later, as WW II finally comes to an end, their surviving family members realize that no one has heard from them since.Randall Sturgess wanted to... 06/13/2025