Well, you made it through all the holiday season including Easter. The holidays of 2016 represented a special time in most people’s hearts this year. It seems more then ever it was a time to rejoice over family, simple pleasures like a good recipe, and felt more heartfelt then it has been in years. Discussions in many of the homes I visited ranged from increase of income, more jobs, newer homes, boats, cars or pockets full of money to going back to school, re-educating, re-building and re-thinking the years gone by and most of all elections for a new president / vice president. What you may have realized more then ever is family, friends, beautiful sunsets, and the love of a favorite pet are truly what is important in life. The simple pleasures in life have become more meaningful then ever during the background of increased population, warfare, and politics galore.
As usual I have been going over to the Rancho Santa Margarita library to donate books I buy from the library bookstore and or thrift stores. I love green book shopping. Once in a while, though, at the library’s little book store I find books that are no longer published. Seeking comfort, in profound thoughts of social and economic issues, and books on health, after the holiday gorge, I found three books that were really fascinating! The first book “Man’s Quest for Significance” by Lewis Way, 1948 suggests that “The richer our community becomes, the harder we all seem to work; the harder we work, the more we dream of a leisure society. It is the paradox of our time…” The second book “The Return of Courage” by Jean-Louis Servan-Schreiber, 1988 stated “Freedom is like money: there is no sense in having it in our possession unless we either invest it or spend it”. He also suggests that desire for objects, homes, new clothes and golf clubs etc… is a good thing in that it will encourage joy in our way of living, and that it is important to enjoy your life! The third book I read by Gaylord Hauser “Be Healthy Be Happy”, also written in the 1940’s promotes that our health brings on the most happiness in life. There is a quote in the forward by Herophilus, physician of Alexandria that really struck me as relevant even today in 2016. Herophilus, the good doctor, stated that “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied”. After I read all that old stuff I thought wow it still applies to today. I asked myself, are times really that different then days gone by, are we really different then people all the way back to ancient times? Probably not!
People of all times and ages have always liked to love, have freedom, eat good food, be healthy, happy, feel whole, trade and shop. There has always been times to save and times to spend. The key in all three books was that balance, taking care of yourself, and knowing what is important to you, as an individual, seems to lead to a more happy and exciting life.
So what is exciting around Coto? I saw a bald eagle, and two baby eagles this past year across the street from my house, you can always go down to the stables and talk to a horse, or watch a polo match. The people, although sometimes busy and moving fast with kids or dogs in tow, are usually friendly and interesting, whether they belong to the Golf and Racquet Club, the old Coto Valley club or no club. We have some of the best restaurants in South OC, and the weather, despite loads of free rain, sideways rain (positive thinking), will keep us green through next summer.
Marla Stone is a Life Consultant specializing in relationships, parenting, transitions and having an ideal lifestyle. Marla owns www.i-deal-lifestyle.com a Professional Home and Business Organizing company.
