Great Life Gifts

With early intervention, children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have an opportunity to receive interventions such as speech and occupational therapy, allowing them to participate in activities most kids enjoy. Autism is not a curable condition but it is treatable. And with new numbers released just last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating one in 68 people are affected by the disorder, it's more important than ever that we advocate for research to help us discover the cause and the best approaches to treat it. If your community is hosting an Autism Awareness Event, I encourage you to participate.

For the month of April try a new activity in developing your mindfulness skills and turn your cell phone off when you are driving--especially if you find yourself automatically reaching for it every time it beeps or rings. We love you here at Great Life Gifts and we think it's better to be alive and popular rather than a popular memory.  How many of you will take the pledge with me? Provided by The National Safety Council

Of the millions of tweets this weeks, this one is the most compelling: Here are 10 things you didn't know about loading the dishwasher http://t.co/GWpFiaCuQ9 — Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) March 17, 2014

Nearly everyday I sit with people who cry. Some crying comes in the form of shaking-hug-yourself sobs and other comes in the form of watering eyes with Adam's apples the size of tennis balls to hold in the wails. And sometimes the cry brings itself out through clenched fists and a knee bouncing up and down from the impatience felt towards an emotion which reveals an individual's vulnerability to being a part of the human race. All the tears I've seen shed, so far, could fill a small ocean. And the tears come from all shapes and sizes of people--from petite, pink lipped school teachers to burly brown tattooed thieves and drug addicts. And every single tear is considered as valuable to me as the small droplets of diamonds that they look like.  So we catch these translucent diamonds with a feather delicate tissue paper and we keep catching them until the tissue is so full that the tears drip from it.  And then the tears stop.  Just like that.  No magic is conducted

Shrove Tuesday is Here! In traditional Protestant and Catholic traditions, Shrove Tuesday is the celebration before the beginning of the Lenten season when people repent for bad habits and attitudes in preparation for Easter.  Many local churches will be hosting pancake suppers in honor of this tradition. If you love pancakes and do not have a church mindset, you can still celebrate and make a contribution to a worthy cause at your local IHOP this morning.