Ray's Daily

Ray’s Daily

March 24, 2020

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“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

– Dr. Seuss

Nancy and I are learning how to live as hermits, we continue to stay in our apartment, pretty much with no contact with others. Yesterday for the first time in our more than 66 years of marriage we slept the morning away in our recliners. We are watching a lot of television and are enjoying many movies produced years ago.

I do appreciate the e-mail and phone contacts from friends and family. I am also glad that we have a place that provides us food and a comfortable existence. I just wish that everyone had it as good as we do.

Far too many of our fellow citizens are on the brink of disaster and I hope that all who can help them will do so. I am grateful to those who are unselfishly reaching out to those in need.

I know it is not easy but please take care of yourself, this to will pass and you will be needed in the future.

Here is an excerpt from a message that I got from my friends at Oasis that I hope you will heed.

We advise taking social-distancing precautions that include:

1)    Avoid close conversations and maintain distance between yourself and others in both one-on-one and small group encounters.

2)    Ritualize frequent hand sanitizing and hand washing and be mindful of objects you touch often – your phone, keys, wallet – that could transfer disease even after you have self-sanitized. When possible, re-sanitize hands after touching frequently held objects AND sanitize those objects with disinfecting wipes.

3)    Avoid large gatherings when possible, and practice 1 and 2 above during and after all interactions.

4)    Health professionals recommend avoiding plane, train, and other shared travel unless absolutely necessary, and have escalated that recommendation to include all non-essential activities.

5)    At the first signs of infection, contact a health professional you trust and get evaluated. There is evidence that COVID-19 has an infection “tipping point” and early intervention leads to better outcomes.

6)    Finally: Don’t panic. If you are practicing social distancing and are engaging in good self-care, then you are unlikely to get sick. Eat well.  Get sleep. Go for a long walk when the weather is nice. Continue to think about good hygiene at all times, wash your hands frequently and clean frequent touch points.

~~~

“We rise by lifting others.”

Robert Ingersoll

~~~

I called to make airline reservations and was put on hold. After several minutes of taped music, a recorded voice came on: “If you have been waiting longer than ten minutes, press eight. This will not speed up your call, but it will give you something to do while you wait.”

~~~

Among the most effective labor-saving devices is the neighbor who hasn’t returned your garden tools.

~~~

There was a tailor named Mendel and he was worried about his business. Mendel was down to his last $50 and was torn between buying a sign and getting food for his family. Mendel decided to pray.

“Dear God,” he said, “I don’t know what to do. If I buy a sign it may bring in business, but I need to buy groceries for my family…and if the sign doesn’t bring in sales, we will starve.”

God replied, “Mendel, buy the sign. Don’t worry, your family won’t starve.”

So, Mendel bought the sign and business took off. The tailor fed his family and all was well. However, as time passed it became evident that Mendel couldn’t keep up with orders all by himself. He contemplated hiring on a helper, but wondered if he could afford it. So, he asked God if getting help would be a prudent move.

“Go ahead,” God tells Mendel, “hire some help, you’ll do okay.”

And so Mendel did. And business took off beyond his wildest dreams. After a time, the tailor decided to move to a larger site that would accommodate the growing demands of his business. As he surveyed certain locations, he found a perfect storefront, but the rental price was really steep.

“God,” Mendel again prayed, “I found the perfect place to relocate my business. But the cost of the lease worries me. I don’t want to get in over my head.”

“Go ahead and a get a lease on the store, Mendel,” said God. “Trust me, you’ll be okay–I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I?”

So Mendel signed a lease on the 5th Avenue store and profits from his business went through the roof. Out of heartfelt gratitude, Mendel proposed to the Almighty that he dedicate the store to Him.

“How do you like the name “Yaweh and Mendel,” the tailor asked.

“Nah,” God said. “Let’s go with ‘Lord and Taylor.'”

~~~

Character isn’t inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts.

Helen Gahagan Douglas

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An old wild west fort is about to be attacked. The wily old General sends for his trusty Indian Scout. “Yumti-Bi,” he said, “you must use all your thirty years of skill in trying to estimate the sort of army we are up against here.” Yumti-Bi laid down and put his ear to the ground… “Heap large war party,” he says, “maybe three hundred braves, four chiefs, two on black stallions, two on white stallions. All have war paint…many many guns. Medicine man also with them.” “Good grief!” exclaims the General, “you can tell all of that just by listening to the ground???” “No, General,” replied the Indian, “I can see under the gate…”

~~~

“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”

Robert F. Kennedy

~~~

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than fifteen years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are more than 2000 readers from around the world.