It all began as an attempt to force some balance back into my life.  I began carving out 30 minutes each morning to calmly read the Washington Post while basking in the quiet early morning hours with a cup of Java.  Well, that was the intent, anyway. Up until then I caught the paper whenever I could grab a few minutes, while waiting on kids carpools, or when an especially intriguing front page picture caught my eye.  These days, reading the paper somehow cannot be used in the same sentence with “calmly” or “basking”—there is a bit too much angst in the world for me.  Toss in election year politics in our Nation’s capitol and I begin to wonder if there will be a time when “peace” is trending. 

So, in the spirit of competitiveness (YES—I did watch the Olympics!)—I now have a new game of –“find the inspiration”—while reading the paper. It is my own odd way of dealing with the disturbing events of the day, staying in touch with world events, yet still being hopeful when I lay down the last section of newsprint.  My only other option was to search out the “Comics” section and toss the rest of the paper.  Today I happened upon a great article early in my read:  Baby boomers embrace vegetarianism, but such diets have risks as well as benefits.  An article that blends multiple interviews, including that of Academy Past President, Sylvia Escott-Stump ends with “consider talking to a dietitian”.  My second part of the “inspiration” moment was the fact that what I read in hard copy, I can also find online—(both laptop and mobile).  As I have said before—I have turned into my mother.  She still routinely clips newsprint articles and mails them to me—my version is just a bit more digital.  Enjoy the article and pass it along— in your favorite format.