Honesty

 Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. Thomas Jefferson

Sunrise!

 A very brief flash of color this morning. It was in the single digits!

Honesty

 To live a life of honesty and integrity is the responsibility of every decent person. Noam Chomsky

You can not live life on life's terms, if you lie about what is going on in the world. 

Seals

 Spent a few hours watching the seals in Portland's harbor today.

Honesty

 It is not easy to keep silent when silence is a lie. Victor Hugo

Unfortunately, for most it is easy to keep silent in the face of lies. In the case of abusers, they will make your life more difficult immediately, should you call them on their lies.

Wellness Strategies

 Outside has a nice little article on getting through the pandemic/life. I liked this list at the end. Nail the Basics.

Move your body regularly.

Avoid processed foods and eat lots of plants.

Maintain a healthy body weight. 

Don’t smoke. (Get help quitting if you do.)

Don’t exceed more than one alcoholic drink a day for women and two for men, if you drink at all. 

Stay engaged and connected with your community.

Honesty

 Lets tell the truth to people. When people ask 'How are you?' Have the nerve sometimes to answer truthfully. Maya Angelou 

I have a lot of answers to how are you? Fine, good, fair to middlin', that don't actually mean anything. They are just rote answers. When I first got sober, I was taught that fine meant, Fucked-up, insecure, neurotic and emotional. And I was! I got a kick out of saying I was fine, when that was the case. 

Honesty

 "Brutal, inner honesty... the three scariest words on the planet, and yet, at the same time, the very KEY that unlocks all the doors." Ken Dahl

The KEY is willingness. Whether ,it is taking a fearless and thorough moral inventory or any other actions in your life. Are you willing?

Honesty

 Our lives improve only when we take chances - and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Walter Anderson

If you cannot identify your problems, you can not fix them. Accept your faults. Change your actions.

Honesty

 "It is difficult to be honest with others when you continue to lie to yourself." Carlos Wallace

I knew a guy that liked to say, "I take an increasingly gentle inventory." Sounds like a recipe for self delusion. A fearless and thorough moral inventory is the way to go.

Honesty

 "Honest people don't hide their deeds" Emily Bronte

How much of your life are you hiding? Take some time and examine those things. Ask do I need to keep these habits? We all have them. 

Honesty

 Truth never damages a cause that is just. Mahatma Ghandi

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice

 

Honesty

 Before you lie to another, you must first lie to yourself. Naval Ravikant 

Honesty

 When you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth. Khaled Hosseini

Often lying by omission is harmless. However, in the mists of a pandemic, it can be deadly.  Be honest about your exposure or possible symptoms to the virus. Anything less is a lie. It can be a deadly lie. People have a right to know. If you are not sure, quarantine. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Also, wear a mask, and stay wicked far apart. 

National Chocolate Cake Day

 

Chocolate cake it is not just for dessert! It makes for a nice breakfast. Not sure why it is not marketed as such. Breakfast pastries are at about the same nutritional level as cake. Donuts as well. If you do not have the willingness to eat chocolate cake for breakfast today, might I suggest a chocolate sea salt donut from The Holy Donut. If you can get one still warm it is a truly divine experience. Unless I really want a certain flavor, I just ask if anything is still warm.  The bacon and cheddar stuffed is a true breakfast donut. One day I am going to get one fresh and hot and put a fried egg on top of it! 

Honesty

 We must be honest with-ourselves about what we want and take risks rather than lie to ourselves and make excuses to stay in our comfort zone. Roy T Bennet 

Portland From the Casco Bay Bridge

Was a chilly morning on the Casco Bay Bridge. Time and Temperature Building said twenty degrees. Fortunately it was not very windy. 

Maine State Pier With Lights From Cousins Island 

It took me a while to identify the Maine State Pier from the bridge. Such a different perspective from up there. 

Eastland Hotel 

 

Twelve Little Wharves

The waterfront just before sunrise

Honesty

To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice. Confucius 

 Tree In the Lights

I like photographing this tree along the Eastern Promenade Trail in the early mornings. There is a street light that illuminates the tree against the darker background of the sky. Lucky to have the Portland Trails. 

 Honesty

When you are dishonest with yourself, you are disconnected from reality. You're going to make poor decisions. You're going to drop out of the moment and going to be less happy and you're going to be wrong.  Naval Ravikant 

 A breezy 36 degrees

Spring Point Light House. Some deep colors down low for a bit this morning.

 Honesty

Honesty is often very hard. The truth is often painful. But the freedom it can bring is worth the trying. Fred Rogers

 Honesty

“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.”

Nelson Mandela