Yum & Yuk

Happy 4th everyone. I appreciate NPR's tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence aloud.

From my awesome friend LG's blog, a great poem from the departing poet laureate (Kay Ryan) and a welcome to the new one (W.S. Merwin).

Image: source.

A powerful and effective campaign (IMHO) from WWF.

"To take what there is, and use it, without waiting forever in vain for the preconceived - to dig deep into the actual and get something out of that - this doubtless is the right way to live." - Henry James (from the first pages of Anna Quindlen's "Living Out Loud," which I'm currently reading. I need more inspiring lady mentors in my life, hoping she can be one from the pages....)

“How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make? Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions? Will you follow dogma, or will you be original? Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure? Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions? Will you bluff it out when you’re wrong, or will you apologize? Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love? Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling? When it’s tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless? Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder? Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?” - Jeff Bezos