Bring the seeds of joy into our hearts and plant them there to nourish with love and laughter. Let in the light of a passion and sprinkle liberally the nectar of good will over all. Bring in the inhale of healthy fresh clean air and infuse into the soul with a smile. Exhale the hearty music of the giggling brook bubbling along to join the mighty rivers of expectant delight as we recycle the effort to nurture the soil around our seeds and comfort all with kindness and care.
Today we honor those in laughing spirit for our Joy filled moment:
Kate • Linda • Sandy • Mike • Josh • Max • Bonnie • Sid • Edie • Leetha • Lynn • David • Laura • Emily • Fran • Dorothy • Karen • Ginny • Claire • Pamela • Trudy • Chris • Brian • Brett • Joy • Mary Ann • Michael • Flora • Gordon • Barb • Karen • Della • Pat • John • Pam • Martin • Lucy • Joan • John • Kismet • Zoe • John • David • Judy W • Judy S • Raim • Gerrick • Julie • Wanda • Dawn • Sharon • Jerry • Ava • Ann • Kristen • Kevin • John • Hannah • Astarte • Jennifer • Mimi • Philomena • Pamela • Flo • Lizzie • Brianna • Sam • Donna • Chris • Liz • Patty • Roz • Myra • Maya • Dana • Tony • Al • Melanie • Lynda • Bennie • Louie • Melanie • Bonnie • Maggie • Irene • Michael • Sandy • Esther • Andrew • Jeni • Dan • Victoria
Today is the birthday of John Chapman, better known to the world as Johnny Appleseed. He was born in 1774 and by the age of 18 headed to the Ohio valley from Massachusettes with a knowledge of nursery skills and a missionary spirit. He began planting seeds of the apple trees in the Ohio area and over time emerged farther into Indiana and Illinois regions. He actually built orchards and left them in the care of managers with an altruistic attitude for them to prosper by. Overtime multitudes of these orchards emerged and while his properties were wealthy he lived a simple nomadic existence in tune with the wilderness appreciating what the land would yield and spreading a joyful message to others.
The apple at the time had a religious connotation as well coming straight from the tree of knowledge, so with the spreading of these orchards and the generous good will Chapman contributed to mankind we might be inspired by his larger message of contribution to the world. Today find the gifts to contribute and note the joy the involvement brings.
John Chapman also known as Johnny Appleseed 1774 – 1845
Mentions of the Man of Contribution
“Farewell, dear old eccentric heart. Your labor has been a labor of love, and generations yet unborn will rise up and call you blessed.” Sam Houston in the US Capitol on hearing of John’s death
“He had walked more miles than any other recorded borderer of his generation—now he belonged to the American trails and rivers forever.” Robert Price
He] has nurtured life instead of destroying it, and has been sensitive to the beauty of this continent, and has done something to create here a civilization. Johnny Appleseed stands for ourselves at our best.” Writer Charles Smart on the legacy of Johnny Appleseed.
“Indians also treated Johnny with the greatest kindness. By those wile a sanguinary savages he was regarded as a ‘great medicine man’ on account of his strange appearance, eccentric actions and especially, the fortitude with which he could endure pain, in proof of which he would often thrust pins and needles into his flesh.” W.D. Haley on John’s relations with the Native Americans.
Let a Joyful Growth Begin!
