Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. We have finally made it to that long-awaited October holiday, Halloween. Sunday night is sure to be a lot of fun. I hope your family enjoys the traditions you’ve created for this fall celebration. I still need to carve my pumpkin. Our family will be split between work, parties, and of course, handing out candy. But a word of caution…just as this night is extremely exciting, it can also be extremely dangerous. If you go out in groups, PLEASE be mindful of cars and crossing busy streets. Use extra lighting, such as a flashlight or phone light, once it gets dark. Visit places you are familiar with, and don’t accept rides from strangers. Now, put on those costumes and have a happy Halloween!
Quote of the week: “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” –John Lennon
Television show of the week: This week I want to introduce you to the television show Psych. The series centers around a guy named Shawn Spencer and his best friend, Burton “Gus” Guster. Shawn works for the Santa Barbara Police Department as a psychic, but he isn’t one…hence the name of the show. Psych! Shawn grew up with his police detective father, Henry, and became hyper observant as his father taught him police procedures. Shawn and Gus frequently collaborate with the police and solve all kinds of crazy cases. Many of the Halloween episodes “borrow” the plots of scary movies. “Scary Sherry: Bianca’s Toast,” “Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead,” and “Lassie Did a Bad, Bad Thing” are episodes that my family watches every year. This TV series is huge on ’80s references, and many famous stars from that decade make guest appearances. I think you will really enjoy this show.
Joke of the week: What’s the best way to punish a teenage monster? Limit their scream time.
Nugget of Wisdom for the week: The wisdom I wish to impart to you this week is related to squirrels. Squirrels, you ask? Yes, squirrels. I’m sure you’ve noticed lifeless little squirrel bodies in the middle of the road. How did they get there? Did they fall off of power lines or fall out of trees? All too often, what happened was that when a car approached, they couldn’t make up their minds which way they needed to go. Sadly, the squirrels made a decision too late and ran straight into tires.
Don’t be like the little squirrels who got flattened like a pancake. If you are trying to make a crucial decision, don’t keep guessing what to do. Take decisive action. If you fail, then you fail. Readjust your thinking and move on. If you succeed, then celebrate your sweet victory.
Failure is not the end of the world. It’s just a teaching tool. As Henry Ford said in the introduction to his 1922 book My Life and Work, “One who fears the future, who fears failure, limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again. There is no disgrace in honest failure; there is disgrace in fearing to fail.” You’ve got this…remember, you are not a squirrel.
Have a great week. Remember, you are most awesome and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.