Celebrating Dr. Seuss

By Diane Forrest

When my son turned 16, I threw a Sweet 16 party for him at our church, with a Dr. Seuss theme. I had found hats for everyone, decorations, and a large selections of books on eBay to decorate the tables with.  My son loved Dr. Seuss from a very early age, and I thought it would be a nice passage to the way to adulthood.  My mother ridiculed me for my choice, however unbeknownst to me, Dr. Seuss was also the years homecoming theme, and the party was a huge success!

Dr. Suess has made an impact on every child's life which is why it is fitting to have him kick off the Read across America Day.  This is also Theodore Giselle's (Dr. Seuss) birthday. Kids and even grown up's love the rhyming and funny adventures from his books, many college students are given a copy of "Oh the Places You'll Go" when they graduate high school or college.

From the Cat in the Hat, to the Grinch, to the Horton who hears a "Who", not only do his books inspire children to read, but they also teach about the rules of life, and how to live right.

Today is Dr. Seuss Day, and here are some of my favorite quotes leave us a comment and let us know about your favorite Dr. Seuss story:

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you'll go.”

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.”

“Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.”

[All images from Google]

Becoming a Better Listener

By Terry Orr 

How good of a listener are you? Most of us simply are lacking in our listening skills - too busy, subject or individual is boring, have more important things to be doing.  Too many meetings consumer our days and productive - and then we find ourselves working overtime to make up for lost time.  So why is it important to be a good listener?

Sitepoint.com suggests:

We would be spending less time trying to recall what we can’t remember and become more productive.

The quality of our work would improve because we would make less mistakes.

We would likely get into fewer arguments.

Our relationships would be stronger.

We would have more empathy and compassion for others.

In my earlier years, taking notes was really not required as I could remember most of what was said.  Later, life became more complicated - more information, more sources of that information, failure to take notes, ADD/ADHD and gradual loss of hearing all contributed to becoming a poorer listener. I needed to educate myself on better listener. So how can we do that?  Once again, I refer to Sitepoint.com who captures these 13 tips:

Stop talking.

Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes so you get a deeper understanding of where they’re coming from and what is driving them to say what they’re saying.

Focus on using inviting body language, such as making eye contact, uncrossing your arms, and turning your shoulders so you’re facing the person speaking.

Avoid thinking about what you’re going to say next.

Create memory triggers to assist your recall.

Be open minded and avoid passing judgment on the speaker.

Stop doing other things — all other things — while someone is speaking to you.

Reschedule the conversation when possible if you can’t remove the distractions.

Participate in active listening by encouraging the speaker with nods and affirmative words.

Take what is being said at face value and avoid focusing on the “hidden” meaning.

Don’t interrupt.

Summarize and repeat what you heard when it’s your turn to talk.

Ask for clarification to get a better understanding of what was said.

How many of these are you guilty of doing? Sadly, all of them for me over the years. As the years pass by and my hearing challenges continue - I find myself trying to really focus on what is being said.  Speaking up and asking questions to ensure that I understand.

March is International Listening Awareness Month.

What tips do you have to be a listening better?