“Written in Early Spring” by William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

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  I HEARD a thousand blended notes   While in a grove I sate reclined,  In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts  Bring sad thoughts to the mind.  To her fair works did Nature link  The human soul that through me ran;  And much it grieved my heart to think  What Man has made of Man.  Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,  The periwinkle trail’d its wreaths;  And ’tis my faith that every flower  Enjoys the air it breathes.  The birds around me hopp’d and play’d,  Their thoughts I cannot measure,—  But the least motion which they made  It seem’d a thrill of pleasure.  The budding twigs spread out their fan  To catch the breezy air;  And I must think, do all I can,  That there was pleasure there.  If this belief from heaven be sent,  If such be Nature’s holy plan,  Have I not reason to lament  What Man has made of Man?

Ambidextrous: 10 Left-Handed Lessons

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 Weakness does not imply uselessness. The strong, dominant side needs the weaker, secondary side. Ask a musician. Or a lumberjack. I bow my cello with my dominant right hand, but it’s my weaker left that makes the music. My right hand can only play four “open” notes, but my weaker hand can play all the notes. I can split a log but need the left hand as a guide. Even a one-handed person requires balance, it just comes from somewhere else. What weaknesses need to be strengthened?

  1. Focus. Constantly review your “one thing” for the day. 
  2. Slow down.
  3. Respond, don’t react. 
  4. Listen before talking. Be of few words.
  5. Push, don’t be pulled.
  6. Get physically active, even if it’s yoga. 
  7. Stop looking back.
  8. Lead, don’t just work.
  9. Do a daily review. 
  10. Observe.

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