On my morning walk with my husband, I scouted a tree that I could hug. Chris was a good sport about the whole thing, taking the photo captured in tonight's visual. There is magic in trees, just as there is in a good walk.

"At some point, you hit the exit, but until then, enjoy the ride."

— Michael J. Fox

We measure the short term by our watches, counting the seconds, minutes and hours. Many of us feel like we never have enough of this kind of time.... We measure the long term by our calendars, counting the days, weeks and years. As the excerpt from A Year of Positive Thinking suggests, we often think that we have all the time in the world.

One friend shared a list of things he no longer wants to do with the time he has left. And another noted that the amount of time we have to spend on the people and things that we love is not as important as the quality of that time.

I often allow my expectations to get the best of me. I wish that my help could be more helpful, that my gifts could be more elaborate, that my blog posts could be more brilliant. However, with few exceptions, what I do manage to do is more than enough and appreciated by the recipient. In the case of my blog, I have learned that even the posts that I think are merely OK resonate with someone on a deep level—arriving at precisely the moment they need them. Just as I appreciated every act of kindness given to me, those to whom I extend a kindness today are no doubt just as grateful for my modest gifts. When we think we haven't given enough, we need to recognize that our expectations and not those of our intended recipients are often the source of our self-doubt. What we give with love is always enough.

"Guests don't want perfection from their hosts. They just want good company and a decent meal."

— Kelly Vaughn

One of my favourites [parenting tips] is courtesy of Canadian parenting expert Barbara Coloroso: "catch them doing things right." The concept is simple: notice when your kids do the right thing and reinforce that behaviour rather than harp on what they do that is wrong. For example, praise them when they hang up their coat, finish their homework or eat their vegetables instead of criticizing them when they don't. Far too often, parents catch their kids when they break the rules rather than catch them when they follow the rules.

I first encountered the idea of invisible mentors almost 10 years ago when I read a Harvard Business Review Management Tip called "Know Which Kind of Mentor You Need." In addition to co-mentor (anyone from a colleague to a friend who needs you as much as you need them) and remote mentor (someone outside your organization who can offer objective advice), the management tip recommended the invisible mentor. On the latter, the HBR tip said: "You don't have to have a personal relationship with this mentor. You learn from observing and following her example."

Sometimes when we say, "How about family game night?" what we're really saying is "Let's have a family game night. It would make me happy. That's all I really want." Instead, when the response we get is, "Nah, not tonight. I'm not feeling it" we say, "OK." The moment passes, and the wish—a silent, unspoken wish—is not granted.

Learning something is interesting when we're on our own. It's rewarding when we can share what we're learning with other people. And it's inspiring when others join us, making us want to learn and share even more. It's another virtuous circle of learning.

The third thing I learned is that my vulnerability gives others permission to admit when they're struggling. In responding to my gloomy post, several Jenesis readers spoke about the significance of vulnerability. One said: "Every time someone is vulnerable about how they’re feeling it helps someone else feel less alone." Another replied: "Your feelings are also a lesson to us for those times that we feel down or discouraged." And a third responded: "In the many roles you assume—wife, mother, daughter, mentor, writer, boss, etc.,—this type of disclosure is inspiring."

"Language is the most direct connection to other cultures. Being able to communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that language. Greater understanding, in turn, promotes greater tolerance, empathy, and acceptance of others—with studies showing that children who have studied another language are more open toward and express more positive attitudes toward the culture associated with that language."

— Top Ten Reasons to Learn Languages

"Today was the day I chose to release the hurtful words into the lake. That choice of words is very intentional. I did not want to 'drown' them or 'chuck' them into the lake. I wanted to 'dissolve' the words, removing their power to hurt. And it was remarkably effective.... So now, when I wake at 4 a.m. and remember this hurt, I will think of the words dissolving in the water. And I will focus on the support I received, and be grateful for that."

— A friend

"When I was going off to university—I was at a girls school in Blackpool and I'd never been away from home before—and my piano teacher said to me, 'You're going to be lonely when you go to your university in Liverpool, and if you are, find a piano and sit down and play, and you'll have friends.' And I took her advice. I remember it was the evening of my second day in the Hall of Residence, and I was quite lonesome. I really hadn't met anybody very much. And I found a piano and I sat and played. And, sure enough, by the end of that evening, I had a group of friends around me."

— Averil Mansfield

Many friendships develop among people who, initially, didn't have to make any effort to see each other regularly: they worked in the same company or department, or studied in the same school, or volunteered for the same organization. Why do some relationships endure—moving from colleagues, classmates or fellow volunteers to friends—while others fade? Is it chemistry, shared values, bonding over a similar experience? Is it tradition? Is it the commitment of the individuals involved? It's all of these, but I believe that commitment is the most important—a sentiment that the relationship is good for both people and worth the effort to keep it going.

"We spend so much more time and attention on what hurts. Human nature.... I have a colleague who hands out sparkly cards. Blank squares of cardboard the size of a post it. One side is covered in glitter. The idea is that when someone pays a compliment or says something positive we should write it down and save them for those emotional rainy days to remind ourselves of our worth and value."

— A friend