Sunrise

Yesterday morning I got up at 5:15, got dressed and drove to Robert Moses State Park
which is an Atlantic ocean beach on the south shore of Long Island. I stopped at Dunkin Donuts and got a delicious cup of coffee. I found out that they open up at 4:30.am. Good to know.
I drove a half an hour in the dark to the beach. I parked the car and found my way over the dunes to the beach lit only by starlight. I had checked the weather forcast and was happy to see that it was correct as I gazed up at the stars on a clear dark sky. One or two boats lit up the far away horizon out in the ocean
I got there a bit early but was able to experience the entire dawning experience. At first the stars were fully visible, the sun having no effect on the night sky. It really is darkest just before dawn. In time the eastern sky began to become less dark but only by a little. Slowly the sun's light began to have it's way. From left to right the sky became less and less dark. Only the brightest stars could hold their own in the face of the still unrisen sun. I was alone the whole time waiting in darkness. Not even a sea gull squawking to disturb the gentil roar of the surf.
Songs with morning themes came into my head, "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens, "Early in the Mornin" by Peter Paul and Mary, and several others that have more to do with waking with your lover than experiencing the beauty of the raw sunrise.
I took it all in and was rewarded with a glimpse of red, a bright orange slit of fire just above the ocean. Little by little it grew, brighter and brighter as it quickly showed its full brilliance in the east. At first I could look directly at it, but in a few minutes I had to look away quickly, unable to hold my glance more than a few seconds, blinded by the brilliance.
March is a good time to experience the sunrise here on Long Island. Cold, but not freezing and the position of the sun is still low enough in the sky so it rises out of the ocean and not over land as it will later in Spring and Summer. What a morning. I stand in awe of the earth's Creator. It was a real "Aha Moment" - A moment of "Simple Happiness". What a joy to bask in the wonders of creation.

Jim Ryan's Aha #103 - Testimonial Dinner

Jim Ryan's Aha #103

Get together with your neighbors
and give a testimonial dinner to
your oldest neighbor, if they deserve it.
It will be an event that will never be forgotten.

To receive your personal copy of Jim Ryan's Aha Moments every Wednesday, go to www.jimryantalks.com to subscribe. You'll be glad you did!

Video Aha Moments

I just started to add a short video to go along with my weekly "aha moments". I just bought a new little flip camera and am really enjoying putting them together. My associate, Maggie Kalas, is doing a great job editing and producing them. They start with a little music which has a nice beat, then the cover of my book Simple Happiness scrolls down to the music. I give my little talk which lasts a minute or so and I close by wishing everyone a life of Simple Happiness.

They are available on You Tube and my hope is to widen my audience, to enlarge my territory, according to the prayer of Jabez.

I hope you like them.

Jim Ryan's Aha #102 - Compliment Your Children

Jim Ryan's Aha #102

Compliment your children today.
Tell them why you’re proud of them.
If you have no children, compliment your parents.
Don’t be stingy with your affection.

To receive your personal copy of Jim Ryan's Aha Moments every Wednesday, go to www.jimryantalks.com to subscribe. You'll be glad you did!

A New Internet Presence

I bought myself a flip camera last week and have been experimenting with it these past few days. I finally will be able to post videos on You Tube. It is my intention to post a video every Wednesday morning to accompany my weekly "Aha Moments". I am very excited about the potential to reach many more folks who are interested in living more fulfilled, joyful lives. I'm sure there will be a few bumps in the road as we embark on this new venture, but in time they will get more and more professional. I hope to spread my "Simple Happiness" message more effectively with this new venue.

What a Great Book!

A friend recommended two books to me: The Four Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferris and The Magic of Thinking Big, by Howard Schwartz (I think his name is Howard). I started The Four Hour Work Week and it has been worth every minute of time spend with it. This morning I was reading a section about automating a business. I was so excited I thought my hair would catch on fire.

He got me fired up again about the potential of the internet. I have so much content to share with the world. I'm about to venture into the world of YouTube and Facebook. I just bought a new flip camera and am going to start adding video to my already popular "Aha Moments". Who knows where this will go, but I sure feel good about the possibilities. Stay tuned and see what develops.

In any case, pick up The Four Hour Work Week. It will get you thinking differently about a lot of things.