Let's Celebrate!
Each day this week, something (usually trivial) has been offered up to the national stage for celebration. This week starts happy and ends serious, with some entertaining and culinary nods in between. Let the merriment begin!
SUNDAY, MARCH 19: NATIONAL LET’S LAUGH DAY
Each year, National Let’s Laugh Day on March 19th reminds us to add a little humor to our day. It’s never good to be serious all the time and letting the laughter bubble up from time to time is good for all of us!
We have all heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” This is the day to take your medicine. Some studies have shown that laughter may boost your immune system, relieve tension and help you relax. Who does not need any of those things in our busy and hectic world?
Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can. ~ Elsa Maxwell
We don’t laugh because we’re happy — we’re happy because we laugh. ~ William James
As we all know, laughter can also be contagious. Even faking it seems to have some benefits. Classes called “laughter yoga” engage the abdominal muscles, lungs, arms, and facial muscles while using humor to get us laughing to cure what ails us.
When you and a friend have those long bouts of uncontrolled laughter that end in tears and aching stomach muscles that last a good 10 minutes or longer, you burn between 10-40 calories per 10 minutes. So, keep giving each other those don’t-look-at-me-or-I’ll-start-laughing-again looks and you’ll keep right on burning more laugh-healthy calories and you’ll enjoy a good memory, too!
MONDAY, MARCH 20: SPRING BEGINS
Spring begins on the March or vernal equinox, which is when the amount of sunshine is approximately 12 hours long. The amount of sunlight will incrementally increase until the first day of Summer.
The vernal equinox marks the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator. This is the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator, from south to north. The vernal equinox happens on March 19, 20, or 21 every year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, this same event marks the beginning of fall. Meteorologists mark the spring from March 1 through May 31st.
In 2020, a leap year, spring arrived a little earlier due to it being a leap year. To keep our calendar following the seasons so that spring happens when flowers grow and winter arrives when snow falls, an additional day was figured into years divisible by the number four. This caused the 2020 spring to occur earlier than any living human being alive had ever seen. Before 2020, the earliest spring on record took place in 1896.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21: NATIONAL COMMON COURTESY DAY
National Common Courtesy Day on March 21st serves as a reminder of the behavior that keeps society from melting into a sea of madness. In addition, the day brings awareness to how crucial common courtesy is in our lives and provides examples to help us improve.
In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, courtesy is described as a: behavior marked by polished manners or respect for others: courteous behavior b: a courteous and respectful act or expression.
Common courtesy can be as simple as saying “please” and “thank you” when asking for and receiving a service, gift, or assistance. Kindness and courtesy go a long way and are noticed by others even if you do not realize it. Letting someone in front of you in traffic is easy. Hold open a door for someone or give a person a hand with his groceries. Give up your seat on the bus to someone who might need it. Introduce yourself to the new employee or kid at school and take the time to introduce them to the rest of the crew.
A polite enemy is just as difficult to discredit as a rude friend is to protect. – Bryant H. McGill
These examples provide a glimpse into how you can infuse courtesy into your life. Momentary deeds of courtesy may be incremental, but they might make a huge difference in someone’s life.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22: NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY
National Goof Off Day on March 22nd each year gives everyone the opportunity to have a little extra fun. The day is also known as International Goof Off Day.
It is a day to relax, enjoy and goof off. Do something fun and leave the work until tomorrow. Everybody needs to take a break from time to time. It is often so easy to get so involved in the work and pressures in our lives. So stop, take a break, find something different!
Let any goofy idea pop into your head. Make paper airplanes from seed packets. Doodle pictures of poodles in puddles in Peru. Play a game of Jenga with randomly stacked spice jars. Or do the obvious and spend the day in your pajamas doing nothing.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23: NATIONAL PUPPY DAY
Observed each year on March 23rd, National Puppy Day celebrates the unconditional love and affection puppies bring to our lives. Their cuddles and wiggles make us smile and without a doubt, there are squeals of delight when there are puppies around!
The day also brings awareness to the need for care of and homes for orphaned pups as well as to educate people about the horrors of puppy mills across the country. Puppies are a big responsibility. Be sure to consider everything involved and adopt from a shelter. The puppies there need love and a home just as much as any other and they grow into loyal pets, too!
According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters every year. Some of these dogs come with litters of puppies. If you’re seeking a puppy to start your furry family, check the shelters first. When these abandoned and abused animals find their way to a shelter, each one needs a forever home and their potential is limitless.
When adopting, be sure to not forget the "older" puppies too!
FRIDAY, MARCH 24: NATIONAL CHEESESTEAK DAY
National Cheesesteak Day on March 24th not only celebrates a fantastic sandwich but it recognizes one of this nation’s greater debates: Who created this deliciousness?
It’s like March Madness for a cheesesteak. Pat’s and Geno’s square off at 10 AM followed by Chubby’s and Dalessandro’s at 11 AM. Then Jim’s and Tony Luke’s at Noon. Basketball fans know how brackets go. Someone is gonna get a by.
However, the credit is given to a hot dog vendor from the 1930s, Pat Olivieri. According to Philadelphia’s tourism site, Pat’s King of Steaks sits on its original location and is still going strong. This writer has had a cheesesteak from there and would go back in a heartbeat.
The important thing is this fabulous, juicy sandwich on a hoagie roll. The roll is filled with chipped steak, and you can order it with or without cheese and onions. If you’ve never had one, you can really only get an authentic one in Philly. Other places try, so go where you can. But someday, go to Philadelphia. It is the real deal.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS OF SLAVERY AND THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
Each year on March 25th, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is set aside to honor and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of slavery. The day also raises awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, up to 17 million slaves were transported against their will from Africa to the Americas. Up to 2.4 million slaves died during the voyage. Millions more died soon after their arrival in the New World. Most of the people who were enslaved and transported came from Central and West Africa.
The first people to engage in the transatlantic slave trade were the Portuguese. In 1526, the Portuguese made the first slave voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil. Other Europeans followed suit. The British, French, Dutch, and the Danes became major slave-trading nations.
Despite the fact they were human beings, shipowners treated slaves like cargo. They shipped the slaves as quickly and cheaply as possible. Upon their arrival in the Americas, agents sold the slaves to work on plantations, as well as mines, rice fields, and as domestic servants.
In 1807, Britain passed the first legislation banning the slave trade. By 1815, the British pressured the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Portugal to do the same. Five years later in 1820, the United States made slave trading punishable by the death penalty.
The selling, transporting, and owning of slaves is considered one of the worst violations of human rights the world has ever experienced. The United States officially abolished slavery in the United States in 1865. However, racial segregation and prejudice against African Americans continue to this day.
On December 17, 2007, the UN General Assembly designated March 25th as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The British commemorates the day in 1807 when the House of Commons and the House of Lords passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. On March 25th, 2015, the UN unveiled a permanent memorial called the Ark of Return. The memorial was erected at the UN Headquarters in New York City to remember those who suffered and died during the slave trade.
The Road Not Taken
"The Road Not Taken" is a classic poem by Robert Frost that explores the theme of choice and its consequences. The poem is written in a simple yet powerful style that resonates with readers of all ages.
Frost uses the metaphor of a traveler journeying through a forest to represent the journey of life. The traveler comes upon a fork in the road and must decide which path to take. The two paths represent the different choices we make in life, and the traveler's decision to take the less traveled path symbolizes the choice to take a risk and follow one's own unique path.
The imagery in the poem is rich and evocative, with Frost's use of words like "yellow wood" and "falling leaves" creating a sense of natural beauty and transition. The poem's rhyme scheme and meter add to its overall musicality, creating a sense of movement and rhythm that reinforces the theme of journey.
The poem's message is timeless and universal, reminding us that the choices we make in life have consequences that can shape our destiny. Frost's exploration of this theme through the metaphor of a traveler in a forest speaks to the human experience in a way that is both relatable and profound. "The Road Not Taken" is a masterpiece of American poetry that continues to inspire and resonate with readers today.
