One of my favorite teenagers recently noted, “Mrs. Blackburn, you turn everything into a life-lesson.” I said, “Thank you, Kade!” I appreciate he sees what I’m trying to teach in those moments: Everything in life can be likened to something else, because everything is part of something else. Seeing the higher purpose of things and the connection of all things brings comfort and joy. Human connection on the emotional level is something we all require. Whether we live alone or in a communal setting; are married with children or are single; whether we are young or old: We are part of global community, full of billions of people who were all born naked. We are one. Remember that. Our physical bodies (in the material world in which we live), are necessary vehicles for the journey we all are experiencing here. Let us not become so distracted with our physicality that we miss the real purpose of life: To have joy. Here’s one example of how I connect: You’ve heard “If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This same philosophy (applied to exercise), is finding something you enjoy (like basketball or hiking), then doing it with people you love. You can train your mind to look at exercise as enjoyment, instead of work just as you see work differently when you love your work. Consider why you are reading the Blanco County News. Take a moment to focus beyond the pages of the newspaper to the writer of the piece. See the people in the photographs as individuals, just like you. Each one has felt alone, angry, forsaken, abandoned… and each has felt hope. We are all of these things together, even when we are solitarily confined. In a room full of people, some are lonely, yet there are hermits who live in isolation and are not. Beyond the pages of this publication are people, just like you and me. We are all You and Me; together. This perspective engenders connectedness, comfort and joy. Infuse joy into your day by seeing a higher purpose for your activities: Lift weights and be strong so you can help the weak (you are the weak, too). Lose weight for health, not for looks. Learn to eat well as an exercise in self-mastery; don’t just ‘diet.’ Make strength and wellness your way of living. By so doing, you become a beacon to others who see you. Your efforts and example will encourage them. All life requires sustenance, both physical and metaphysical. Recognize that both are connected. See greater opportunities in the mundane. There is a higher purpose to everything we do in life. Look for it. Be well

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