NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

by JOHNNY TAN

Happy July , Everyone ! I have always loved summer because of the bright sunshine and long daylight hours . What can I say ? I am a summer person who gets much more accomplished during June , July , and August . Summer is also a great time for vacations . For those of you who have gone or are about to go on vacation , hooray for you all . We also have the beautiful fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July , and this year is our 248th birthday ; way to go , America !

The beginning of this summer has been quite a shocker because of the excessively severe rainstorm . Although it may not be as bad as other parts of the country , yes , in June , we in Dallas , Texas , lost power for days in some areas of the city and experienced flash floods , and now we are baking in the 100 + -degree temperature during the massive heatwave .

Amidst it all , I am reminded of what my Italian foster mom , Carol , who lived in Poplar Bluff , Missouri , told me a long time ago whenever I experienced challenging times . She said , “ It is not about the circumstances in life that matter , but how we react to the circumstances . If we aim to change the world , we must first train ourselves to respond to the world .”

4 | Inspirations for Better Living • July 2024