1 . My life is full and active taking care of my grandson. But weeks ago, he headed for an overseas holiday, I was left feeling _______ and lost. I needed something extraordinary to lift my _______.

Then one day, I entered the Coffee Club near my home and _______ a cup of coffee. I settled into a comfortable sofa, _______ tasting the delicious drink. After a while, I approached the waitress and handed her my _______. She smiled and said, “That’s already been paid for.”

I looked at her in _______. “Really?” Then she said the words I’ll never forget. “It was a _______ of kindness, and it happens a lot.”

I was shocked. I never really _______ these things though I had heard about them. Today, I _______ it firsthand. Good, kind people are out there in the world. And they ________ when you need them most. I left home this morning feeling, somewhat lost. I returned with a ________ in my step, excited about sharing my story and ________ the kindness.

Two weeks later, I paid for a girl in the Coffee Club. The only thing is, this time, the Coffee Club did it ________. The waiter pointed me out. She couldn’t believe it and ________ me. I simply smiled, explaining that I was passing on the ________ I’d received not long ago.

2 . Upcoming Events in Essex County Environmental Center

Join us for explorations of nature as we study plants and animals and observe the colors, shapes, and sounds in the Center’s forest habitat. Please come dressed and prepared for all weather conditions; all classes include an outdoor adventure. All children must be walking and accompanied by an adult. Maximum of two children per adult. All sessions are limited to 10 children. Fee: $15 per child per session.

We’ll explore the forest to investigate nature in our wooded wetland habitat. Together we hope to raise our children’s nature responsibilities and offer an opportunity to take part in hands-on conservation projects. Fee: $12 per child per session.

Take a walk in the forest to identify and discuss the variety of forest groceries available for harvest. You’ll meet Spice Bush, Mountain Mint and others. Learn some folklore (FIA) behind the plants and we’ll discuss proper identification, growing environment and methods of preparation while walking. Fee: $40 per family (up to two adults and two children) or $12 per child, $15 per adult.

Have you ever wondered how vegetables and flowers grow? How to find a rainbow in a garden? The 4-H Young Gardener’s Club can guide you to find the answers to these questions and more. Learning and fun happen all the time here. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Advanced registration required; please call 973 3531337.

6 . You are what you think. Whatever you are doing right now is determined by your thinking. All your emotions and desires are influenced by your thinking. The problem is that when you are not aware of your thinking, you have no chance of correcting it if it is poor. When thinking is subconscious, you are in no position to see any problems in it. And, if you don’t see any problems in it, you won’t be motivated to change it. What’s worse, few people realize the powerful role that thinking plays in their lives, so they don’t gain significant command of it. As a result, most people are in many ways victims of their thinking.

Consider your success as a student. The single most significant variable in determining your success as a student is the quality of your thinking. Your instructors will play a role in your learning, but even the best teachers cannot get into your head and learn for you. If you lack the intellectual skills necessary for thinking well through course content, you will not be successful in school.

Here is the key question we are putting to you in this book. If the quality of a person’s thinking is the single most significant determinant of both happiness and success, why not take the time to learn from the best thinkers?

This book will inform you of the tools that the best thinkers use and will illustrate the activities and practice you can use to begin to emulate them, and take control of your destiny as a thinker. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of these thinking aids, helping you discover the power of your own mind and of your potential to think systematically about your thinking.

This book, as a whole, introduces you to the tools of mind that will help you reason well through various challenges you face. If you take these ideas seriously and practice using them, you can improve the quality of your thinking and ultimately, the quality of your life.