Andy’s Corner

By ANDY WEAVER

The Nazareth Girls Basketball team were in the first round of the State Tournament at Pennsbury on March 10 and lost 2318 to see their season come to a close.

The Nazareth Wrestling team participated in the State Tournament March 8-11 at the Giant Center in Hershey where Sonny Sasso and Sean Kinney brought home titles.

The Nazareth Boys Lacrosse team will be at Northampton on March 17 and then at Parkland on March 21 to open the season. All home games are free of charge.

The Nazareth Girls Lacrosse team will host Northampton on March 17 and then host Parkland on March 21.

The Nazareth Boys Tennis team will be at Bethlehem Catholic on March 14, then will host Central on March 15 and will be at Pocono Mountain West on March 17.

The Nazareth Boys Volleyball team will host Pocono Mountain East on March 21 to open the year.

The Nazareth Baseball team will be at Liberty on Tuesday, March 21 to open the 2023 season.

The Nazareth Softball team will be at Liberty on Tuesday, March 21 to open the season.

For up-to-the-minute sports news, visit https://nazarethsports. webador.com/.

Natural Perspectives

For the healthMinded individual

Who is Your Architect?

by DR. GLENN CLEARIE, DC

Have you ever read the 1943 classic called “The Fountainhead” written by RussianAmerican novelist Ayn Rand? You may know one of her other publications called “Atlas Shrugged,” a literary work of art. “The Fountainhead” is essentially about two men at odds with each other and, of course, a love interest of both kinda stuck in the middle. Ah, the same plot over and over…

The story is based around aspiring young architects, Howard Roark and Peter Keating, who embark within the same career, yet travel many different paths. Peter finds tremendous success by sticking to what was generally accepted at the time; designs that were mostly Victorian in nature with all the trimmings.

Howard, on the other hand, was cut from different cloth. His architectural designs were mostly modern (think sharp angles, lots of glass and completely out of place in comparison to everything that was being constructed at that time). Most would and did call his designs ghastly. Howard was shunned and marginalized. In fact, Howard’s work was loathed and, by and large, he went broke and struggled in all areas of his professional and personal life. Alas, his spirit was content which as we all know is priceless.

Of course, this book goes in many directions yet the long and short of it is that Howard truly embodied and embraced the “road less traveled” paradigm while accepting whatever would come his way. Conversely, Peter just went with the flow and blended in with the establishment. Yes, Peter made a lot of money and was revered in his industry’s circles but he hated the way he sold himself out. Self-scorn is a hefty price to pay. We see these parallels today don’t we?

I truly wish I could be more eloquent in communicating the nuances of not only this fictional material but also the deeper meaning of it all. Alas, I am no Ayn.

This much I do know. It Is better to be true to yourself than sell out in any area of your life, which at the end you will regret. This is easier said than done though. The consequences of doing what you earnestly believe is right can be dear and costly. As this upside world starts to close in you need to make a decision. Will you embrace how everyone else tells you to think, behave, act, and submit to, or stay true to the God-truth marked on your heart?

Who is the architect of your life?

Now I am not saying I want

Continued on page 11 to suffer through what Howard went through in the least. It was awful. I also do not desire to be embarked on a path someone else besides God has marked out for me. Perhaps that’s why I find myself in the profession I do today.

No matter where you find yourself today, tomorrow you can start designing a new set of blueprints. One that is created by you and nobody else. A clean set of plans that is a redesign of sorts.

The caveat I will leave you with is that perhaps you should use pencil over pen as the final draft does not typically occur in one sitting. My best to you.

“Natural Perspectives” is a health commentary only and does not claim to diagnose and/or make treatment recommendations. Always seek the advice of your health care professional.

StorieS From my Heart

by Cynthia Jean DeLuca in tHe

Moment

My love of books began when I was a young girl growing up on a farm. My father enjoyed auctions and often brought home boxes filled with various odds and ends. Sometimes he would surprise me, and hidden within the menagerie was a book - not a book for grown-ups but a Nancy Drew book just for me. I remember reading under the Weeping Willow tree for hours, following the clues as if I were Nancy Drew. My love of reading continued to grow as I devoured story after story. That love has never faded but evolved with the years. Then along came my diagnosis of Parkinson’s, and like the ebb of time, another change occurred – slowly at first, then growing, like waves crashing onto the shore.

I found myself walking past books given to me as gifts, promising them that I would read them soon. The books I once devoured in a few hours took me longer to read, stopping to reread a page or two. The characters that once stayed with me for weeks disappeared shortly after closing the book. It didn't end with the books. Reading the newspaper, magazines, and anything with the written word became a challenge. My heart broke. I am in love with the written word, and being unable to recall a scene, a character, or a lesson was eating away at me.

I am a big believer in talking to God throughout the day. It's amazing how it works; I speak, and he listens. When the time is right, the answer comes. Sometimes the answers come quickly, and sometimes, it takes a little longer.

In His perfect timing, His answer finally arrived. It was a subtle nudge at first, then another, until the overwhelming desire to open up one of my books.

As I sat down and opened the book, it was like coming home. The feel of paper felt good. The first sentence grabbed me. I knew it would be a story filled with hope and love. Then, the dreaded feeling of why read it if I am not going to remember crept up and tried to make a home in my heart. I felt a nudge and warmth through my body, encouraging me to read each word leading to the next, breathing in the scene and the characters. I must admit in those moments; my heart felt complete. Suddenly I realized it's okay if I can't remember the complete story after a day or two. What's important is how the words touched my heart in each moment and filled me with joy.

Someone once told me if you can't go through, go around. At this moment, I want you to know that when I can't go through, I will continue to go around the bend with whatever comes my way.

After all, I am still me and will continue to live my grat- itude-filled life and enjoy the things I love.

Dear Readers, Whether you are dealing with Parkinson’s, or any disease, I want you to know that you are loved beyond words. I am only a message away. I’m still me and you are still you.

All my best, Cynthia