hen problems overwhelm, us and sadness smothers us, where do we find the will and the courage to continue? Well, the answer [bad word] in the caring voice of a friend, a chance encounter with a book, or from a personal faith. For Janet help came from her faith, but it also from a squirrel. Shortly after her divorce, Janet lost her father, then she lost her job. She had mounting money problems. But Janet not only survived, she worked her way out of despondency and now she says, life is good again. How could this happen? She told me that late one Autumn day when she was at her lowest she watched a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter, one at a time he would take them to the nest. And she thought, if that squirrel can take care of himself with the harsh [bad word] along, then so can I. Once I broke my problems into small pieces I was able to carry them, just like those acorns, one at a time.

Take all your problems And rip 'em apart,
Carry them off in a shopping cart,
And another thing you should've known from the start,
The problems in hand are lighter than at heart,
Be like the squirrel girl, be like the squirrel,
Give it a whirl girl, be like the squirrel,
And another thing you have to know in this world,
Cut up your hair, straighten your curls,
Well, your problems hide in your curls.