Mountain View News Saturday, August 22, 2026 
99BEST FRIENDS & MORE Mountain View News Saturday, August 22, 2026 
99BEST FRIENDS & MORE 
MEET HANDSOME MR. CLARENCE! 

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE 

Mr. Clarence is a dapper Abyssinian mix with tabby markings, 
crisp white socks, and awesome tail. This handsome boy 

GRATEFUL AND DEVASTATED, BOTH AT ONCE 

enjoys lots 

By Lori A. Harris 
of petting, 

I went through a your chest, and leaving again. That's the whole 
and 

breakup, and there's practice. Your only job is to pay attention to the 
treats— 

a very specific kind of breath. 
especially 

hard that comes with It doesn't fix the breakup. It gives me four breaths 
it. of steadiness inside the storm, and sometimes

treats.

 It's not just the that's enough to keep moving.

He may 

ending. It's everything

greet you with a silent hiss at first, but 

Generative gratitude

wrapped inside it.

it’s all for show and really quite cute. Just 

Here's something from my own practice.

The memory of how 

Gratitude isn't something you wait for, held in

sit with him, give him some sweet talk 

good the beginning felt, that dopamine high of 

reserve until something good finally happens. It's

and a bowl of food with some treats, and 

new possibility, the honeymoon sweetness before 


something you generate, on purpose, by deciding

he'll soon come 

you settle into what you think is safety. Then the 

to notice what's already true, even now. Not

around. With 

replay of how things went sideways. The regret, 

gratitude for the breakup. Gratitude alongside it.

not just about what I tolerated, but about my own

a little patience 

I remember that breakup; I could feel it coming

choices, arriving with shame close behind. The

and some tasty 

before it arrived. I was spiraling, deep in it,

grief for a future I had already started building in

incentives, he’ll 

walking in the woods. Somewhere in the quiet,

my mind, one that would now never happen. And

warm up and 

I heard a single leaf fall. Just that. A leaf, landing.

underneath all of it, a quieter fear. What does this

demand your 

I stood there and cried. Tremendously sad, and

say about me? What does it mean for what's next?

attention with an 

tremendously grateful, both at once. Grateful

Grief like that doesn't resolve on a schedule. 

I could feel that much. Grateful I could hold

irresistible stare 

But in the middle of it, the mind tells you a lie. 

something so big and something so small in the

from his gorgeous 

That it will never end. 

very same moment.

green eyes.

 So I talk to myself. Out loud, sometimes. 

That's generative gratitude. Not waiting for

Nothing is permanent. Everything changes. 

good news. Looking for what's already here. I had

Nothing stays the same. Nothing stays the same.

Mr. Clarence is looking for a calm, patient 

good friends. I had time to rest. I had my own

Nothing stays the same.

home with someone who is home a lot, 

resilience. I didn't like what was happening, and I

And it reminds me. What is happening isn't

and where he can thrive. See his cute 

knew I could handle it.

wrong. It's just a representation of change. Some

video and apply to meet him at https://

 Both things were true. The devastation, and the

change is good. Some is scary. Some is painful. But

www.lifelineforpets.org/mr-clarence. 

gratitude. Neither one canceled the other out.

that is the nature of life. We are always changing,

html, or use the qr code. 

After your four breaths, try this. Write down what

whether we feel ready or not. Even when it feels 

you noticed in your body. And then write down

wrong, life is doing exactly what it always does. 

one true thing you're grateful for, right now, even

Pet of the Week 

A tool, not a fix here. Not instead of the pain. Alongside it. 
Knowing something is temporary doesn't always 

An invitation

Pixie is a little bit of magic! This sweet 

make it feel that way in the body. So when the 

This practice comes from Day 12 of my Gratitude

2-year-old Shepherd has a playful, silly 

fear rises that this will never end, I go back to 

Train Challenge, a 21-day series I built for exactly

personality and a heart full of affection. 

something simple. 

these moments, one small, doable prompt at

She loves meeting new people, getting 

Four cleansing breaths. a time. If any of this landed for you, there are

all the pets and cuddles she can, and 

Breathe in for a count of four. Hold for four. twenty more days waiting. 

showing off her big, happy smile. She’s 

Release for four. Do it four times. You can download the full challenge free at lori-a


also smart, eager to learn, and treat-

Notice the air moving through your nose, filling harris.kit.com/21days.

motivated, making her a wonderfulcompanion for adventures and training. 

11 YEARS AGO

Pixie has enjoyed spending time withkids and other dogs on her foster field 

Eleven years ago, we learned something that should have 
trips and loves exploring on her walks 

changed the way Americans eat. In 2015, the World Health 
before settling in for some cozy couch 

Organization's cancer research agency announced that 
processed meat is a “Group 1 carcinogen”. In plain English,

time. With her affectionate nature and 

there is enough evidence to conclude that processed meat

playful spirit, Pixie has a special way of making every day feel a little more magical. Come 

causes cancer in humans. Processed meat includes foods

meet Pixie at Pasadena Humane!The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include 

many Americans eat all the time: bacon, hot dogs, sausage,

spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. 

ham, salami and many deli meats. Yet here we are, years later,

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable 

still eating them. What is wrong with us?

pets at pasadenahumane.org.New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellnessexam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how 

This wasn't based on one small study that made a scary

to care for your pet.Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential 

headline and then disappeared. The International Agency

adopters by phone calls or email. 

for Research on Cancer brought together 22 experts from 10 
countries. They reviewed more than 800 studies involving 
meat and cancer. Their conclusion was clear: processed meat 
was classified as “carcinogenic to humans”. The strongest 

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

evidence showed that processed meat causes colorectal

THE PERKS OF BEING OLD AND UGLY 

cancer, which is cancer of the colon or rectum. 
Growing up, I never thought realize that for some, aging might bring different 

All these years of research haven't made the warning go away. New research published this year

much about what my life perks. Still, for me, I like the way I look and the 
would be like when I got old. advantages it brings, like not being taken too 

continues to link processed meat with colorectal cancer and also found links with stomach and 
I observed my grandparents, seriously. 

prostate cancers and other serious diseases. Once again, the more processed meat consumed, the 
and I'm sorry to say that I The perk of being ugly is something I just found 

greater the risk. The WHO reported that eating 50 grams a day—about the amount in a typical 
made fun of them at times, out. When I was young, I was very careful around 

hot dog—increases colorectal cancer risk about 18 percent. 
but always behind their backs. I never thought I people, especially women. I made it a rule not to 
would ever be in their situation. talk to women I did not know. I know it can look 

You might think news like that would change the way people eat. Apparently not. A national 
It wasn't until recently that I realized getting old a little suspicious, and I don't want that to go on 

survey conducted this year found that 45 percent of American adults were unaware that eating 
and ugly has some significant perks. When I was my record. 

processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Only about one-third said they had 
young, I never thought of it this way, but I am But being ugly means that nobody is going to 

received information from a health care professional about the connection. Think about that. 

starting to realize it now. It makes me smile to see take you seriously. I can walk up to a group of 

We've known for more than a decade that processed meat causes colorectal cancer, yet almost 

the perks I'm discovering. women, for example, and begin a conversation, 

half the adults in this country still don't know about the risk? Don’t know or don’t want to know?

I never in a million years realized that getting and nobody thinks anything about it. 
old and ugly wasn't as bad as I thought it was-The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage can 

Part of the problem may be we hear so many health warnings that we stop listening. It seems like 

especially when I consider the perks, like have the greatest confidence that wherever I'm at, 

every week there is another headline telling us something is good for us or bad for us. Coffee is

discounts or help from strangers, which I find and if I'm alone, no woman is going to hit on me. 

good. Coffee is bad. Eat this. Don't eat that. After a while, people tune it out. But this is different.

amusing. I'm not sure how they handled their I just discovered that recently. I was so protective 

Processed meat wasn't placed in a category called "maybe unhealthy." Scientists concluded there

perks, but I'm beginning to learn that there are up to this point, but now that I'm old and ugly, I 

was sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans.

benefits to getting old and especially ugly. have nothing to fear. 
Nobody wants to admit they are ugly. They It is a blessing to enjoy perks like this. I can be 

Another problem is habit. Bacon for breakfast. A ham sandwich for lunch. Pepperoni on a pizza.

don't spend enough time looking in the mirror confident in some groups or on my own. I don't 

Hot dogs at a barbecue. Sausage with breakfast. These foods have been part of the American diet

to come to that universal conclusion. I have a have to worry that someone would spread a 
relative, who shall be nameless, who is obsessed rumor that somebody was hitting on me. People 

for generations. They're familiar, convenient and easy to find. And people don't like giving up 
with their looks, especially the wrinkles on their don't hit on ugly men. 

foods they enjoy. Until it’s too late. 
face. As I have seen it, as you get older, wrinkles It used to be that whenever I went on a trip by 
appear. But this relative truly does not like myself, I was very cautious. I made sure I had 

That's human nature, and we do the same thing with exercise. Most people know they should 
wrinkles. my wedding ring on and my cell phone with 

exercise regularly, but many don't. We are very good at choosing what feels good today instead of 
I'm not sure how much money they spent on me so I could contact The Gracious Mistress of 

thinking about what might happen 10 or 20 years from now. 
Botox and all that other stuff to get rid of their the Parsonage several times a day to make sure I 
wrinkles, especially on their face. For me, I have wasn't in any "situation." 

But cancer isn't something most of us are willing to shrug our shoulders about. That's whysaved that money for more important things, like Three weeks ago I was in a restaurant by myself, 

something happening this year is so interesting. A physicians' organization has petitioned 

Apple Fritters. and when the waitress brought my bill to the 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture to require colorectal cancer warning labels on processed 

This relative who's obsessed with wrinkles is table I said in a very joking way, "Do old and ugly 

meat products. When people in that national survey were told about the connection between 

very tempting to me. Every time I see them, I men get discounts?" 

processed meat and colorectal cancer, about two-thirds said they would support warning labels

look at their face and say, "Is that a new wrinkle We both laughed together, and when we were 

on processed meat. 

on your face? It looks marvelous." It won't be done laughing, she said, "As a matter of fact, we 
long before they run to the bathroom and check do give discounts like that. I can give you a 20% 

Maybe some people really don't know about it. Imagine walking through the grocery store and

out what I was talking about. discount on your bill today." 

picking up a package of bacon, sausage or hot dogs and seeing a cancer warning on the package.

Some of the perks of getting old are the help At first, I thought she was joking, but when the 

Would you still put it in your cart? Some would. Others might decide that eating processed meat

sometimes people will give you. The other day, bill came, I saw the 20% discount. Oh, what a 

occasionally is a risk they're willing to take, and some might stop eating it completely. That's their

for example, I was walking to a store; I had hurt joy it is to be old and ugly. It's surprising how 

decision. But shouldn't they at least know?

my leg a couple of days before. Because of that, I many perks come with this stage of life, and I'm 
was using a cane, and I looked like I was limping. enjoying every one of them. 
I felt grateful for the kindness I received, which I want to get as old and ugly as I possibly can 

I'm not saying eating one hot dog means you're going to get cancer. That's not how cancer risk 
warmed my heart. and live long enough to cash out on all the perks 

works. What we do know is that processed meat causes colorectal cancer, and the risk increases 
When I came to the door, before I could even available. 

with the amount consumed. 
open it, someone was there to open it for me The older and uglier I get, the more I understand 
and invite me inside. I never expected that perk, the beauty of the life I’m living. That made me 

We spend enormous amounts of money trying to prevent, detect and cure cancer. We donate to 
but I'm coming to enjoy it. I must confess, I think of a wonderful Bible verse. 

cancer research. We participate in fundraisers. We encourage people to get screened. We hope 
sometimes exaggerate my limping to get the Proverbs 20:29, “The glory of young men is their 

researchers discover better treatments. All of those things matter. But often science has already 
attention I need. However, the attention always strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey 

given us information we can use. Information that is effective in prevention. 
comes my way. head.” 
Perhaps the biggest perk in my life is being ugly-My grey hair reveals my beauty; I’m proud of it, 

In this case, it gave us that information 11 years ago. Processed meat causes colorectal cancer. The 

something I've come to accept and even enjoy. I and I don’t care what other people think. 

more you eat, the greater the risk. Maybe it's time we started acting like we know it. 


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