It's warm here but VERY brown. Taking a camera walk turns into a seek for color. The deciduous trees are all sticks. The evergreens still shine but don't look quite so full and rich without other shades to compare them to. I feel a bit snow deprived. However, there are a few colorful sorts who brighten up my neighborhood. Look at these king size balls and baubles!
The bear statue is all holidayed up. He's very serious.
These smell so good. Mmmmmmmmm.
A barking little boy came out to look at me.
Big bulbs lined a garden
Friendly cats amuse me. Isn't this one sleek and lovely?
We seem to have VERY patriotic neighbors. There are American flags flying everywhere. When my friend from India came to visit, she said that where she lives in Bangalore, there are people walking by all of the time. She said there are actually crowds of people walking by. Sometimes I don't want to be one of those people walking by, so I neglect my walking. Sometimes I must force myself to get my gear together (phone, camera, iPod) and make myself step out to the curb. I can be very stingy with my time.
Last night I felt sort of blah and I think I pinpointed why. I was reading one of my new books. While it is written with precision and great writing expertise, it deals with dark topics. It highlights the worst aspects of human tendencies. I'm taking it to the used book store today, quite unfinished. Call me Pollyanna but I don't need stories of dirt, darkness, and greed. Garbage in: sadness. Good things in: JOY.
Debbie at Artful Aspirations sent me a lovely little book called Just Being Happy. It's old and torn. It has a lot of sparkles.
I used to think it was great to disregard happiness, to press to a high goal, careless, disdainful of it. But now I see that there is nothing so great as to be capable of happiness - to pluck it out of each moment; and, whatever happens, to find that one can ride as gay and buoyant on the angry, menacing, tumultuous waves of life as on those that glide and glitter under a clear sky; that it is not defeat and wretchedness which come out of the storms of adversity, but strength and calmness and joy.
~A. Gilchrist
Good stuff.
8 comments:
Christmas is NOT a time for dwelling on the dark things, but to celebrate The Light of the World entering it. I'm glad you switched to the book from Debbie. Rest this week, in happiness and joy.
I love what you did...take a walk with your camera and soak up the sights. I think I'm going to give it a try.
I agree about ditching the dark thoughts. We need to fill our lives and our minds with the Light, not dark. I did the very same thing with a HUGELY popular book a few months back. Maybe popular...but not for this girl. Hope your New Year is bright and wonderful:)
I think books about happiness are harder to write because they take a greater understanding of humans and really a higher moral awareness and effort. So it seems to me books about happiness are worthier of our time because everyone has problems, but not everyone has happiness. You exude happiness and I wish you even more!
Pom Pom, I couldn't agree more. Books that deal with dark topics make me feel blah too. I tend to avoid those kind, but sometimes I need to read them to become more aware of the world around me. However, in the Season of Joy, I'm surrounding myself with books I enjoy. You, my friend, bring me joy!
Blessings to you!
Deborah
Glad you didn't finish the dark book, books set a scene and create a mood, don't they - and then you become that mood. I wonder if actors are affected in the same way by the character they play.
I'd rather thing on "good things" too. There's enough misery in the world without adding to it through reading depressing books. IMHO.
The weatherman is predicting snow for us by week's end. You too?
Jody
Your post made me realize that I, too, am much more careful about what I read or watch on TV (I actually hardly ever watch TV anymore). I just don't want to put negative things into my head. I used to love PBS mysteries, but the new ones put in so much violence that I can't enjoy them any more. I think we need to know what is really happening in the world and try to help, but just to put bad things into our minds is not good for us. I love to read your blog to get a lot of good things inside of me!! xo Kari
Good choice not to read the bad stuff. I love you so much!
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