 |
UPDATE: (2008 12-01) Since I prefer to be a bit more open, I made all my fics, poetry, friend appreciation posts, and less newsy ponderings public today. Hopefully that will be a good balance. Thanks for visiting and please do comment or message if you'd like to say hello.
Namárië & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:Happy
- The Soundtrack:Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
He was smart, an excellent artist, and he played in band.
Now we are Facebook "friends" and he is into spirituality, appears to be teaching college, has an MFA and is publishing a book of poetry.
Kind of makes me go, hmmm.
At least I know that there are in fact men with the sorts of traits that flip my switches out there within at least theoretical access. Rare birds are rare, not extinct. Rare by definition, indicates existence, right?
And this is revelatory.
That's all!
Namárië & Namaste
Estellye
It appears that what we thought was a minor situation is actually more complicated than we'd hoped. My sister will be having surgery on Monday and will require at least two weeks to convalesce, probably three. Barring unforeseen circumstances it should be routine and she'll be just fine, but prayers and positive energy are welcome!
That also means I'll be canceling my trip to MarsCon in Williamsburg Jan 15-17, since I'll need to be available for her if she needs anything. I am still scheduled to go to ConCarolinas and The Browncoat Ball in Charlotte, as well as RavenCon in Richmond, so I will have my fun, lol. Maybe I'll add another for good measure, eh?
MarsCon sounds like a really good con, so if anybody thinks they can make it, I'd say it's going to be well worth it. It is by far the most economically friendly of all the cons with rooms priced at only $50 a night! Also ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
eldritchhobbit will be there as a guest (she'll be at ConCarolinas and RavenCon as well, I believe)! I was really looking forward to a nice visit with her, too. Rats.
Anyway, Happy Cons, Ya'all, and Hoist a Glass for Me!
Namárië & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:Concerned
- The Soundtrack:River's Jig - Bedlam Bards
My father's home backs up to the school grounds of the elementary school where I attended K-5 and where he was school principal for many years.
While visiting Papa last week, Kevin, my youngest nephew, wandered off into the fields by the school. Apparently some teacher or other didn't recognize him and therefore contacted a truant officer. When "apprehended" the suspect claimed to be from China where school was presently out of session. A likely story!
Needless to say, Dad got a knock on the door. Opening it, he discovered one skeptical officer with a sheepish Kevin in tow, at which point the miscreant's tale was corroborated and he won his release on condition of school ground avoidance for the duration.
LMAO!
- The Groove:Silly
- The Soundtrack:The Wall - Pink Floyd
As an example, there was a couple traveling with a small baby stuck in the terminal. Baby was hungry, so Mommy was arranging herself to nurse in public, which means rummaging for blankets, and then under blankets, lol. This was not speedy enough for the little guy's liking so he started to show signs of letting loose with a major fit. Daddy scooped up his son and gave him a little one man carnival ride that surprised Baby into happy distraction from the empty tummy situation. Not only was it successful, it was cute as heck and Daddy seemed to be completely enjoying it.
I thought, "Awww, how sweet!" and, "what a lucky family to have so much love."
Mommy appreciated it, I could see that she did, but she was probably tired from travel, and frustrated by the hassles of public nursing, so she got snappish with Daddy when he didn't psychically know she needed an extra pair of hands to keep from flashing the terminal. After that their discussion devolved into bickering.
I thought, "what a waste of an opportunity for a totally blissful moment."
Why do we do it? Why do humans take the most important relationships in our lives and not only stop noticing the awesome, but pick at every little thing? It goes against our own self interest and our desire to create a happy life for ourselves and for the partner (or friend/family member) we theoretically love and want to make joyful. Instead we assume the person is there for our convenience, and if their behavior doesn't reflect a total focus on our every unstated need we feel slighted, unloved and let down. Hmmm, kind of like a hungry baby...
If we take a step back and look at ourselves and our relationships objectively we'll discover that 99.9% of those behaviors are not specifically designed to hurt us, but that is how we react to them. No wonder so many couples end up in a hostile breakup! Who can keep loving a person who never expects the best of them, and never shows appreciation for them?
Ok, I'm not saying that I never get snappish or take out my frustrations on the people around me. It happens. Also, from time to time I'll lose patience with a loved one's behavior and lash out (granted, a tongue lashing from me isn't all that scary, lol). And yeah, thus far I have ended every partner relationship I've had, so I clearly don't have all the answers. But I think I can safely claim that the lack of criticism and blame I dish out may account for why I am on exceptionally good terms with my exes.
It also correlates pretty strongly with the lack of criticism and blame I receive. Isn't it much easier to see the best in people who are constantly pointing out and supporting our strengths rather than criticizing what they perceive as our faults?
Couldn't Mommy have smiled at Daddy's antics with Baby and enjoyed that moment, recognizing it as a lovely example of what she got into this for to begin with? Wouldn't it have been hard to blame Daddy for the slipping blanket after that kind of appreciative thought? I think a laughing, "Oops! Hon, I need a hand before I flash these good people over here." would have been the natural response following that sort of appreciation, and it's a response that would support everyone's joy.
Anyway, lol...
Namárië & Namaste and Happy New Year, Dearests!
Estellye
PS: The title is a quote from the film "Serenity" delivered by David Krumholtz as Mr. Universe.
- The Groove:appreciative
- The Soundtrack:I Want to Thank You - Natalie Merchant
It occurs to me that this is quite likely an inaccurate portrayal of what such a being would experience if they existed. Naturally, use of the theme itself is important to the tales and therefore quite appropriate. I am not suggesting that the authors have made an error that should be corrected, I am merely pointing out what I perceive to be an inconsistency between the portrayal and what reality might look like.
It's understandable why this would be what we humans would expect of an incomprehensibly old being. This is our experience in our later years. We tend to retreat from the present moment and review our lives in preparation for leaving them behind. And that is the difference! An immortal being is not leaving in the same sense we are preparing for in our old age. In the case of Tolkien's elves they were in fact leaving and returning to where they originated, which would explain a certain amount of dwelling upon the past, but not the grief, not really.
It seems to me that the acquisition of wisdom leads to more of a detachment from extreme emotions as we are given a perspective to see that all things play themselves out in time and nothing is as earth shattering as we thought it was in our youth. It also leads to a focus on and appreciation of the present moment. If we have eternity to gain wisdom, why would this general trend reverse itself? I don't think it would.
One of the other themes that comes up in fiction about immortals is far more likely to be accurate to my way of thinking. They tend to have an innate joyfulness (that comes from living in the moment) combined with detachment that can be perceived as an uncaring attitude, much as faeries are often portrayed. What we humans, bogged down in our dramas, perceive as cruelty is in fact a pragmatic understanding of any long-lived being: this too shall pass. We think they must be monstrously hateful creatures to find our tragedies so untroubling, and so we ascribe to them a desire to do us harm which is simply not the case.
We aren't particularly troubled by the passing of a butterfly. When a newly fledged butterfly was released in the butterfly conservatory and made it's first landing on my nephew Kevin, he was afraid and shook his arm reflexively. The little butterfly with it's wings still drying couldn't survive the resulting impact with the ground. This made us sad, but we played it down so Kevin's heart wouldn't break. The conservatory worker said that the butterfly would have been dead in a few hours, anyway. In a few minutes Kevin was out petting the donkey in another part of the museum grounds and having a lovely time. This didn't make him a heartless boy, it made him a human who had, at the time, 6 whole years worth of wisdom to draw from. This made him enormously long lived in comparison to a butterfly.
I am going to have to rewrite this one later, lol. I really don't think I am expressing what I meant to say very well. But I am remaining untroubled about the matter and just staying in the moment like a wise 42 year old should. ;)
Namárië & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:Content
- The Soundtrack:Good Enough - Evanescence
cutepolishgirl 's Blogger entry, but it won't let me. It's probably for the best though, because I feel like being my usual long-winded self - hehe. Who needs a response to their entry longer than their actual entry? You all know I've done it and I will do it again, but it is still embarrassing.( On Twilight and Cougars )
So, those are my thoughts, for what they are worth, brought on by reading my friend's thoughts, which are worth a great deal. I have something else on my mind today. Yesterday's email from Jim and Nancy Rosemergy really got me thinking. It included this quote by the Greek philosopher Epictetus:
People are agitated and disturbed not by things, but by the opinions they have about things.
( On the merits of non-agitation )
And that, my friends, is what two trains of thought careening out of my mind at once looks like, lol
Namárië & Namaste and keep your arms and legs inside the car...
Estellye
- The Groove:Pondering
- The Soundtrack:Santa Baby
First of all, it's eldritchhobbit 's birthday tomorrow...I don't know if I'll be able to get online, so I will post my good wishes today.
Happy Birthday, Amy! May the year be filled with endless opportunities for joy, and may it be a time of good health and prosperity for you and yours! 
The Kingdom of Shadows by Anne-Julie Aubrey
Also, I have been pondering comings and goings. Many people are traveling for the holidays, but it seems we come and go, shift and migrate, online and geographically.
As I was pondering the many meetings and the many farewells I have experienced and will continue to experience, I found myself thinking about the way I sign most of my posts, "Namárië & Namaste." I have translated in the past, and I've said that I feel they mean the same thing, but I've never addressed it in any particular depth.
Namaste is appropriate for both greeting or parting. It is from the sanskrit words for "Bow" and "To You", however it has taken on a far more complex meaning than it's root words can express on their own. My favorite translation of Namaste is this:
"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."
But there are many others, including:
"I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me."
"All that is best and highest in me salutes all that is best and highest in you."
and
"The light within me honors the light within you."
Leave it to me to prefer the longest version, lol.
As those of my friends who share a love of all things Middle Earth know, "Namárië" is the greeting in the Elvish language, Quenya, developed so beautifully by JRR Tolkien (who was, first and foremost, a linguist). The definition is said to be "farewell" but a direct root word translation is remember home.
Tolkien was well aware of the intricacies of how a language develops and how words take on additional meaning. I surmise that even more than "remember home while you're away" (or "I'll keep a lamp burning in the flet for you" lol), it is actually an acknowledgment of sameness. The home of the elvish heart was not Lothlorien, Imladris or Eryn Lasgalen, but beyond the sea to the West. That is the home the elves were returning to. So my translation of Namárië is"
"I acknowledge that you and I come from the same place and we will return to the same place, and when we hold that place in our hearts we are one"
Symbolically, Tolkien may very well have been considering the state of our eternal soul and "the West" as the place where we originated and to which we all return, but that is a philosophical discussion for another day.
For today it's enough to say, redundantly since to me they mean the same thing:
In your comings and goings, my dear ones, Namárië & Namaste.
And a bountiful Thanksgiving,
Estellye
- The Groove:Contemplative
- The Soundtrack:Namárië
To answer the question, no, and no – but like all yes-or-no questions, there is always more to it. To start with, everything is possible and it's nothing less than hubris to think otherwise - so can there be psychics and astrology relevant to life? Yeah, probably, but with a lot of caveats. How's that for a definitive answer? Which boils down to, "go not to the elves for counsel, for they say both no and yes." *wink*
I am comfortably certain we are all capable of what many would consider "psychic" abilities, and some of us may have developed them more than others, but just like advice from a friend, all information comes through the life experience and emotional "filters" of the advice-giver and only we can determine what is actually relevant to us. In fact, all purveyors of information through psychic revelation, astrological charts, personal advice, television commercials, sermons, movies, newspaper articles, news shows, fiction, or political discourse have multiple agendas that can include informing us, entertaining us, supporting us, manipulating us and/or shaping our opinions.We are left to ourselves to unravel that mess on our own.
Regarding astrology, the entire universe is connected and is one huge body which I personally believe was created by God in whatever way that happened. I also believe that on some level we participate in the choices of our own human incarnation (from our eternal spirit form), and I can see it as possible that planetary arrangements affect us and we might choose, or God might choose for us, which arrangement should be in effect at our birth moment and throughout our lives. We're all pretty scientifically satisfied that the moon affects the tide, and the moon's gravitational energy and the magnetism of the Earth affects the cycles and energy of our physical bodies, and the Earth and Moon are affected by the sun and the other planets, and our solar system is affected by others in the galaxy, etc., etc. What else could all that affect that we haven't scientifically proven yet? If all things are part of one whole creation then everything affects everything. Astrology is old and like all old things is subject to ridicule due to our modern day science and like all old things it is given too much credence by some and not enough by others.
Advice columns can only be considered entertainment because the advice-giver only knows what was in the brief request for advice and can never truly know the whole situation. Those who study the history and practice of astrology do not believe that only one part of our planetary chart, our birth sign, is an accurate predictor of anything. They believe that each of us come in with our own complex set of strengths and challenges that can be predicted to some degree by a complex analysis of the heavens, but it is entirely up to the individual how that affects our lives and relationships.Newspaper astrology is using one indicator with a wide brush on one twelfth of the population and it's utterly absurd to take it seriously.It's just for fun.
I certainly don't guide my life by it, but I have had a full chart done by a serious practitioner and it was an enlightening experience for me, much like talk therapy can be a tool toward self-revelation. I am unwilling to say outright that I believe or disbelieve but I am inclined to give such things the benefit of the doubt. My chart was beneficial to me on some level and that is the only conclusion I can draw.
We can receive messages from God (The Universe, the Divine Mind, Angels, our Higher Self, or wherever we are looking to receive messages from) in many ways. Prayer is literally a form of psychic activity in which we energetically send our intentions and intercessions to God, and God responds energetically in some way. We interpret, and scholars, priests and ministers interpret, God's messages in the Bible that were "channeled" through the filters of prophets of our Jewish and Christian faiths (and all other major religions, similarly). But who has the authority to say what channeled messages are true and what psychic practitioner is "real?" Ultimately, the highest authority we can access is our own discernment.
What I do know is that our belief is a very powerful thing, and if we credit such things as astrology and psychics then we can use that information in our lives for good or ill according to our own belief. I discussed that at some length a few years ago when contemplating Galadriel's Mirror here if anyone is interested.
Be well, all!
Namárië & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:Contemplative
- The Soundtrack:Crystal Ball - Styx
1. Summer Glau is going to be on Dollhouse this season! Perfection!
2. Check out this well done fan video of Summer Glau as River Tam in Firefly and Serentity!
3. Also, I now have a totally inappropriate crush on a character from the tv show "Criminal Minds." I just caught a few episodes in syndication, but I'll be renting the first four seasons, you can bet your bippies. ;)
Thinking of you!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
- The Soundtrack:River's Jig - Bedlam Bards
My Relationships
My Art
My Joy
My Prosperity
My Choices
My Experiences
My Reality
My Responsibility - and virtually limitless in possibilities unless I limit myself.
I believe this stuff, I mean I BELIEVE it with a capital BELIEVE. I see it so clearly, the limitless potential in every person I know and every person I meet. I am not kidding around. Nothing anyone has ever done or ever failed to do makes me re-evaluate and decide, "I was wrong, I guess they must just be losers after all." I get so excited by potential. If you tell me you want to do something and you've told me every day for ten years that you want to do it, and every day for ten years you've found a reason why you can't succeed, I still believe you'll wake up tomorrow or the day after that and not be able to find a reason why not any more, and then you will succeed.
So why exactly have I not turned all this belief inward to my own desires and goals in any kind of sustained way? I've run out of reasons.
Namarie & Namaste and Jump Ya'll
Estellye
- The Groove:Clear
- The Soundtrack:Shining Star - Earth Wind & Fire
I tried to use my OnStar turn by turn directions for the first time this weekend (I have it free until January) but for some reason it wasn't available at that moment, lol. The operator read me the regular Google Map type directions instead, and she explained how to record them and play them back, but they didn't make any sense. I just flew by the seat of my pants like I usually do. I think the universe is being ironic.
In other news, I was helping my nephew study for his SAT's and apparently I would still kick ass on the verbal portion. Chris was floored that I knew all the vocabulary he could throw at me. I told him his grandmother spoke like the Encyclopedia Brittanica, which unfortunately doesn't make me sound any more intelligent than a Valley Girl but helped me learn a few words. I just told him to keep reading books because that is the best way to learn vocabulary. Then for kicks I sent him here.
I am thinking of you all!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:At Loose Ends
- The Soundtrack:Show Me the Way - Styx
( Birthday Business )
And in other news I have been thinking about healthcare this morning. It seems that there are intelligent, well informed individuals who are still not totally aware of the many ways in which a hardworking person can be without affordable healthcare. Here are just the ways in which I personally have been deprived of affordable healthcare in my adult life (at various times over the past 23 years). I know there are many other ways that individuals and families have found themselves without coverage, but this is just my personal experience.
Anyway, just food for thought. I'll see you all when I return next week. Have a great weekend everybody!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
( TORCHWOOD!!! No actual spoilers just general observations )
( White Rabbits )
( Random News )
I hope you're all enjoying an excellent week so far!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
PS: Is it just me or did I accidentally hit the "off" switch on my writing brain? There are some agonizingly convoluted sentences here. LOL! What a mess! I was supposed to do some copy writing for work today, too. Yeah, that wasn't happening.
- The Groove:Pondering
- The Soundtrack:Go Ask Alice - Jefferson Airplane
- The Groove:Discouraged
- The Soundtrack:Fly Away - Michael Jackson
m_stiefvater is a multi-talented author, artist, and musician who rocks, Because I truly, madly loved her novel "Lament" and am looking forward to "Shiver" and "Ballad",
Because I met her at RavenCon and she's quirky, smart, nice and way overly caffeinated,
Because she's a flister,
Because she plays the bagpipes,
Because I can, and ok...
Because she's running a contest again, lol, I bring you the following:
- The Groove:Amused
- The Soundtrack:Well...All Right - Buddy Holly
- The Groove:Good!
- The Soundtrack:Man, It's So Loud In Here - They Might Be Giants
mypreoccupation .If anyone is interested, please go here.
Thanks!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
- The Groove:Great
- The Soundtrack:Peaceful Easy Feeling - The Eagles
First of all...Katherine Kurtz.. OMG, I really tried not to squee like a little girl. I've been a devoted reader for thirty years and it was a real kick to meet her and hear her comments. I hope I didn't embarrass myself too much, lol. Guess what! "Deryni Rising" has been OPTIONED with actual progress in the direction of filming! Katherine approves of the script and managed to argue to save a few important details from Hollywood foolery. You have no idea how long I have wanted to see those books translated to film. I think I was twelve when I started fantasy-casting them. Of course my original Kelson choice is in his 40's now. heh! The character starts out at 13.
Nice new hotel this year with plenty of space. The set-up was a bit maze-like and one of the hallways was like running the gauntlet which was good because the authors all got great exposure and I had the opportunity to see everyone, but bad because it was a bit tight in that section particularly between sessions. But over-all, high praise for the location. A wonderful turnout this year, too, despite the economy. There were well over two hundred more attendees than last year, but with the extra space it was far less crowded.
Excellent programming again. There were only two sessions I didn't come out of thinking that it was a totally positive experience. One was a little boring and lectury but good over-all, while the other was just riddled with a generally negative and non-inclusive attitude. I will probably just choose to avoid the most offensive panelist if possible in the future. But some of the folks who have become Con favorites for me had their game faces on and the panels with them were entertaining and interesting as usual. To point out just a few: the bloggers of "Magical Words" Misty Massey, David B. Coe, and Faith Hunter; also James Maxey, Doc Travis, J.F. Lewis, Gail Z. Martin and of course my/our friend Amy Sturgis. There are others but those are the folks who leapt to mind.
One small pet peeve: the pervasive Anti-Twilightism both here and at RavenCon. Exactly how does general popularity automatically make something beneath our dignity? I am not saying everyone has to jump on the band wagon(not everybody retains their teenage predilection for angst the way I did) and some of the good natured jokes about it are hilarious, but a little acceptance and less hostility, people! As writers we should be thrilled with Stephanie Meyer's massive success because it shows what is possible if you can capture people's imaginations. It was her first attempt at writing and her craft isn't super-honed but the woman can spin a tale that interests people, draws newbies to the genre, and provides readers for us all. We should throw her a parade, not deride her.
Speaking of Twilight, Lisa/hinluin was very happy to have a photo-op with "Edward" as well as a picture perfect "Alice", "Jasper", and a leafy "Victoria". The costumes were great and among many that stopped us in our tracks. Some day I am going to try my hand at costuming. Two of Amy/eldritchhobbit's friends from her Tennessee Smial of Tolkien fans came garbed beautifully, one of them as a perfect Dr. Horrible.
Only one vocal Star Trek fan I heard had a serious issue with the Re-Boot. It seems pretty universally approved of, for which I am grateful. If the fans embrace it, we get more! I so enjoyed the film and I'm looking forward to Star Trek continuing to provide me entertainment indefinitely. The panel on the subject was very informative with some interesting views and theories expressed.
On Sunday Lisa and I got small henna tattoos from Wendy Mendhi in the artist's room. Mine is a stylized quill pen with an Ohm worked into it. That was fun!
All in all, I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all and the organizers can call the con a great success. I'll certainly be back next year. I'm also planning to return to RavenCon, but my next con will be MarsCon in Williamsburg this coming January. I hope to see some familiar faces and plenty of new ones!
Namarie & Namaste
Estellye
PS: I must have been inspired because last night I was visited by the plot bunny fairy. *g*
- The Groove:Sleepy
- The Soundtrack:Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
Wisdom
Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. ~Anais Nin
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~Mother Teresa
If you ask an impertinent question, you are on the way to a pertinent answer. ~Jacob Bronowski
Life is a game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds, and words return to us sooner or later with astounding accuracy. ~Florence Scovel Shinn
If you're going through hell, keep going. ~Winston Churchill
I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work...of course it doesn't work. It isn't supposed to work. We are supposed to work it. ~Alexander Woollcott
I believe in humanity. We are an incredible species. We're still just a child creature, we're still being nasty to each other. And all children go through those phases. We're growing up, we're moving into adolescence now. When we grow up - man, we're going to be something! ~Gene Roddenberry
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. ~Thomas Edison
None of us lives in the real world, for there is no single world. We live in our world, one that is shaped by what we believe. Hopefully, as we live, truth unfolds in us, and when it does we are one step closer to the world God ordained for the human family. ~Jim Rosemergy
I can do no other than be reverent before everything that is called life. I can do no other than to have compassion for all that is called life. That is the beginning and the foundation of all ethics. ~Albert Schweitzer
At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service. ~Fred Rogers
The truth is that we do not see the world as it is, but we see it as we are. ~Jim Rosemergy
We take a handful of sand from the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world. ~Robert Pirsig
Habit is the sixth sense that overrules the other five. ~ Arab Proverb
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. ~Lao Tzu
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead
Negativity, anger, and an unquiet mind are the arrow shot at your heart, but only landed at your feet. Only you can choose to pick it up and stab yourself with it. ~Prince Siddhartha
So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable. ~Christopher Reeve
We shall find peace. We shall hear angels. We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds. ~Anton Chekov
Pathwalker, there is no path. You must make the path as you walk ~Antonio Machado
A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle. ~John Quincy Adams
Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly ~Robert Schuller
The events in our lives happen in a sequence of time, but in their significance to ourselves, they find their own order…the continuous thread of revelation. ~Eudora Welty
The true lovers of our universe have the courage to look into the darkness of their souls and love what they find there. This is what enables them to love unconditionally. Love may eventually show itself as tender and a light unto the earth and its inhabitants, but first it dwelt in darkness and was brave beyond words. ~Jim & Nancy Rosemergy
...For dark they stand, all woods there be must end at last, and see the open sun go past... ~JRR Tolkien from "The Fellowship of the Ring"
Do not fear mistakes – there are none.
~Miles Davis
Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.~Howard Thurman
Science explains the world, but only Art can reconcile us to it.~Stanislaw Lem
I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy! ~Louise Bogan
You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm. ~Colette
When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important that I am afraid. ~Audre Lourdes
You cannot be totally committed sometimes ~A Course In Miracles
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. ~Jean Houston
Inside you there’s an artist you don’t know about…say yes quickly, if you know, if you’ve known it from before the beginning of the universe. ~Jalal Ud-Din Rumi
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.
~Jalal Ud-Din Rumi
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. ~Seneca
A painting is never finished – it simply stops in interesting places. ~Paul Gardner
Our individuality is all, all that we have. There are those who would barter it for security, but blessed in the twinkle of the morning star is the one who nurtures and rides it, in grace and love and wit.
~Tom Robbin
I have made my world and it is a much better world than I ever saw outside. ~Louise Nevelson
A cloud does not know why it moves in such a direction and at such a speed, it feels an impulsion…this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons. ~Richard Bach
Joy is all there is, all else is a preoccupation of ego and unworthy of my holy mind. ~ Doreen Virtue, Phd.
It's wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky. Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears. ~Helen Keller
Learning is a side-effect of joy.
~Thomas M. Disch
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. ~Epicurus
There is nothing beautiful or sweet or great in life that is not mysterious.~Francois Rene’de Chateaubriand
Only connect!…only connect the prose and the passion and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer! ~E. M. Forster
Some prices are just too high, no matter how much you may want the prize. The one thing you can't trade for your heart's desire is your heart.
~Lois McMaster Bujold
Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it. ~Anne DeLenclos
When there is no more separation between“this” and “that,” it is called the still-point of the Tao. At the still point in the center of the circle one can see the infinite in all things. ~Chuang Tzu
Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out your horn. ~Charlie Parker
I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love, and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety, or fear try to call me, they will keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number. ~Edith Armstrong
The soul is created in a place between Time and Eternity; with its highest powers it touches Eternity, with its lower Time. ~Meister Eckhart
When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens: ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to nourish your soul! ~Rabbi Harold Kushner
Let’s see what happens if you cook popcorn without a lid. ~Bill Waterson
