“Happiness is a living thing. You need to feed your happiness in order to have happiness last. It’s like love. If you don’t feed your love, it will die. Understanding and compassion are the foundation to happiness.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
When it’s all too much:
lie down, place hands on rib cage
breathe deeply…in…out…
By your own efforts waken yourself, watch yourself. And live joyfully.
Gautama Buddha
There is great joy in reveling in the small and simple things.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
When I paint and I’m in the “zone,” I’m not disagreeing with anything or anyone.
I’m doing my thing.
I’m happy. So I may spread more happiness. It keeps my worries at bay.
Even if the art is imperfect.
Henri Matisse was a masterful artist who is credited with being an essential contributor to modern art. When Matisse decided to leave his law studies for art, his father was bitterly disappointed.
Good thing he did it anyway!
In a few of these, I was afraid of too much space and added graphics. The result was a non-uniform crowding of images, which is not pleasing to the eye.
In relationships, space is even more critical. “Caring” and “parenting” are not about invading space, but respecting our teenagers as their own people. Crowding and controlling them is not pleasing to them!
This is the exact opposite of how I was raised.
But I can choose to question that thinking and do better.
Ursula Le Guin:
Anger’s useful in combat
otherwise, caustic
We cry from hunger pains
yearning to fill the void
but after we’ve eaten – with “bellies” full –
we’re left dissatisfied – a bit annoyed
Listless and sleepy,
we roll on to our side,
hoping to rest and feel content,
but conscious of the divide
No longer desirous, for
we ate the bread you gave,
but we’re bloated and numb
It was far better to crave
*Inspired by Mudcrutch
I’m taking painting classes through Creativebug.com (Lisa Congdon!) and last night, right before bed, I painted this:
I went to bed and when I woke up, I thought of a vintage dress a friend gave me over twenty years ago. It’s stored in a closet in my office – and I never look at it. Yet something evoked a need to look at the pattern:
Voila!
It makes you realize how your brain is working while you sleep. I notice that whatever I think about right before I go to bed is clarified somehow when I wake up. This is why watching informative and inspiring programs before bed is better than watching news…this is why reading a good book is better than arguing…and this is why asking yourself “How can I solve this problem?” is a better question than “Why me?”
Kismet 