Peace (~ and life ~ and beauty ~) exists, yes, even within life’s rough surfaces, craggy edges and crumbling emotions. It’s up to us to discover and allow, with eyes, heart and mind open.
“Peace Wall” / 52 Weeks of Peace [squared]: Week #67 / © Patricia Saxton
“Night and day the river flows. If time is the mind of space, the River is the soul of the desert. Brave boatmen come, they go, they die, the voyage flows on forever. We are all canyoneers. We are all passengers on this little mossy ship, this delicate dory sailing round the sun that humans call the earth. Joy, shipmates, joy.” (Edward Abbey, The Hidden Canyon – A River Journey)
Peace hanging out on the banks of the Delaware River, PA
New Hope, Pennsylvania
“High-Tea Peace” at The Plaza Hotel, New York City
“Bladey” runs the show at the rollerskating area of Manhattan’s Central Park, and beams his joyful spirit.
Where to next?
(ps: you can see all “where in the world is peace?” images compiled on our special “where in the world is peace?” page. Our book is on Amazon, our totes, mugs and things are available here. Send your own pictures to 52weeksofpeace@gmail.com or post them on our FaceBook page. Let’s see where peace goes!)
“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic.” ~ Carl Sagan
• • •
What can I possibly add to that? Except that I agree. And we humans can indeed work magic.
It helps, of course, to get the writing in front of a reader. Which is pretty easy if you’re dead and famous, or if you’re still among the living and happen to have a lot of fans. But if one doesn’t have a lot of fans yet, how do you get people’s attention; how will people know what wonderful tapestries your words have woven, what prose you’ve spun, what wit you’ve unraveled?
Ah, yes. The cover.
Many a good book is bypassed because it’s poorly dressed, just as there are those books regrettably dolled to the nines whose inner workings disappoint ~ but, by far, the latter has the better chance of some face time. Of course, you know this. Just keep that in mind, especially when self-publishing: your book’s cover should be given some serious artistic consideration, if you want your book to be seriously considered. (and, yes, I can help with that!)
In any event, the Sagan quote above got me thinking it was time for another posting of good-looking book covers. So here are some I’ve plucked from cyberspace to add to previous book cover posts. I can’t speak to their magical qualities, but the designs pass my test. See if you agree.
She’s a champion and a warrior. She’s the sweetest flower. She’s tender, she’s tough, she’s imperfect and wise. She loves you when you’re winning, she loves you when you’re losing. She loves you whether you’re muddy or clean, too skinny or too fat, or cranky or witty or dull or smart.
She’ll hold you tight, like there’s no tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes, she’ll send you off to fly with your own shiny wings.
And as you go your way ~ and even when she’s no longer here ~ you are forever, and ever, in her heart.
…………..
Happy Mother’s Day to all us Mom’s everywhere. And remember: “If at first you don’t succeed, do it like your mother told you.” ~Author Unknown
Sometimes life can feel far too serious.
So, as if pre-ordained, I was swathed by a wave of whimsy when I stumbled across this (oh so cute) picture on a Facebook Page called “Animal Story”:
Which reminded me of a t-shirt design I’d created years ago:
And that reminded me of the fun I had making my Pigs That Fly image:
Which reminded me of my favorite pig, drawn by my daughter when she was little:
Which prompted thoughts of when I was little and had carefully drawn this cool character on my school 3-ring binder cover.
And there you have it. Just some pig fun to fatten up the cheerful quotient.
“That’s all folks!”
“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.”
~ W. Clement Stone
“Peace Moon” / 52 Weeks of Peace [squared]: Week #66 / © Patricia Saxton
Here’s to May ~ my favorite month of the year. So with a re-posting of 52 Weeks of Peace / Week #35, I lift a virtual glass and say… here’s to springtime! Here’s to new dawns, to growth and rebirth, to bright fertile dreams and the sprouting of fresh possibilities…
52 Weeks of Peace recently hiked the Grand Canyon, relaxed by the sea, warmed by a Virginia fire, went to work, and showed up “after the party”.
Thank you so much for these wonderful shots! ~ and helping to share our mission to inspire individual peace in everyday ways.
Friends brought Peace along for their week-long hike in the Grand Canyon
Peace rides shot-gun. (or maybe as a back-seat driver?!)
Chillin' fireside in Virginia
The party's over, but peace carries on...!
Fun in the sun at Florida's Cocoa Beach
Where to next?
ps: you can see all “where in the world is peace?” images compiled on our special “where in the world is peace?” page. Our book is on Amazon, our totes, mugs and things are available here. Send your own pictures to 52weeksofpeace@gmail.com or post them on our FaceBook page. Let’s see where peace goes!
How did I miss this? It’s wonderful. If you haven’t already seen this terrific piece, I dare you not to enjoy it and take away some inspired thinking (as well as an appreciation for some pretty darn good whiteboard drawing!). If you have seen it, enjoy it again. : )
If you’ve been following for a while, or if you have the 52 Weeks of Peace book, you’ll know that Week #34 was created just for this day. : ) Happy Earth Day! Here’s to Earth’s many blessings, her nourishment and sustenance.
