June’s been a rough month. Think I’ll grab a handful of these. Because after all, as Charles M. Schulz so eloquently said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” : )
When I first started in the industry, I took some teasing about my love for purple. “New design, Pat? Is it purple?”
No, not everything was purple, but it’s an awesome color when used well ~ and nobody does it like Mother Nature. Here’s more evidence of its fabulousness:
hyacinth
iris
iris
iris
iris
can’t remember what this is called
petunia
How can you not love purple?
Waves and seagulls, and
Skies made for painting,
Ice cream trucks and watermelon seeds
And lazy streams in shaded glens
Where dragonflies lead to fairy dens.
Moonlit walks and dusty trails,
Kites and flip-flops, storms and rainbows,
Sails and snails and lemonade,
Crickets sing, zinnias smile ~
Ah, yes…
Summer’s come to stay a while.
~ P. Saxton
If only it were so simple.
A friend posted this video the other night. It had the unusual effect of actually lifting my spirits (which until then, I hadn’t realized needing lifting ~ although, considering the past few weeks of planning a funeral and being consumed with worry over the Colorado fires where I have family smack dab in the line of Mother Nature’s wild ride, plus a dear friend moving away, along with the usual work/life/home/bills/meals/laundry/parenting, I suppose it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to see that, well, maybe I did).
Watching these musicians, all of them great, stirring up this great big crowd with the simplest of songs ~ the energy was palpable, even on a computer. It had me smiling. Ah, yes. “All we need is love”…. from time to time I truly believe that.
But sometimes we also need an entertainment break. You know, to give the overactive mind a rest and put a temporary halt to the to-do’s. I try, I really try. Trouble is, I’d usually rather be doing something creative, even in my downtime ~but, next to a good book, I do love a good movie. The kind that captivates, takes you away, where there’s no room for remembering the dirty dishes in the sink.
So just the other night a movie was decided upon. (Not always an easy task itself.) Then we discover that it’s not “on demand”; so we try “redbox”. It’s not there either. So I finally bite the bullet and register for Netflix, which I’ve wanted to do for a long time anyway. I’m excited now, not being a “watch TV” kind of person, knowing the relatively teeny investment will be well-spent on entertainment I might actually use.
Then comes the realization: I still have an old-fashioned TV. A step or two up from the rabbit-eared kind. Which means I can’t access my new-found entertainment unless I’m on the computer. I don’t want to watch a movie on a computer. I want to get away from my computers.
So I call the Netflix people. Turns out there’s a way I still can watch on my antiquated set, because we have a Wii! Oh boy! “Is it complicated?” I ask. “Oh, no! It’s easy, I can talk you through it!” says the very cheerful voice from Netflix. (Really cheerful – he must be from the midwest.) Unfortunately wires and I don’t get along (which reminds me, I am so happy to be living in a time period where ‘wireless’ exists!) so I enlist the help of my daughter, who became frustrated almost immediately, and I tell the guy I’ll call him back. Oh, he can email me the instructions? “Even better”, I say, “how nice!”
By this time, though, I’ve had my fill of spontaneous adventure, and retreat to a book. But I’m still unsettled. So the next day I throw caution to the wind and decide to fully join the 21st century by getting an HD (High Definition) TV, because I remember the prices have gone way down from a few years ago. And then I can watch movies from Netflix.
Of course I’m now faced with the Plasma, LCD, LED dilemma. (Not even considering the 3D road.) This brand, that brand. Everybody has an opinion. Good grief already. And, of course, an old cable-tv box will need to be traded in for a new HD one, and there’s a fancy new cable – but it’s so much easier and better! And, you know, I’m sure it will be when all is said and done.
It’s just that, please, all I wanted to do was watch a good movie. If I’d have lived in another time, I’d have walked over to hear the storyteller. It shouldn’t be so complicated. (But it is. Like travel. Don’t get me started on that one…)
And so I remind myself, all you need is love.
And Netflix.
And maybe a garden, and chocolate, and pencils and paper and paints, and a villa in Tuscany. (I have to sell a lot more books for that to happen, though I’m sure you would agree that Tuscany would suit me well, yes?) And time. But of course “time” is an illusion..
Wow. I need a vacation. Guess I’ll settle for a movie. Watched, lovingly, on my old tv (for now).
Celebrate life today…!
http://youtu.be/auNSrt-QOhw
Peace has been traveling far and wide! Thank you for sharing these fabulous images of “52 Weeks of Peace” from around the world!
“Graduation Peace, Love and Happiness”, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Peace graces a spring garden in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Cheers! ~ in Johannesburg, South Africa
Antananarivo, Madagascar
“Peace Out” for the summer from an Athens, Ohio house that holds a treasure chest of memories for 9 college guys.
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!)
“Dream big. Work hard. Think for yourself. And love everything you love, and every one you love, with all your might.”
~ David McCullough, Jr., English teacher, from his Wellesley High School Commencement Speech
Wise words. Inspiring words. Yet apparently McCullough’s speech to the 2012 graduating class of High School seniors caused a fuss ~ because, in the speech, he told the students that they were “nothing special.” But if you listen (and I recommend that you do), many of you, like I did, will wonder what the controversy was all about.
Are we so coddled and inattentive that we get sidetracked by dissecting the minutia of a few phrases without hearing the full context of truth and wisdom?
Maybe the shame here is that it took the raising of eyebrows to make it to a broader audience. It’s outstanding. Bravo, well done!
If you want more on this, there’s a great editorial write-up about this video here.
They tell you to write what you know. But I say, without a doubt, write what you love.
For example, I know photoshop really well. It’s a fabulously cool tool. I can teach you how to use it, I can show you a litany of tips & tricks ~ but lord have mercy, I do not want to write about it! (Thankfully there are plenty of other people who do.) Photoshop does not stir my soul.
Write about things that stir your soul.
Write like you’re having a conversation, because in essence you are. Write like it’s the most interesting subject in the world. Write with all your heart. Let it rip. Write from your gut. Write with pleasure and conviction and spark.
I don’t care if you love blue herons or monopoly games or computer chips or zombie warlords ~ what you have passion for, you’ll write about best ~ so pull the words from that raw, genuine place. Oh, and have fun with it.
And later, most definitely, edit … with all your mind!
“Love is nothing in tennis, but in life it’s everything.”
~Author Unknown
Give it your all. Play hard. Slam that ball right down the line, ace the serve, feel the exhilaration from getting the impossible shot, the satisfaction of a great rally with a well-matched opponent.
The trick, of course, is to stay steady. It’s not always the lowest, hardest, fastest shot, (which is, perhaps unfortunately, the way I like to play!), but the ability to consistently direct that fuzzy little yellow ball at your command …. and to do that, you gotta have not only practice, heart and energy, but a strong psyche. Just like off the court, you don’t want to get thrown off your game by a self-defeating attitude, right? Where’s the peace in that?
I won’t deny, winning feels great ~ but, playing your best, regardless of the guy across the net, brings a level of peace you just can’t beat. And that’s a good personal Match Point for anything you do.
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
Because purple is fabulous.The color of royalty, the color supreme for little girls, the essence of spirituality. It’s sublime and grand and bright and fun and radiant and plush and proud and deep and mysterious and joyful and lavish and luscious and lovely. We should all have some purple in our world.
I like to think there’s some dancing going on in heaven today.
the Pennsylvania hills of my father’s childhood
We buried my beautiful mother 32 years ago ~ and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her or feel that she’s with me.
Yesterday my father joined her in heaven. And not a day will go by that I won’t think of him, or cherish the remarkable goodness and brilliance that he was. His was a long life, lived well; the world was truly made a better place for his many blessings. We’ll miss him. A lot.
Dad, thank you, for everything. I hope you and Mom dance the night away.
♦
For anyone who’s ever lost someone dear, I offer comfort through this wonderful poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave bereft
I am not there. I have not left.
– Mary Elizabeth Frye –
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde
We hear a lot about being “authentic” these days. I feel like I’m witnessing a bit of a mass re-discovery that being yourself holds water. That genuine is valued over false. That individuality, not sameness, carries the day. And in my humble opinion, if people take these notions to heart, we’re going in a good direction.
But I will (hesitantly) admit that my internal radar is measuring a slight cynicism, fearing that it’s being bandied about (almost) as if it were something fashionable. A concept du jour. Hitting the target but not the bullseye. Skimming the surface. You hear it and agree that it sounds good, but what do you really do with it?
In truth, of course, “authenticity” is as real as it gets and is never out of style. It’s wheat grown in the open field and the stars that shine above it, it’s a homemade card or a hunk of solid gold ~ and it’s who you are, your true self, how you think, what moves you, what you do about it, how you express yourself.
It’s not glamorous or badass or cool. It’s not celebrity or dying your hair blue. It’s not about clever ways to show how unique you are; it’s about being real.
Maybe the real you is about originality, maybe even outrageous ~ but it’s not authentic if it’s contrived. You don’t wake up and say, “I think I’ll be authentic today, it’ll look great with my new shoes.” You either are, or you aren’t, no matter what shoes you wear. You know the difference ~ and others usually do too.
I think it’s a lot easier to get through life without pretending to be something that you’re not, and a lot more productive, too. So go be real. Just you, the genuine article, the real McCoy, the only you there is.
I saw this on Facebook, and shared it there. It’s got something like a million and a half “likes” to date, all deserved in my book.
This touched me deeply ~ maybe just the very simple humanness of it. Sharing a beer with an old friend, a fellow soldier ~ what could be more natural? ~ of course that’s what you’d do, if you could. A bartender with heart who kept it there as long as she could. And seeing some of Frankie’s family members and fellow soldiers’ comments on the image, full of love. It just really brought it home, you know?
Rest in peace LTJG Toner, and all who have served us and left too soon.
From a bar near Borger, Texas: “This guy came in today and asked if it was ok if he left this on the bar.. I cried 🙁 I left it there until like 1130 tonight…. I didn’t want to pour it out but I had to. So I’m posting this pic so it can stay forever!!”
“Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.” ~Wallace Bruce
This one bears repeating….so, as last year, we thank you and we honor you, all the fallen ~ for your bravery, your love, your principled, unselfish courage ~ from the wells of our hearts, with a gratitude that knows no bounds.
“Paint Strip 2” / © Patricia Saxton
Dear Paint,
I have missed you. Missed your colors flowing on the end of a brush; the way you make magic at my hand’s command in sweeping strokes or smart little dabs with brilliant yellows and burnt umber and sienna-tinged greens and luminous blues and vibrant reds. Your tones, creamy, rich and ripe, acquiescing to the dips and swishes of well-used bristles and merrily slathering across a nicely stretched canvas, as if to say “Yes! I’m free! Let’s shake it up!”
Sure, sometimes you get ornery, but don’t we all? Maybe, sometimes, I want you to go this way when you really want to go that way. But in the end we work it out ~ we’re a team, going where the spirit moves.
I haven’t abandoned you, it’s just been a really long pause having to do with “responsibilities”. You know, keeping the roof overhead and all. It’s most definitely not for lack of inspiration or desire. So, thank you for being patient, and I promise we’ll have many, many more years together.
I’m also pretty sure that the best is yet to come. Hang in there!
P
