Finding Truth in Words

Today I just want to share with you all a few phrases I have read or heard this week which have touched me in some way….

In an effort to ease myself out of the heartache of finishing Written in My Hearts Own Blood, I have started the newest book by Neil Gaiman “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”. Gaiman is my favorite living author because of the way he so effortlessly uses the English language to create delight phrases and to form the truest statements. Here is one such statement…

“Books were safer than other people anyway”

This second quote I heard Tuesday on my way home from work. I was listening to PRI’s The World, and the host Marco Werman said this to segue into a new story. I feel for the people of Iceland who are in fact living this reality, but it’s a good thing for the rest of us to think of whenever we get caught up in minor trials and tribulations…

“If you’re having a bad day count your blessings. You’re not on a glacier next to a volcano that’s about to blow.”

Next is something I heard while listening to Episode 10 of the the Dear Book Nerd Podcast. The guest host, author Jonathan Auxier, was the one who uttered these words. Obviously the topic was about opinions of books, but I think it is an excellent creed to follow in any part of one’s life…

“A lot of strong opinioned people think theirs is the absolute best opinion. Your goal should always be to find a better opinion, be like “My current opinion is the best one I have found, but I would love to be proven wrong because that would mean I have learned something and I just grew as a human being””

Then last night I listened to a Ted Talks Podcast on happiness. One of the featured speakers on this episode was Monk David Steindl-Rast and he stated this beautiful truth…

“It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy”

On that note, I have decided each morning I will say out loud a handful of things I am grateful for. This morning I had quite a list and one was that I am grateful for having a kitten, Faelina, who so diligently helps me make the bed each morning. We each have our own distinct role; I straighten the sheets, blankets and pillows to make it look nice and neat. Faelina protects me from harm by attacking all the faeries and spirits hiding beneath the sheets that are invisible to my eye. She does this with such delightful zeal that I am always left smiling. When both jobs are complete we have a nice well-made fairy free bed!

I’ll leave you all now with two more words from Neil Gaiman, until next time…

“Be Whole”