From November, 2007: “The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.” Author Unknown
Here in the B household we’ve been having some challenging days, days with opportunities to grow in patience and faith and love. And, thanks be to God, we’ve had enough of all three to have much peace and even happiness in the middle of uncertainty. Today, I am thinking about the beauty and gifts I have been experiencing, and I am feeling thankful. Some are trivial and some are terribly important, but all are welcome comforts just now.
Good music: Alyssa introduced me to an a capella group called Voice Male. They don’t just sing; they also make all the instrumental sounds with their voices. Way cool – the CD we have, Up Up and Away, has lots of energy-giving “classics” and a few originals. Their rendition of Loch Lohman, complete with an intro done in a hilarious and endearing fake Scottish accent, begs to have the volume cranked up a bit. Both the parents and The Offspring enjoy listening to these guys around here, and the boys hardly bat an eyelash when their mom starts bopping with the music.
Yesterday, I turned on the local public radio station and the van was flooded with the sublime sound of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons “Spring,” a violin concerto that ranks among my favorites. Apparently, the program scheduler agrees with me that it is misnamed – to me the music speaks of the brilliance of the sun shining through golden leaves and dappling the road with light and shadow, which was exactly what was happening as I drove home.
Good books: As usual, I am reading a variety of things at the same time. Among them are Molly O’Neill’s anthology, American Food Writing, Wendell Berry’s novel, Jayber Crow, and David Shalleck’s Mediterranean Summer. I’m pre-screening a book or two for Jonathan, I’m trying to apply what I learned in Financial Peace, and one of my bedside table books is a little treat from the library called The Weekend Book, a reprint of a book originally published in 1924, which has chapters on poetry, sing-alongs, British architecture, various aspects of nature, and much, much more. It was written as a volume for a weekend walker to take along in his rucksack. It is, as the Brits would say, rather delightful.
Good pictures: Art is something I have gradually learned more about over the last ten years or so, but I have a lot more to discover. Lately, I’ve finally understood the difference between Romanesque and Gothic architecture, which is added to the store of largely useless bits of knowledge that clutter my head.
The best “pictures” I’m seeing now are those painted by the Great Artist. It’s the Golden Time here in PA, perhaps a tad less stunning than in most years, but stunning enough, stunning enough. Yesterday I had a satisfying tramp in it. Thank God for his creativity – imagine if he hadn’t bothered with color!
Good company: It occurs to me what pleasant companions our children are. We have three adolescents in our family, and they have all reached the age of reason. They ask searching questions and value The Husband’s and my opinions, without seeming too shocked when we don’t always know the answer. I like them very much, and I know that is a great blessing too many other parents don’t share.
It is also hitting me again and again what a gift I’ve been given in my life companion, The Husband. There just aren’t words for what he is to me. I hope the rest of you marrieds can say the same. If you can’t, get busy – it is so worth it to grow marriages. God bless us all in this.
Good conversation: I’ve had nourishing talks, both in real life and via email, with three friends lately which have bolstered me, comforted me, and encouraged me in my walk. There are plenty of encounters with others, too, but these stand out as most helpful, as words “fitly spoken” that have given grace to this hearer.
I started this early in the morning and would have said, “Let the day unfold,” but I’ve been going back and forth between the writing and other tasks and now it is nearly mid-day. So, I suppose I’ll say, “Let the remainder of the day unfold, and be a blessing.”
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