Note: Although it is majorly tempting, I refuse to add a video of Louie Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" to this post. It makes me cry every damn time I hear it and I'm not in the mood for tears right now. I'm in the mood for a brownie. Sigh.
When I lived in the big, bad city I took photos of alleys, graffiti, chain link fences, broken sidewalks and broken people…and I found beauty. Sometimes it was hard to find, but that made the eventual discoveries all the more stunning. Now I live here and beauty is never hard to find and I’m grateful.
My health is truly pissing me off. Sorry, I took an abrupt turn there, didn’t I? I am going somewhere with this, but I should have warned you to buckle up.
Medical experimenting (what the white-coats call “tests”) is still going on, but no answers, yet. In the meantime, I’m feeling worse, not better. I know in my heart that it’s not life-threatening. I trust my heart, because it never lies to me (unlike my head who can lie a garishly neon blue streak). So, it’s not that I’m thinking I have anything really, really bad. It’s more that right now I struggle to do normal, everyday stuff. I enjoy being independent. I can do anything. I’m strong. I’m resilient. But lately? Not so much.
The thing? I always have a thing! Here it is, as annoying as the not-in-the-greatest-health-thing (hah!) is, I need to remember that there is a world out there bigger than me (what????). Oh, yeah there is. And knowing that is actually soothing. In a bizarre way.
Not only is there a world out there, it is a truly beautiful world. It doesn’t matter where you happen to be located in this world or what your circumstances are, there is beauty to be found...in nature and art and people. Typical, maybe not. However, I do believe if you make a point of seeing that beauty (hunting it down, if you must), that can go a long a*s way to making just about any challenging situation seem…smaller. Beauty is a constant.
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| Throwing you with this one, eh? I call it "Self-Portrait in My Good Shoes." Hah! |
There is beauty all around us!
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere (and cannot recall where now) that the vast majority of us look either down or straight ahead while walking.
The author suggested that a person who looks with a broad spectrum of view and into the distance will see a heck of a lot more. I tried this and he was right.
The only downside to this was the resultant fat that I have an affinity for collecting coins I find on the streets wherever I go and/or travel. Thus, when I take the author's advice, I miss out on the coins.
Decisions, decisions, decisions! I like to look down when walking, too, 'cos you never know what you'll find (and if I don't look down, I have tendency to trip!). I suppose we could do both (look down and into the distance), when time allows.
DeleteI always enjoy your comments! Thanks, Jeremy!
Now I want a brownie :) Sorry about the health issues. I went through that for months until they finally realized that I had low potassium. Now apparently my heart rate is high and after a ton of tests they have told me that I need to be less stressed. Not very helpful :) I hope you figure out what is causing you all the problems, not feeling like your normal self is very frustrating!
ReplyDeleteWanting a brownie is contagious! :)
Delete"Less stressed"?? Definitely not helpful! Life is stressful, even just everyday life. We probably should make an effort to do something everyday that we enjoy and that relaxes us (or allows us to vent). Thanks for the kind words, Frugal and I hope your health improves, too. :)
I love the pictures you posted, especially the coyote and your self-portrait-in-good-shoes! Ha! (as your fond of saying)
ReplyDeleteAs for the health issues, I'm sure that whatever it is will be figured out and you can (and will) move on to better things and I'm glad you listen to your heart, the heart will rarely steer you wrong.
Aww, thanks MrGG! I believe that's true of our hearts, too. And for good measure, hah! back to you! Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteIf you were only down the road a piece, I would be right over with some pie. If I didn't have pie, I would raid the candy jar downstairs. If I didn't have any candy in the candy jar, I would wonder... what the hell good is a candy jar, if you ain't got no candy! If I wondered THAT, I would know then, that the world is out to get me. And if the world is out to get me, well then, thank god I'd have friends like you just down the road a piece!
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here in the living room looking at your coyote (pronounced ki- ote here in these parts) and your knotted wood, that reminds me of a smiling turtle, and your holy tree, that I'm wondering if there's a beehive in there, and how did Pooh stand all those stings to his widdle paws, and your shoes... your perfectly comfortable looking shoes.
While I looked, my rooster paused outside the window and began to crow. 6:18 in the pm, the sun is beginning its descent, and that rooster is crowing! I tried crowing back and he quit. The dogs, however, began to howl. I wish I'd gotten a recording of it to share! I live in a madhouse.
You and me, IK. I'm still having neck and head trouble myself. It is now officially beyond just plain ridiculous! I feel your pain. Literally. But, and I do believe in those Buts (Behold the Underlying Truth)... in the end, there always seems to be some good reason why illness stops me in my tracks. I rarely see this "good reason" until after it has passed, but then, that is just how it works. As long as I don't get too cheeky with the muscle relaxers, I'll be okay... eventually. And, So Will You!
If not, I'll be right over with that pie. And you know where THAT leads. To long walks in comfortable shoes, of course. Aye, there's the rub! (That there is a little Shakespeare love from me to you.) *g*
Awww, thanks Scarlett xo
DeleteI'll take it all, pie, candy, and long walks in comfortable shoes with some Shakespeare for good measure! It's pretty rare that my candy jar is empty around here, so we should be good. Yesterday, I managed to find the ingredients and energy to make an apple and cranberry crumble. Came out yummy! Wish I could have shared some with you, while listening to your animal crew sing, crow, howl, and bark.
I had a feeling you were suffering, too. And you're right there IS a reason this is happening. I believe that, too...and yeah, sometimes we don't know why for a day or two or a few months! Shakespeare can help us out here, too: "Go to you bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know." Hmmm...I have some knocking to do...
So...that's the plan then. We'll check in with our hearts and find out what all this physical fuss is about. Hope you feel better soon, Scarlett xo
Love that Shakespeare!
DeleteUsually my aches and pains, and even the occasional bout with the flu virus, are my body's way of forcing me to slow down. Or so my mother says. *g*
I can be a bit obsessive(a wee bit manic really). It's a tendency, not a psychosis really. Especially when I commit myself to something I very much enjoy, such as writing/blogging. I'm pretty confident at this point that my *Perfect Storm* resulted eventually in seized up neck muscles, which in turn has deluged me with headaches for over a month now, with little to no relief even from the meds.
But, I'm receiving my Chiro care from my mom, and followed through with a visit to an MD, and am at least aware now of how long I sit at my computer without breaks and the position in which I do so. I guess I can admit now that I'm officially a writing/bloggy junkie.
I used to laugh and say to my mom, "I'll slow down when I'm dead." Now I just shake my head and head for the medicine cabinet, praying to the heavens that I AT LEAST finish that damn book first.
Checking heart. Check!
Still breathing. Check!
Cranberry crumble... mmmmmmmmmmmm...
Lady, we have so much in common it's scary (not really, I think it's cool)! I'm a bit (a lot) obsessive, too! Yay for us!
DeleteI hope you have some ergonomic equipment, proper chair, and remember to take breaks...but I know the break thing is hard to do when you're on a roll! Why stop when things are flowing so nicely, yes? Sometimes when I'm writing or doodling I actually forget to breath and suddenly find myself gulping for air! Nuts, huh?
And you WILL finish that book, Scarlett and I can't wait to read it xo
Hey cutie! Wow beautiful pictures! I knew you were supper talented!
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with you? What do you mean by being sick?
Hey Natalie! Thanks, but it's easy to take good pics when you're working with nature!
DeleteThe "white coats" haven't figured out what's going on with me, yet. I'm hopeful that an answer is coming soon. x
Hey, sweets, what's your Twitter handle, and are you active on Twitter?
ReplyDeleteI started on Twitter and Triberr in one day! I have a lot of studying to do...
DeleteI also hope you feel better soon, my friend. Glad you can still find beauty even when shit is rough.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amberr! :)
Deleteyour pictures are certainly beautiful!!! we were just last night discussing mans search For Meaning.....and finding purpose in everything. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.
hope you are feeling well soon.
Really glad you enjoyed the pics! Finding purpose is crucial to a happy life. Mom to eight?? Thanks for finding the time to visit my blog! :)
DeleteI suffered stress, exhaustion, & illness for several years. I quit my job, & a couple months later I'm amazed how rested & relaxed I am! I also lost 10+ pounds with zero effort. Crazy --- guess my body was telling me I wasn't in the right place. That's the silver lining I draw from that experience, anyway. Hope you find your silver lining, & in the mean time I look forward to seeing more of your gorgeous pics. You obviously have an artist's eye. The comment you made about finding beauty reminded me of that scene in *American Beauty* when the neighbor boy recorded the plastic bag blowing in the wind. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteAndi-Roo /// @theworld4realz
http://www.theworld4realz.com/
theworldforrealz@gmail.com
It IS amazing how our bodies speak to us. We really do have to listen. I'm working on the listening to my body thing and (hopefully) hearing what it is telling me. We have to heal ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt's always heartening to hear that someone has found their silver lining, and what a lovely way to put it, by the way. You've left me such thoughtful, warm, and humorous comments Andi-Roo, thank you. :)