definitions

emerson defines success as:
:: to laugh often and much;
:: to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
:: to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
:: to appreciate beauty;
::to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
:: to know one life has breathed easier because you lived;
:: this to have succeeded.

i keep this in a frequently used journal as a reminder. i think emerson is pretty much dead on about most of his advice. practical, down to earth and nothing fancy about it.

i've written and erased so much more here. it seems i can't get my head wrapped around it all (in a good way). so i will end on this note.

p.s. i've updated my etsy shop for anyone interested.

the sounds of the silence

i couldn't tell you much i did during the day today. washed some clothes, unpacked suitcases, puttered - you know. but i did it in silence today. i didn't speak one work really (except to the cat as i fed him). the television was quiet and the only sounds were of the air conditioning or of the washing machine knocking about. occasionally i could hear a dog snoring or the hum of the window unit in my brother's room as he slept.

it was peaceful. i was alone with my thoughts - that loosening of the skin of my mind. i didn't think of deep issues. actually i didn't think of much. i prepared a simple lunch of sliced homegrown cucumbers, paired with sliced ham, red grapes, strawberries, brie and a roll. in the quiet, my tongue experienced the beauty of the tastes. the cucumber was bitter and needed a bit of salt. the ham was pink and tasted both sweet and salty in my mouth. the grapes were sweet and the strawberries dripped lush juice down my chin. the cheese was soft as i spread it on the bread. i should have lunches like this more often.

the tiny roses were soft and lush and though i can't catch much of a scent from them, they made me happy sitting in the sun. amazing what three dollars can buy now and again. the black and white stray cat lies curled in the freshly cut grass. his body a question mark and watching him makes me sleepy too.

later this evening, sounds re-enter my world - the dogs barking, the television on the evening news, the sizzle of dinner cooking. the light has shifted from a blazing torch to a soft pinkish-gold. i'm puzzled by the squirrel's antics in the oak tree as i watch him cut small leafy branches and carry them to my favorite branch. i suspect he is really a she and she's preparing a nest. of course she chatters when some of the branches drift down. this is enough to entertain me.