Dear Friend,
Having some time away from the computer last week gave me a lot of time to think and just rest my mind for a while. Normally I wouldn't think of a conference as being a chance to rest but surprisingly it was. There's a saying:
Sometimes a change is as good as a rest.
This change of scenery last week took me on an adventure to see the Salt Lake Temple. I found the history of the Mormon church fascinating. I was in awe of the artifacts in the church museum. I think curiosity should be a daily habit. And wandering. The two of those together are my own personal form of rest.
My friend sent me a poem by Patricia Monaghan on resting a few months back. I love this part:
She may say she is resting, but she is more than resting.
She is creating a new universe within herself. Examining and breaking old patterns, destroying what should not be revived, feeding in secret what needs to thrive.
I recharge when I have a chance to see new things, devour books....and listen. And mostly write random stuff in my journal. I love recording things I overhear from strangers. The world is a generous place for a journal. I could fill up an entire composition book each week if I was able to set aside the time. The best word I overheard today? Bellwether. I had to look it up:
bell·weth·er
noun \ˈbel-ˈwe-thər, -ˌwe-
: someone or something that leads others or shows what will happen in the future
Yes, sometimes a change is as good as a rest. We can recalibrate. Reorient. Level. We can zig-zag when we are used to linear. Visit nearby yet seemingly faraway places.
"I don't want to trudge up insane mountains or through war-torn lands.
Just a nice stroll through hill and dale.
But now I walk everywhere in the city. Any city.
You see everything you need to see for a lifetime.
Every emotion. Every condition.
Every fashion. Every glory.
I could go on about the magnificent chairs I've seen....
or the excellent united pickle tag lying on the sidewalk....
or the candy striped water tower...."
-from Maira Kalman's The Principles of Uncertainty
Have a great weekend.
Love,
Ashley
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