Art of Gracious Living

Gratitude

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."
G.B. Stern

I believe gratitude is one of the pathways to happiness. When we are in a state of gratefulness, there's no room for sadness.

Pretties from Another Time

I recently bought this swan dish at our local Goodwill store. For $1.49 it found its way home with me. I'm very fond of the pink and gold combo that was so popular in the 1905s.

Although you can't see it in the photo, the neck has met with an unfortunate incident at some point and been glued back together. But I don't care. I love it just the way it is.

When I had my Creative Sisterhood group over I decided to use it as a candle holder. It served admirably well and was a bright spot, along with this pink doily I had picked up somewhere along the way.

I don't think anyone even noticed the swan, sitting behind the cake, gracing yet another tableau.

Finding new uses for things is always a treat.

Beauty

Spring has arrived on the prairie, and brought the daffodils, hyacinths and the promise of more to come. Of course, after spring arrived, we had a blizzard, too. Life can be uncertain - whether you're a human or a hyacinth I guess.

Hyacinths always remind me of my mother. Every spring she would pick some and put them in a fruit jar in the middle of the table, where their scent would permeate every corner of the room. Only now, as an adult, do I see this act for what it was - staking a claim on beauty.

I'm blessed that that very table now sits in my dining room, a few states away. And, I, too, can use it as a tableau for beauty. Like my mother, I find few things more beautiful than what nature can provide.

We all need beauty in our lives. Bits of beauty find their way into our lives unbidden at times if we can recognize them.

I bought this little vase at a sale for a dollar. The neck of the lute she's holding is broken, but it is perfect as far as I'm concerned. It can hold just one stem or a small bundle and enhances whatever it touches.

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Art of Gracious Living #68 - Homeward Bound

"It doesn't matter where you live today - trailer, apartment, or a house. You may be rooming in a motel or seeking santuary in a safe house halfway between your past and your future. You may even be without a roof to call your own, camping out on a friend's couch or community cot; held hostage in a palace or pitching a tent on the dark side of the moon. It doesn't matter. If you're reading this, you're homeward bound."
Sarah Ban Breathnach in "Something More"

I love this quote. It speaks so much about our need for home - for a place to belong. Her point is that we are always thinking about home, and going there, wherever that may be.

I love my house, but this is not my dream house. I will one day live in a different kind of house - something in the Queen Anne style, which is my favorite. Those "painted lady" houses in San Francisco are Queen Anne style houses. I love the asymmetrical nature of these large houses, with their gingerbread, bay windows and stained glass. I know they're not "practical," but I love them. So, for me, that is where I'm headed ... my homeward bound destination.

Isn't it lovely that we have the ability to imagine ourselves in another place, another home, another life?

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Art of Gracious Living #67

Finding time for all the things we want to do in life is always a struggle. It all boils down to determining our priorities and then living so that those are where we're putting our energies.

In this Art of Gracious Living I offer some suggestions on how to achieve this.

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Art of Gracious Living #66 - Back from Hiatus

The Art of Gracious Living has returned from hiatus. The topic this week is why taking time away is sometimes necessary.

It's good to examine each obligation you have and determine if it's something you really want to do or not, and if it's something you absolutely have to do. It's healthy to take a break now and then.

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