Tag Archives: beauty

Just Words

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What words come to mind when you see this round tower from Glendalough?

Maybe strong, old, ancient, tall, awe-inspiring, safe, amazing.

Maybe there are no words to truly and fully describe it.

Writing is a tricky quest to attempt to capture the essence of something with just words.

And sometimes, there are no words. Just feelings, emotions, impressions.

The feel of the rocks as you push into them. The wind blowing through your hair as you stand there. The unheard whispered prayers of the past, the current, the future.

But words are what we have, so we keep writing the best we can. And hope that the readers’ imaginations fill in the blanks.

Love, Lisa

*Glendalough Monastery round tower, Co. Wicklow, Sept 2024, Ed Lyons

Don’t Let the World Take Your Smile Away

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Yesterday, someone tried to take my smile. I was at the supermarket, and I greeted the person and smiled. They proceeded to glare back at me with pursed lips and no greeting. I know I shouldn’t let it bother me, but it did. It made me question the smiling, the greeting. Maybe I’m just annoying, I thought. Maybe I should stop smiling at people so much.

But that is wrong. People need smiles. Not annoying smiles that are inappropriate and placed when people are grieving or in pain, but encouraging, I’m glad to see you smiles. Smiles that make us feel good, or at least better.

“Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” — Unknown

“There is fear when frowning. There is love when smiling.” —Maxime Lagacé

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” – William Arthur Ward

¨Smile at strangers and you just might change a life.¨- Steve Maraboli

 “If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give.” — Samson Raphael Hirsch

¨A smile cures the wounding of a frown.¨- William Shakespeare

 “Keep walking and keep smiling.” — Tiny Tim

I wish I could see all of you readers in person right now. We could smile at each other, and we would feel so much better. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Smiles and blessings,

Lisa

The Beauty of Mystery

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A soft, misty day in Ireland is a thing of beauty. The white blankets the green and grey with hints of what was and what could be. The imagination runs wild with imaginings. The hard lines of reality meld into the soft focus of dreams.

Misty Carlingford Lough, Northeastern Ireland

One of my very favorite things to say when confronted with anything I don’t understand or don’t know the outcome, is, “I don’t know…. it’s a mystery.” (loosely paraphrased from Shakespeare in Love.) And for some wonderful reason, I can relax about it and enjoy the waiting and uncertainty more. Instead of scary, things seem magical and exciting, unknown and different.

The wonder of exploring an abandoned cottage in the misty Killarney woods

The beauty of mystery, of not knowing, of release, of not so perfect, of all too human.

Blessings,

Lisa

The Dichotomy of a Soft Heart and a Tough Skin

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Artists, writers, musicians, dancers, or anyone in a creative field need soft hearts. They need to be able to see the beauty, the heartbreak, the story of the world with sensitivity. They need to completely feel it all. Let it soak in, and then let it out in some sort of expression.

Then these same souls have to submit their work to others for either acceptance or rejection. Is it good enough? Is it interesting to others? Will it sell? It requires nerves of steel and a tough skin when the inevitable rejections come along.

The line between that soft heart and tough skin is a tricky one to find and maintain. All I know is that I must keep trying, because creating things is what keeps me going, it is what defines me as a person that God made. So, I’m shrugging it off, laughing, and writing. It’s all part of it.

So, paint well, sing loudly, write away, dance your heart out. It is a beautiful thing.

Blessings, Lisa

P.S. Sarcastic or humorous comments welcome, as humor always helps. 😉