Susie, this moving meditation on beauty brought to mind the words of another poet, John Keats, and the final lines of his Ode on a Grecian Urn, written not long before he died:
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
I love the honest exploration and energy in your writing.
Domenica - And now that quote is on my bulletin board! (I must have once known that - ha, as an English major - but forgotten exactly where it came from. Thank you for the reminder.
FYI I was at the MV Book Festival this weekend and was very glad I got a chance to hear Carol Loenig from the Washington Post. Wondering if you or your husband know her? Smart woman!
For me, beauty is at the heart of my joy. Whether it is the sun glinting a prism through my window, my dog’s perfect footprint, or a sweet, little bell-shaped clematis blossom...these small, beautiful gifts are the stuff that joy is made of. John O’Donohue’s poetry is the perfect accompaniment to your evocative post...lovely. Thank you.
Stephanie, all those things you name - yes! The little bits of beauty that bring joy. (I have clematis re-blooming this year for some reason!). Thank you for reading and being connected.
Thanks for this, Susie—it’s good when we finally find a seer who prophesies the truth of our lives, the truth we somehow always knew but could not trust.
And…you studied with Reynolds Price! That’s legendary.
David, your comment last week was the impetus to go after this. I appreciate the guidance and recommendations. And you are right about finding the seer to name our truth.
Very fortunate to have studied with Reynolds Price. It was truly the highlight of spring semester junior and senior year (well the highlight of the whole four years, really). We were a small group, about 10 I think, and one day he brought Eudora Welty to campus and we all sat around a little table with her and just listened to her talk! He was generous with his time, had us over to his house, took us out to a country family-style restaurant for supper, read to us with that deep, leathery voice...and he was the one who sent me off to the publishing program at NYU when I had no idea what I was going to do upon graduation. I very much regret not being in touch with him during his illness.
Yes. As always, you give words to what I’m feeling. This time about beauty. I crave it, seek it out, photograph it and try to imprint it and - on the best of days - embody it in some way. And I too pull over on Beach Road regularly. ❤️
Priscilla - and now you are making beauty with your fish sculpture! (As you do with so many things). Was glad to see you at the book fest today and thank you for always being so encouraging. Maybe I'll see you next on Beach Road!
SO much there...and I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of all of it. Thank you for your words as always. We've got to hold up our end of the beauty bargain!
I relate to so much of what you've shared here, Susie—including The Story of Ferdinand, which was one of my favorite books as a child, too! This brought to mind another book I loved—Frederick, about a daydreaming field mouse who is a poet—and I am thinking maybe you know about that one, too? A similar message about noticing life's beautiful things. I still have my copies of both of these books!
Thank you for your lovely words. I always enjoy reading what you write and often find similarities between how you describe life on the island with the beautiful landscape where I am in northern lower Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Heather, How could I have missed Frederick? I just looked the book up and it is so perfect...I will get it from the library. Thank you. My copy of Ferdinand is a mess! And I always imagine where you live to be very beautiful and very peaceful. I'm glad you can relate to the island landscape and life here. So glad you're enjoying the posts and thanks for connecting!
Susie, this moving meditation on beauty brought to mind the words of another poet, John Keats, and the final lines of his Ode on a Grecian Urn, written not long before he died:
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
I love the honest exploration and energy in your writing.
Domenica - And now that quote is on my bulletin board! (I must have once known that - ha, as an English major - but forgotten exactly where it came from. Thank you for the reminder.
FYI I was at the MV Book Festival this weekend and was very glad I got a chance to hear Carol Loenig from the Washington Post. Wondering if you or your husband know her? Smart woman!
I don’t know her but my husband does. Fantastic reporter.
Beautiful article! Thank you! i love the pictures and your thoughts about appreciating beauty!
Thank you Sally! So glad you enjoyed it. Hope you're finding beauty today.
For me, beauty is at the heart of my joy. Whether it is the sun glinting a prism through my window, my dog’s perfect footprint, or a sweet, little bell-shaped clematis blossom...these small, beautiful gifts are the stuff that joy is made of. John O’Donohue’s poetry is the perfect accompaniment to your evocative post...lovely. Thank you.
Stephanie, all those things you name - yes! The little bits of beauty that bring joy. (I have clematis re-blooming this year for some reason!). Thank you for reading and being connected.
edna st. vincent millay said (and i was looking for something else from aristotle but couldnt find)
"Beauty is whatever brings joy." seems like you were on to THAT
I love that, and she was definitely on to something! Thank you for that.
Thanks for this, Susie—it’s good when we finally find a seer who prophesies the truth of our lives, the truth we somehow always knew but could not trust.
And…you studied with Reynolds Price! That’s legendary.
David, your comment last week was the impetus to go after this. I appreciate the guidance and recommendations. And you are right about finding the seer to name our truth.
Very fortunate to have studied with Reynolds Price. It was truly the highlight of spring semester junior and senior year (well the highlight of the whole four years, really). We were a small group, about 10 I think, and one day he brought Eudora Welty to campus and we all sat around a little table with her and just listened to her talk! He was generous with his time, had us over to his house, took us out to a country family-style restaurant for supper, read to us with that deep, leathery voice...and he was the one who sent me off to the publishing program at NYU when I had no idea what I was going to do upon graduation. I very much regret not being in touch with him during his illness.
Yes. As always, you give words to what I’m feeling. This time about beauty. I crave it, seek it out, photograph it and try to imprint it and - on the best of days - embody it in some way. And I too pull over on Beach Road regularly. ❤️
Priscilla - and now you are making beauty with your fish sculpture! (As you do with so many things). Was glad to see you at the book fest today and thank you for always being so encouraging. Maybe I'll see you next on Beach Road!
❤️❤️❤️
Stunning in more ways than I can say. I adore John O’Donohue, and have spent hours listening to the unedited version of that last conversation.
Just beautiful. ❤️
SO much there...and I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of all of it. Thank you for your words as always. We've got to hold up our end of the beauty bargain!
I relate to so much of what you've shared here, Susie—including The Story of Ferdinand, which was one of my favorite books as a child, too! This brought to mind another book I loved—Frederick, about a daydreaming field mouse who is a poet—and I am thinking maybe you know about that one, too? A similar message about noticing life's beautiful things. I still have my copies of both of these books!
Thank you for your lovely words. I always enjoy reading what you write and often find similarities between how you describe life on the island with the beautiful landscape where I am in northern lower Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Heather, How could I have missed Frederick? I just looked the book up and it is so perfect...I will get it from the library. Thank you. My copy of Ferdinand is a mess! And I always imagine where you live to be very beautiful and very peaceful. I'm glad you can relate to the island landscape and life here. So glad you're enjoying the posts and thanks for connecting!