Quietly making noise

I find that after this last year I am less inclined to talk. I don' t know if it's acquiring a greater comfort with being quiet or having quiet or it's just that I think what I have to say is less important. It's just mostly my opinion and I made it all up.   Alot of stuff is less important.  What I think; what everyone else thinks of me, certainly. I find myself wearing things I would not have earlier like hats and extravagant fashion. Fun stuff that gloriously has no impact on anything, but adds a bit of joy to my heart and serendipity to the world. (Interestingly enough, I tend to receive loads of compliments when I do step out.) So, I stay quieter and am learning to be still so I hear better... Hear people and, hopefully, hear Him better, too.


What I will talk about is that there is a short list of priceless things life affords us. Most of the rest is, as He said, vanity.

Family. Oh, Lord how gracious you are to give us this abundance.  The birth kind of family as well as the chosen family, even the season of life family- those that come and add to us and then move on .  Love them all and be grateful.

Forgive. No qualifications. You can wreck your mood, your day, your entire life carrying around the burden of unforgiveness. Consider that an apology goes a long way expressed with love and take a shot at letting go of the burden. It's too heavy and useless to keep honoring it by letting it direct your path, if you can move under its weight at all.  Including forgiving yourself. How sad are those that torture themselves and deny themselves happiness mired in self loathing and dragged down by their tired unforgiving hearts.

This means, to me, apologizing to yourself AND graciously and tenderly accepting the apology, too. Don't think there's anything to apologize to yourself for, that it's a silly notion? Try asking yourself. You might be surprised at what comes up. 

Beauty--- especially the kind that's free. Everything that calms your mind or tickles your fancy. Sites that somehow give you hope and reaffirm that God had a plan for us to be happy. I know, without reservation, that beauty feeds my soul.  Actively looking for it is an art, but a skill well worth developing.

Silliness. This is in drastically short supply. Silliness, again, this is my opinion, should be one of the food groups necessary for healthy long life.

I imagine if I thought harder I could come up with more, I could certainly be content with what's here.