Sunday, May 25, 2008

Be Happy


If you cringe at mushy, philosophical mumbo jumbo, you might want to skip this post. 
As I walked around my neighborhood tonight, following my 4 year old on his two-wheeler noticing the vibrant purple-pink of the bougainvillea and the sweet scent of the jasmine, appreciating the fact that it was still quite light out at 7:30 pm, savoring a Sunday night before a Monday holiday with less than two weeks left until summer vacation..the line that kept repeating in my head was this one:
Happiness is not having what you want; it's wanting what you have.
Wanting more, having goals, desiring...that is good and important. It is the place from which all creative energy flows. But taking time to really appreciate all that you have, that is heaven on earth. 
Another line I read years ago in a book really struck me. I've long forgotten the book (I do recall it was a Robert Anton Wilson book) but the line, I think it was the last line in the book, was "Positive energy is as real as gravity."
I love that. 
Now, what place does this have on EdTech Workshop? Have I lost my vision, my focus? Apparently I have, if only for a moment. I know there are those who hate this type of talk. How can you waste space writing about happiness and positive energy when there is so much suffering in the world?
How can you not?
For those of you who have taken the time to read this and any of my humble thoughts here on my blog, thank you. 

and thank you, Randy Son of Robert, for sharing your lovely image on creative commons

3 comments:

Blogger In Middle-earth said...

Above The Wallflower

Of all the pleasure gardens bring,
The handsome pied Red Admiral
Must touch the zenith of the spring
With form and grace ephemeral;

To see these patterned wings full spread
In all but a fleeting glance,
Fine lace veil in feathered thread,
Enraptured eyes in trance

Will follow with a languid gaze
The soft hypnotic flutter,
Through the soporific haze,

Near honey scented bower,
Gliding with a liquid ease
Above the blood-red wallflower.

Ken Allan
Middle-earth

Andrea said...

Hi Ken,
I can only imagine the image of flowers reminded you of this poem?
Aren't they pretty? They are bougainvillea, one of my favorites. Do you have them in NZ?
Sorry if that is a stupid question....I know some flora and fauna are different in different parts of the world. NZ looks so beautiful. I hope I will get there in this lifetime!
-Andrea

Blogger In Middle-earth said...

@Andrea - Yes we do have bougainvillea in NZ. There is not much that doesn't grow here - the soil is volcanic and fertile. They say that if you stuck your thumb in the soil and left it there too long it would take root!

No, it wasn't bougainvillea that made me recall this poem - it was the atmosphere of the post. I wrote the poem 16 years ago when I visited Christchurch Gardens - it was spring and the flowers were glorious.

Ka kite