Monday Mainstay: Come, Let Us Find (William Henry Davies)

Come, Let Us Find

William Henry Davies

Come, let us find a cottage, love,
That's green for half a mile around;
To laugh at every grumbling bee,
Whose sweetest blossom's not yet found.
Where many a bird shall sing for you,
And in your garden build its nest:
They'll sing for you as though their eggs
Were lying in your breast,
My love--
Were lying warm in your soft breast.

'Tis strange how men find time to hate,
When life is all too short for love;
But we, away from our own kind,
A different life can live and prove.
And early on a summer's morn,
As I go walking out with you,
We'll help the sun with our warm breath
To clear away the dew,
My love,
To clear away the morning dew.

Doesn't that sound like a perfect dream, to find this romantic cottage where we "A different life can live and prove"? 

To walking and loving and living and proving a different life. And finding a cottage, both literally and metaphorically.

Wordsworth on Rest

“Rest and be thankful.”
-William Wordsworth

This one's self-explanatory.

To rest and gratitude.

The Little Things by Carlos Bertonatti Lyrics

"If life has taught me anything,
it'’s all about the little things."
-Carlos Bertonatti, The Little Things

Things are going wrong left and right in the world. It's so easy to just sink into despair, isn't it? Complain. Scan newspaper headlines or turn on the evening news or just feel dissatisfied about your life, your job, how much money you make, how much you weigh, anything, everything.

What's the point, anyway?

Okay, I'm going to tell you right off the bat that I can't answer that question. But according to this song, Carlos Bertonatti thinks "it's all about the little things."

And I don't know if it's all about the little things...but well, the little things can certainly add up, don't you think? I know it's the same old same old (well, if your life is anything like mine) and you're trying to find joy and happiness and peace and fulfillment and all that jazz, but sometimes you look at a bright, vivid flower on a cloudy gray morning and as little a thing as it is, it's enough for that moment. Maybe for that day.

Maybe life is seizing as many of those little moments as you can, letting them go when they do, and being open to the next one. Open your eyes and really look...what do you see? I'm sure you can find at least one thing that is beautiful. Or funny or hopeful or all of the above. And if you can't, make something beautiful. Okay?

To the little things.

Dear Enemy (by Jean Webster) Review

Dear Enemy is Sallie McBride's (if you read Daddy Long-Legs, you'll remember that Sallie was Judy's friend and roommate) story. She has graduated from college and is living the life of a well-to-do socialite when Judy offers her the position of superintendent of the John Grier Home.

Sallie accepts. She is a determined, feisty, funny heroine and her letters reflect that spirit. In the beginning, she takes the job partially because Gordon, her boyfriend, laughs at the very idea of her running an orphan asylum, but it turns into something more. Sallie has these big ideas she wants to implement, ranging from the food to the dresses to fresh air.

Sallie is optimistic, but there are definitely trying times. She deals with problems from trustees who don't think she's very well-qualified to staff not used to change to someone giving her dog Singapore a haircut.She learns so much about managing things and opens her heart up to the orphans and of course, she changes and learns along the way.

Dear Enemy delves much more deeply into asylum life and orphans and running an institution. I enjoyed reading about Sallie's attempts to brighten up the children's lives, and her sparring with the "enemy," the doctor who recommends scientific texts in order to provide her with the scientific knowledge that befits an orphan asylum superintendent. There's a scene that really reminds me of Jane Eyre (you'll know exactly what I mean if you read it).

The novel is in letter format, like Daddy Long-Legs. I found Dear Enemy to be charming and witty and entertaining as well, but I wasn't as big a fan as I was of Daddy Long-Legs. Anyway, it's a pretty inspiring story - but not preach-y.

Monday Mainstay: If I Were In Charge of the World (Judith Viorst)

If I Were In Charge of the World

Judith Viorst

If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel oatmeal,
Monday mornings,
Allergy shots, and also Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world
There'd be brighter nights lights,
Healthier hamsters, and
Basketball baskets forty eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have lonely.
You wouldn't have clean.
You wouldn't have bedtimes.
Or "Don't punch your sister."
You wouldn't even have sisters.

If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts would be a vegetable
All 007 movies would be G,
And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,
And sometimes forgot to flush,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.




The world sounds like it'd be more fun if Judith Viorst were in charge of the world, doesn't it? Maybe my favorite bit is how she would cancel Monday mornings (or bedtimes or lonely). If I were in charge, I'd outlaw cubicles for sure and give everyone ice cream on Wednesdays (it's smack in the middle of the week and sometimes you need an extra little something to get through it, don't you think?) and there would be no such thing as malnutrition or war. Oh, and there'd  be more glitter and sequins. Definitely.

What would the world be like if you were in charge?


To doing one thing that makes us feel like we are in charge of the world (I've had ice cream today, thank you very much).