Laine's Blog, Thinking Out Loud

Love...

 

Here I am surrounded by giant old oak trees,

dripping with spanish moss,

living with a joyful dog

and a handsome cat,

while it feels like the world is coming apart at the seams.

 

It is not.

 

The birds still sing.

The frogs still croak and slap themselves onto the windows at night.

The moon rises and shines.

The sun too.

 

All that is worrying us will change,

and soon.

One way or the other.

 

To quote Wendell Barry,

 

Be joyful even though you have considered all the facts.

 

Be joyful and see the world around you with fresh eyes and love.

 

"Love is why we have hope"

 

 

Love your world!

And hope for the very best for all of us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired by the book by Anne Lamott,  Almost Everything, Notes on Hope.

The quote about love is from the back cover and the Wendell Barry quote is found on the inside front cover.

She is fearless and funny and inspiring!

Photo is a view outside of Lake Lure, NC. ©Laine Quinn 2015

 

Peace of Mind...

 

 

An old Spring House in San Miguel, Mexico -

a reminder to be grounded -

in our friendship with ourselves,

with nature,

with each other.

 

 Grounded in uncertainty, and upheaval,

and accepting the times we find ourselves in.

 

Grounded in whatever way you get grounded,

for your very own peace of mind.

 

 

 

 

 

©Laine Quinn

 

Connections...

 

"...when we try to pick out anything by itself,

we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."

                                                                                       John Muir

 

 

 

 

 

Quote from Brain Pickings on Sunday, by Maria Popova.

Butterflies from St. Augustine, Key West and Baltimore. © Laine Quinn

Just Ask Any Whale...

 

It's a good idea to embrace

the other's otherness,

because

we are the other's other.

 

 

Just ask any whale!

 

 

 

 

 

We are all in this together!

Two Whales, ©2015, Laine Quinn, Cape cod

Kindness is Contagious...

 

 

In his book, "Humankind, A Hopeful History",

Rutger Bregman writes about cynicism vs. realism.

And I quote:

 

Isn't it telling that in modern usage the realist has become synonymous

with the cynic - for someone with a pessimistic outlook?

In truth, it's the cynic who's out of touch.

In truth, we're living on Planet A,

where people are deeply inclined to be good to one another.

 

So, be realistic. Be courageous. Be true to your nature and offer your trust.

Do good in broad daylight,

and don't be ashamed of your generosity.

You may be dismissed as gullible and naive at first.

But remember, what's naive today may be common sense tomorrow.

 

It's time for a new realism.

It's time for a new view of humankind.

 

 

 

 

It's a good book, with lots of examples of goodness that outweighs the craziness.

Photo of Treaty Oak, in Jacksonville Florida, ©2020 Laine Quinn

They say that this Southern Live Oak tree is over 200 years old, but I would offer that it is way older than that!

 

Everyday...

 

Everyday - at least once a day -

Picture your perfect world.

At least once, for a few minutes or more!

Everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

Vilano Beach Reflection, © 2020 Laine Quinn

What Comes After...

 

 

Collectively it is time that we imagine a better world.

No matter what happens in the next months or years,

it is time to put our minds on better things.

 Call it the power of positive thinking,

of visualizing,

of collective prayer -

it all works and can change the world.

 

Psychopathic leaders of politics and industry - be warned -

it is time for the Human takeover of our world.

 

Time to imagine a world where we live harmoniously with the earth,

harmoniously with each other - near and far,

harmoniously with all creatures -great and small.

A world in partnership.

A world of compassion and love and generosity.

 

If it fits in your mind,

it fits in your world.

We are more than what we can imagine.

 

Collectively it's time to imagine

what comes after -

to dream big and have faith in the human heart,

in the human desire for connection.

 

 

 

 

Photos of our Beautiful Planet in the days ahead.