The fog has lifted, both physically and metaphorically, you will be thrilled to hear. Today dawned foggy, but now the sun is shining and the skies are blue, and it is actually quite warm out there. And England trounced Australia in the Ashes test, and life has a decidedly smiley face today. The 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep also went a LONG way to helping with the attitude, believe me. So today is good.
The village is heaving with people, and I suspect my poor sister is being run off her feet, but I will walk over soon and check out the state of Linie 8, and then wander round the lake. Or up the river. Or somewhere. It is too beautiful to stay in.
I wonder about how much the weather really does have an affect on people, you know. I do know that the long winters of greyness and dampness are appalling for me. Life seems to be grey. Neither good nor bad, just grey. And damp to the bones. Consequently, life is uncomfortable in the extreme. But this year, there have not been that many grey days at home. More like the freezing cold or snow kind of days.
Up here in the mountains, the weather is more definite. Beautiful, like now, or foul, like yesterday. But here, I know that the sun will come sometime soon, you see, and the snow will not go, but everything will look like a chocolate box cover. It gets so cold that you feel as if your face will freeze and crack open, but then, with the multitude of layers, it is fine. Not to mention the beautiful gloves my sister popped in my Christmas present pile. My typing fingers are safe.
And the temperatures have nothing to do with it. It is a visual thing for me. If I see beauty, I feel great. And this is really beautiful. However, this seems like a very selfish outlook, to need to see beauty. But then I think.... my life has been rather grey for a good while, so this could be the reward for surviving the greyness. Time out of real life. There are no mountains back home either, and I love the mountains deeply.
Diana always comments on the noise in the UK when she comes home. After living in NZ, she notices that the background noise never stops, and that is something I notice here too. Here, there can be and often is, silence, especially when I am out walking, and that encourages thought, and meditation of sorts. Mindfulness is easier to practice when you have the combination of beauty and silence. Well, when you are trying to learn HOW to be mindful, anyway. And I am definitely in the learning phase.
My boots are on, and my coat is waiting, so I will gather my wits and my sticks, and go and walk, and listen to the snow crunching under my feet, and think of the individual snowflakes which I am crushing as I walk, and drink in the immensity of the mountains, and their splendour. I will think back too, on what 2010 has meant for me, and what I have learned.
And maybe I will take a glance at what 2011 may hold. Briefly. Because there is only now. This moment, today, isn't there, and I want to enjoy it completely and live. Really live.
What did I say the other day? I want to live fully, laugh often, and love with all my heart. I need to remember that, whether the days be grey or golden, don't I..........
Life is one long learning process.
10 comments:
I find the the dark gray days really do have an impact on my attitude. I thrive in bright sunny days and can accomplish so much.
Enjoy your walk!
Weather affects me deeply - we get very few gray days here in Colorado and if they last more than two, I am ready for the sun to come back.
How long do you get to stay in your beautiful happy place? I know it is noisy in Manchester and London, but is it noisy in your village too? I can imagine the quiet in NZ and at the top of your mountains.
I wish I had time to think. I desperately need some solitude that isn't at the grocery store!
I'm hoping to get Part II done one of these days soon.
Yes, you definitely deserve to see colorful beauty. You've been through so much in recent years and I'm happy you have your sister's place to go to. It looks amazing there.
Vicky..EastTexas/Hi Linds, Are you feeling alot better? (Grey days don't count..that affects everybody but me...I love them") I'm just wondering..Are you stiffling your remarks about your health/pain/difficulties? Because your posts lately have been so 'pain-free'. You seem to feel so much better in your posts. Great to hear such good things from you.
The snow has melted here and we are having murky grey damp days. No more white beauty.
What a lovely post Linds - I so enjoyed reading it - and totally agree!
"Here's to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold."
Happy New Year, dear Linds, wishing you and yours all the very best that life has to offer!! I'm back to blogging and have caught up with your last few posts...I see that you are in Switzerland right now and from what I saw in the pictures, it's no wonder it's your most favourite place to be:-) Absolutely breathtaking!! Enjoy every minute!! xoxo
Attagirl. Down with the grumpies!
I think it does all of our hearts good to see beauty. I know it lifts my spirits to get out on a nice day end enjoy the trees, sun, flowers, snow in the winter time, new foliage coming up in the spring, trees heavy laden with beautiful apples, the smell of freshly cut grass, farmers fields ready for harvest, the mountains, valleys, streams, the lake, I could go on and on. Sometimes we see beauty in the smallest things too and it catches us by surprise. Loved your post as always!!!
Happy New Year, LInds! The quiet has been marvelous here in Fairmont, too although home is also quiet. I love the mountains in the background though - and visits to the hot springs :) We are going for supper, packing and stopping at the quilt store before driving home - and back to reality - tomorrow. Enjoy your mountains, my dear!
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