Sunday’s Seven 21 April 2024

Gift

Dutch irises in a recycled cappuccino bottle

A sunny visit in a new coffee shop with an old friend

Words on the page…and finding old words that remind me of the value of ritual and routine and returning to oneself

Sofia’s rainy day list of things to do-those small sincere joys we can give and reciprocate

The power company’s lineman who repaired my transformer in a steady rain

His genuine and almost surprised tone You are most welcome, ma’am

Which left me considering how small it is to say thank you and how rare for some of us to hear it

Taylor Swift’s new album and the student who met me as I arrived on campus with the news of that. Words as gift. More on this I’m quite sure…but a quick one thing I admire about Swift is her bullshit detector and her refusal to be a victim. More of us doing that, please and thank you.

Seven good things in a brief lineup here…so many more. When we start noting, we are rewarded.

I hope you are rewarded in the coming week. Be good to yourself. Listen to someone new. Thank somebody.

✌️

Sunday’s Seven 12 June ‘22

Well. Let’s start this list with

Airplanes ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️

that fly to far destinations with multiple transfers and no problems ✅✅✅

Oh, those happy suitcase wheels rolling in airports for the first time since 2019…🙌🏼

and a daughter standing in greeting with a special sign because we are celebrating

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

and it is good here with sunny skies and

cobblestone streets

and coffee in real cups on patios ☕️ ☕️

and art shops and music and flowers in windows

and open air festivals

and Ukrainian flags still flying in support of those people 🇺🇦

and meeting Anna from Kiev who shook my hand and said Oh, Agnes, you are strong 😂🤣😅

and I was honored to be told this by someone who is truly strong and is making the world better one piece of art and t shirt at a time…who was so glad for a conversation in English in this foreign country…

and I thought to myself How many assumed she couldn’t speak English? How many didn’t approach her and hear the story we heard? Oh, just take chances and engage people and learn…

I’ll leave you with Anna’s words tonight:

Keep smiling. We need to see your smiles.

I know this is more than seven good things…

Some words from Wallace Stevens:

“The most beautiful thing in the world is the world itself.” 🌎 🌍 🗺 ✅🧚🏼‍♀️❤️

Enjoy your week, dear readers. Know that I am feeling grateful to be out here with a different view for a little while and hope to share highlights with you.

Laugh a Little Louder

Laughter really is medicine.
I’ve laughed a lot today. At circumstances. At politics. At problems. At a funny video of a dad involved in cheerleading practice with his daughter, at a song that a friend posted of her brother singing Please Come to New Boston, not to be confused with the Dave Loggins hit Please Come to Boston.
Times are uncertain here right now. But I know I must take the advice I’ve given
my kids through the years:
Look far ahead, where everything is worked out.
A lot of good happened today. I saw colleagues get recognition for 25+ years of work at the university; received a phone call from an out of town friend who wants to come see me on my birthday; tilted a beautiful art piece a friend brought me that has my initials on it. Unintentional initials that spoke my name to her. It has glitter and beads and it is calming to hold. She brought that to me today because she knew. She knew I needed something to hold onto.
Sometimes we really must hang onto the good. Laugh a little louder.
Walk a little straighter.
Know that tomorrow might bring unwelcome news, but it won’t last. It won’t last.
But laughter lasts. It echoes through the years. It’s an act of defiance in the most joyful way. Come what may, I will find the good.