What thrills your soul?
“Dismiss whatever insults your own soul.” ~Walt Whitman
Today’s quote got me thinking about everything that “insults my soul” — from unpleasant chores to road rage on the highway. Life presents everyone with all sorts of negative encounters, including filthy bathrooms in public places. And I won’t get started on our current (malodorous) political climate.
There are dozens of other toxic behaviors we tolerate and things we cling to, even when they’re long past their expiration dates. We might practice habits that no longer serve us or do more harm than good. We might allow people to mistreat us, or take us for granted, just because that’s the way they always roll. Or we might spend too much time ruminating on what frightens or hurts us.
What would happen if we’d stop allowing our own souls to be insulted, as Walt Whitman suggests? What if we were to look for things and people who thrill and delight us instead? Just for one day, see if you can find ways to make your soul happy. ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
