Photo stories
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Expectations
It’s not a bad idea to hold ourselves — and others — to higher standards. Striving for “the best” is a worthy goal. But unrealistic expectations often result in disappointment. For instance, how many times have you tried a popular new restaurant, only to end up disappointed when your meals fell short of the rave reviews you’d read? At the same time, if we always expect more from other folks than they’re able to give, we’re bound to feel letdown at some point. As Anne Lamott put it, “Expectations are resentments waiting to happen.” Sometimes what we want isn’t available to us. Or what we expect to achieve — weight…
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Make a note of it
“In this era of email and voice mail and all those things that I didn’t grow up with, a plain old paper letter takes on amazing intimacy.” ~Elizabeth Kostova Hand-written notes and cards can enrich our relationships. There was the time I found a thank you note in my snail mail, penned by a neighbor who was recovering from joint-replacement surgery. I had dropped off a container of chili at her home a week earlier, knowing how hard it is to cook meals when you’re barely able to walk. This thoughtful neighbor had extended the same kindness to me when I had surgery years earlier — and I certainly didn’t…
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The road ahead
“People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it. Better yet, build it. Predicting the future is much too easy, anyway. You look at the people around you, the street you stand on, the visible air you breathe, and predict more of the same. To hell with more. I want better.” ~Ray Bradbury, Beyond 1984: The People Machines As we age, we map out the course of our own future. We plan for retirement, organize our personal finances, reassess our healthcare plan, and envision how we want to spend the second half of life. At the same time, we consider the bigger picture —…
- Creativity and discovery, Dr. Seuss, Friendship and relationship advice, Personal growth, Photo stories
The know-it-all trap
“It’s high time you were shown that you don’t really know all there is to be known.” ~Dr. Seuss When our grandson was four, he was an expert on a wide range of topics. Whenever we tried to share something new or teach a small lesson, his typical response was, “I already knew that.” It cracked me up every time. But the adult know-it-all isn’t as cute. You know the type: Every time you try to share fresh information, the know-it-all has already been there, seen it, or done it before. You can’t show or tell them anything new. They’re always on the lookout for opportunities to inform or one-up…
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Your life is your art
“An artist’s real contribution isn’t what he paints, but the way he sees.” ~Martha Beck Whenever I visit an art museum, I notice that the same universal themes and subjects have been rendered throughout the centuries. Mothers and children. Landscapes and seascapes. Fruit and flowers on tables. Pastoral scenes. Yet each painting is completely different in style and technique, reflecting the individuality and vision of the artist. So it is with everything we create — whether it’s a painting, a piece of writing, a wardrobe, a garden, a photograph, or a recipe. How do you express your own vision or viewpoint? ~CL For more like this: Check out additional posts…
