Beautiful, Blustery, Sunny, Cold NYC

I love cold bright sunny blustery days.

To not lose my hat (it was a cotton beret so very easily blown off),

I wore my earmuffs over when walking around...

I always love cold sunny days, they were my favourite in Ottawa...

when I felt so alive... 

***

Tomorrow and the next day are going to be quite tiring for me,

so if I don't blog right away, that's why.

***

So I got (I think 15!) more books from my library...

I have 2 shelves full, these shelves are right next to where I am typing and I

am so excited to have so many good books to read for the next months.

I did return some library books today as well. :) 

***

I have Thai curry with beef today (and brought the leftovers home for 

Mr Husband, he enjoyed them with extra rice for dinner!)

***

I bought a super cute pink beret hat today at a CVS...

I am already dreaming about wearing a cute dress I have with pink

to match that hat when I DV one day visit NYC again... 

***

I find that thinking of something in the future that can be fun, 

from wearing a special outfit, to an outing to the library,

to reading a special book or planning a tea or meal for

friends to come over... 

***

I am finding it more and more important to look for what is good,

what is beautiful, what I can be thankful for.

What gives joy to life ... the joie de vivre

(interestingly this French phrase seems to be first found in 

 Fénelon who was a very well known Roman Catholic

in the 17th century...it would be cool to see where he used this phrase...)

for me it is not the pursuit of pleasure but a joy that is form

a desire to have a deeper thanksgiving for life as God has given it to me

in the day at hand; it's a living in the present and trusting God to care for me

in the moments that I am currently living in. 

***

It is not a denial of pain; rather I think joy of life can only come when

one has come to terms, as much as one can in any given day,

with the grief that one may have in that day, but seeking

not to be, ultimately, over come by it.  

***

When one is in great deep grief, it is very hard to believe there can

be pleasure in life again; I remember this well.

But with God's help, 

slowly, with time, one can be brought back to life again.

And even back to the joie de vivre, 

the joy of life.

***

Well.  I better try to get to bed.

It's going to be a tiring time for me,

so I better get off to it.

***

God be with you dear friends.

May God have mercy and envelope us in His peace

and in His care.