Delight

My grandmother knew what a painful life had taught her:  success or failure, the truth of a life really has little to do with its quality.  The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight.  The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.
—  Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way —

I have been picking away a bit at my ragged copy of The Artist’s Way, though admittedly somewhat half-heartedly.  Some days I do morning pages, and have found them quite useful.  And I think about the exercises, though never commit them to paper.  And while an “artist date” is a lovely concept, I must say, “me time” is in rare supply most days, so my solitary “creative date” time has never actually happened yet.

I ventured into this journey to recover my creativity really more as a journey to find direction.  I want so much more than survival.  I want a joyful life (for truly there is much in this life to rejoice about even in trying times).  It is my continuing attempt to open my mind to where exactly I want that direction to be.  But when I came to the above quote, I immediately grabbed a pen and underlined the statement “The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight.” … and I rarely actually write in my books.  Because I think what she says here is very very true.

So I want to take notice of what delights me.  I want to be feel gratitude for all of the wonderful things in the world around me.  I want to take notice of the teacup that feels perfect in the hand… of how raindrops on the flowers reflect the re-emerging sunlight… of how the heart sings when one’s children laugh together… of what actually makes me stop and let my soul sigh with peace.

My new plan (and to be honest, I think I’m stealing this plan from something I saw a long time agon on What Would Jane Austen Do but in a quick search could not find it) is to present “Things That Don’t Suck” once a week for the next little while.  Maybe make a “Things That Don’t Suck Thursday” (like Wordless Wednesday but maybe with words) to share a particular delight noticed that week.

Because I want to pay attention.  And in taking notice of these things I want to celebrate the good things in life.  I hope you will join me and share your delights as well.