Living an “Enough” Life

Orchids

https://thelowegroupltd.com/k6vv3eet Orchids © 2012 Bo Mackison

https://www.acp-online.org/image/purchasing-valium-online-legal.php To do the useful thing,
to say the courageous thing,
to contemplate the beautiful thing,
that is enough for any man’s life.
~ T.S. Eliot

go to link Do you ever find a few words of a poem or a quotation that speaks loudly to you? When I read the above lines, I was impressed by the simplicity of the verse, by the truth of those few words, and how difficult it would be to live life by this recipe. The paradox – too simple and too difficult, so I stored the quote in my notebook and moved on.

see But what is the benefit of writing down quotations that speak to you if you refuse to listen? I found the quote again yesterday when I was preparing for this post. Again, the few words and the big message fascinated me. And this time, instead of turning the page, I wrote the lines on an index card and stuck the card in my pocket. And whenever I became aware of the card, I pulled it out and re-read the words.

Buy Valium 5Mg Online Although I will deny it, I am often a perfectionist. Especially when it comes to reading great words of wisdom, and then avoiding the message because  I say to myself  “too hard” and “impossible” and “I could never do that.” If I could not always do the useful thing, nor say the courageous thing, nor see the beauty in everything around me, then there was no reason to try.

go to link After I had pulled the card out of my pocket a half-dozen times, pondering its message each time, shrugging away the message, and returning the card to my pocket, I had a new insight. Eliot did not write the word always in his words. There was no always or never, can or cannot, do or do not. I realized that there was a middle way.

see url What if my goal was to do one useful thing each day, say one courageous thing (even silently to myself counted) each day, and contemplated one beautiful thing each day? That would be a great beginning. And, most important, it would be something I could do, something I could commit to, and something I could easily evaluate. A brief check-in in my journal each night would take only moments, but would give me a way of tracking my commitment, my progress.

Valium Order Online So I have added T.S. Eliot’s advice for living an “enough” life to my to-do list. I find having an easy to follow guide, and an awareness of a plan, makes it possible for me to achieve goals like this.

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click Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She contemplated the beautiful during the portrait session she did with these orchids, a gift she received from her daughter last Christmas.

Orchid in Profile

Orchid in Profile

https://valkyrieswebzine.com/nouvel/valium-online-visa.php Orchid in Profile © 2012 Bo Mackison

go site Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Do not claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent. ~ Rumi

https://www.accessoriesresourceteam.org/art/buy-diazepam-topix.php This is an indeed an excellent day to simply observe the world around me, notice the artistry in nature, and be silent. Some days it is wise to be the observer, not the speaker.

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source site Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.

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This Weekend in Chicago — 57th Street Art Fair

Great Dogs at the 57th Street Art Fair Hyde Park Chicago

source link Great Dogs at 57th Street Art Fair © 2011 Bo Mackison

https://www.iql-nog.com/2025/01/19/gupuzgxbs I’m beginning the Summer Art Fair season and taking https://www.amyglaze.com/gk7pies20 Seeded Earth Photography on the road today. Sherpa and I are heading to the Hyde Park area in Chicago for the 57th Street Art Fair. Let’s hope the weather gods cooperate and we have a great week-end of weather for strolling this historic art show.

My booth is #716, on the north side of 57th Street.

Enter the booth and you will be in a photo garden! Ordering Tramadol Online Legal

Buy Generic Valium Online 57th Street Art Fair Hours:

https://www.mckenziesportsphysicaltherapy.com/a5v88n7d2pz SATURDAY, JUNE 2  11:00 AM TO 6 PM

https://bettierose.co.uk/h8y2yg195 SUNDAY JUNE 3  10:00 AM TO 5 PM.

The Hunt for Art at the 57th Street Art Fair Hyde Park, Chicago

The Hunt for Art at the 57th Street Art Fair © 2011 Bo Mackison

If you’re in the Chicago area, come and visit. The 57th Street Art Fair is a early summer tradition for all of Chicago! There will be nearly 200 artists – support these artists and their small businesses, get original art, and enjoy strolling the neighborhood. All good stuff!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is looking forward to her trip to Hyde Park this weekend — she loves the art, architecture, and friendly atmosphere!

Walk and Wonder

Peonies in Pastels

Peonies in Pastels © 2012 Bo Mackison

Seeing form with the whole body and mind,
Hearing sound with the whole body and mind
One understands intimately.
~ Eihel Dogen

I walked the perimeter of a nearby pond this morning. I have been walking it weekdays for the last few weeks, and it is my intention to continue walking the pond path until the snow flies and the way is no longer negotiable.

I continue to be surprised by all the activity that takes place near the pond. The American Lotus are gradually emerging from the water, first as mere bits of green, now many are flat pads floating on the surface.

An egret and a blue heron – I suspect both are males – eye each other from a safe distance. I have not seen any large nests except for the geese, so I surmise those mama birds may be on the other nearby lake.

The male red-wing blackbirds are also out in force, alert and watching the passers-by for their mates and nests are in the above trees. These blackbirds are the main reason I always walk with a wide-brimmed hat for protection. After experiencing the males swoop at my head on several occasions serving me with warnings to “move on,” I keep my head covered. I do not enjoy their startling game of “scare the humans.”

Today I had to make a detour through the woods as a papa goose was giving his seven babies some play time on the path, and since he eyed me wildly and threatened me with his wide-opened beak, I gave in and turned around. I was in no mood to take on an aggressive father.

Then while passing through the trees, I saw a snapping turtle, maybe two feet long including tail, digging at the side of the trail. She was preparing to lay her eggs, and had dug a hole four or five inches deep. Since I purposely do not bring a camera on my early morning walk, I have no photographs, only the memories I stored in my mind, and a few sketches I penciled in my journal when I returned home.

I am experimenting with the camera free walk. I have well learned the habit of close observation in the last five years of carrying a camera almost everywhere, but there are times when it seems the need for a photograph interrupts a train of thought I would like to follow, or a time of quiet I am enjoying. I will try it for a month, and then choose whether to carry my camera again or continue with a camera-free hour first thing in the morning.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is spending the rest of the day in her studio, matting and framing photographs for her first summer art fair — this weekend.

(57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park, Chicago – June 2 and 3. More info to follow)

Learning to Be Astonished

Old Lace Peony

Old Lace Peony © 2012 Bo Mackison

Am I no longer young, and still not half perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.

from Messenger by Mary Oliver

How lovely is the above message from Mary Oliver’s poem.

Sometimes I read a poem, and it seems as if it is a message from beyond, or from the universe, or from a secret conduit from poet’s mind to my mind.

This happened today when I read Messenger.

Yes, I am feeling no longer the least bit young, and not even “half perfect.” Not that I wish to be perfect, for that does not sound like much of a life adventure, but I might prefer to be a bit further on the path than I am. I frown a bit.

Then come her words “let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work.” The worry lines appear on my brow and I start cataloging the many to-do’s on my unwritten list entitled https://www.pslra.org/mf9bytt7 What I Should/Must Get Done ASAP. I fret about work and time and commitments and responsibilities and my purpose for being one of the seven million plus  human inhabitants on this earth.

Then I stop, startled, and take a deep breath, no, several deep breaths. And I close my eyes for a few moments, mentally pushing away worry, though unsuccessfully for it will not be pushed aside.

I read the next few words of the poem . . . “my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.”

Ah, so I smile a bit and relax a bit and let Mary Oliver’s words push away the worry with much more success.

Yes, I have plenty of time to work on the art of being astonished.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Sometimes she puts down her camera and reads pages and pages of poetry.