“My favorite thing, as a little girl was to walk through the countryside
in awe of the beauty of everything I was seeing …
It still is!”
~Penny
simple things
Alastairs Photo Fiction – Simple is and simple does!
Each Sunday my good friend Alastair offers up one of his excellent photographs as a prompt for writing a short fictional piece. Be sure to check out this fun activity, click here for more information.
Photo Credit: Copyright © Alastair Forbes, 2013
Simple is as Simple does.
“I just want to leave, daddy!” the little girl said. “I’m not having any fun!”
“But honey, you’ve hardly ridden any of the rides.” The dad was concerned to see the unhappy look on his daughter’s face. He had been so sure, when he picked her up at her mother’s house for his “weekend time”, that she’d love to go to the carnival. Didn’t kids like these things any more?
“I don’t care. I just want to leave and go some other place. It’s noisy and all the rides are scary with people screaming. They’re rude and they keep bumping into us on the ground.” His daughter’s small hand held tightly onto his while tugging him in the direction of the exit.
“Well, wait a minute,” Her dad tried again. “Let’s go by the food stands, they have yummy treats to eat there. That’s always fun at carnivals.” He patted his substantial stomach while deciding there was always room for one more corn dog!
“No daddy, my tummy still hurts from the last ride and we can buy treats everywhere. I just want to go.”
The dad looked and felt very frustrated as they slowly maneuvered their way through the noisy throng of indifferent people who, now that he noticed it, all seemed to be running around in hyper mode; looking for the next great thrilling ride, or fat engorged snack or cheap plastic prize to be awarded for winning a “fixed” game.
When they reached the exit the dad turned to his daughter and impatiently asked “So where do you want to go?”
The little girl answered quietly. “Could we go to the park, just the two of us, walk around, feed the squirrels and maybe you could push me on the swing. Doesn’t that sound like fun, Daddy?”
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Is there a loss of pleasure in “simple things” today? Are we perhaps so inundated with the never ending media of thriller type videos, movies, TV shows, books and of course real life activities, it has become difficult to go to a simple and happier place!
The True Meaning of the infectious giggle
The following words were spoken to me this morning by the oh-so-wise eleven year old young lady living in this household!
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“Everything is alright – inside of us – when we laugh!” Emma L.B. 2013
self portrait (cartoon style) by Emma L.B., 2013
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Now that’s a quote I can really get my arms around, both figuratively and literally! Children do have a way of reminding us of what is truly important in life. And they are always the most simple of things. So why are our lives so complicated? How come we lose this awareness when we grow up, and why?
I recently visited one of my blogging friends, Doris who posted (with great photos) that a fun way to “escape” is to spend time with children. Check her post out, just click on her link! She’s right!
The talented and delightful Emma was recording her laughter for a video she is making (both her and her brother are into movie making). Emma’s area of interest is making moving cartoon videos from her original characters that she draws. Jack – two years her senior is also into Stop Motion videos, lego pieces and people (he has one of the sinking of the titanic), and also racing/crashes with hotwheels cars. (The process is laborious and takes hours). They both do their own uploading and editing including voice overs of their videos!
So Emma has been recording her laughter and giggles and playing with it for the voice over for her latest cartoon video. She just came into my writing room and asked me to listen to her laughter. We both ended up laughing for 5 minutes. So naturally I had to share her “giggle” and her reason why laughter is a good thing, with all of you!
Essence of the infectious giggle as demonstrated by Emma!
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Make the best of your day, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Laughter does help! So do children!
~ Penny
Simple Things
Simple Things
The word simple has come up repeatedly today in various conversations online and off. So here are some thoughts to ponder.
Simple things make us happy:
A shining sun
A word of encouragement
Sharing laughter
Receiving an unexpected token of love
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I know you could add your own items to this list. All simple things.
So does our life really need so much complexity and noise? So much Stuff? Are we better for any of this?
Can we know who we really are?
Can we see through the denseness of our Miasmocity (Nope not a real word I made it up – cool, huh! lol)?
Miasma: (the meaning) A noxious atmosphere or influence – I added the word city because it seems as if we’ve done that very thing to ourselves in our cities and lifestyles today!
See how easy? I gave a complicated name to a simple thing. That being – we have overwhelmed ourself with too much.
If this is a truth and I expect anyone reading this knows this is true, what do we do? I wish I had answers and a simple solution. I don’t. But perhaps I can suggest a starting place.
In your heart
In your home
With those you care about …
… Pure and Simple – Love!
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I don’t think simplifying our lives is easy, not for any of us. But I think, if we can, we would all be much better for it. I really do!
Thank you for stopping by, may your day be filled with simple beauty and joy!
~ Penny
The Why About This 