Friday, May 10, 2013

Doing it anyway, happy surprise and a great lesson

- Reluctantly (because I was tired) going on an after-work walk on the beautiful BeltLine trail near work and finding that one of those large trees had fallen across the path.  Everyone who encountered it, as I did, stood there a moment contemplating, then climbed over and went on.

- A woman walking in the direction of the play area for children with a large bunch of colorful balloons.

- This quote from The National Endowment for the Arts website:  "A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment.  It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity.  It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us."  This found while looking for reviews for "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest Gaines, which I am currently reading.  It describes this book exactly and makes me appreciate writers even more.

Looking forward to more walks and reading this weekend!  I hope you have a wonderful one, my friends.

17 comments:

TALON said...

I love a book that lingers...

And what a gorgeous place for walking!

Have a beautiful weekend, Lynn!

Granny Annie said...

Were you and the others contemplating turning around instead of stepping over the tree?

I am imagining the faces of the children as the woman approached.

Listening to the unabridged audio book THE HELP, I am amazed by the writing and the wonderful dialogue. The movie was good but the book was beyond excellent and the audio book is even better as actors with wonderful voices bring it to life page by page.

Hope you weekend is wonderful and we are looking forward to a good one as well.

happygirl said...

The best thing about books is that they transport me. I'm always a little sad when I look up from my book and see I'm back in my own life. Bravo on climbing over the tree.

Sparkling Red said...

That book quote perfectly describes the book I'm reading now: A Find Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I bet you'd enjoy it.

Ileana said...

Great quote on books and I've seen some large trees fall in my time...especially during hurricane season in Miami. Lovely picture of your walking path, btw.

Sara said...

I love that everyone contemplated the downed tree and then climbed over it.

One time driving on one of the canopy roads, I watched a tree fall onto the road. I was far enough away to not have it scare me. It fell almost in slow-motion. Fortunately, it was a small tree and we could drive around it, but I called about it anyway.

I loved the quote about books. You're right it fits many books I've read.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Lynn:~)

Riot Kitty said...

Spontaneous moments of contemplation are the most satisfying, I think.

Elephant's Child said...

Gorgeous walk. And yes, the books that linger are far and away the most satisfying and often do have an element of melancholy/difficulty and or challenge about them.
Have a great weekend.

Snaggle Tooth said...

Good for you getting in walks, n not being stopped with the tree. My paths in the woods across the road are all blocked with numerous trees, plus so many are leaning far over. The town never picked up after the blizzard damage.
I wonder of there was a bday person for the balloons, or if they were getting sold.
What a great book quote- I like when the story takes me to a whole other world n time, n meet new characters/ Have a good week-end n pleasant memories of Mother's Day past-

Joanne said...

I love that quote about literature...so true!

sage said...

Trees blocking our path, a metaphor?

Jannie Funster said...

I LOVE that quote on writing. I can see how it applies to songwriting too. Just lovely. The books that seem to linger with me most are Olive Kitteridge, Four Letters Of Love (Nial Willams on that I think?) And The Love Hunter, a book certain parts stay with me -- I read it in 1987! Should try to Google it, see if I could read it again. In it Rachel met him at the door, wearing a lipstick color he'd never seen on her before, making him fall even more madly in love with her than ever!!

Kudos to you on not feeling like walking, but going for it anyway, and I'm sure you were better for it. I know I'm usually glad I walked.

So glad I finally got over here. I'll try to catch up with your other posts this weekend. This makes the second blog comment I've made in about a week! Geez. Got about 40 eBay auctions up in the last week, tho!!

And have been songwriting. Glad I'm taking time for that.

Laugh a bunch this weekend, okay!!?? :)

xoxoxoxo

Lynn said...

Talon -

It is gorgeous - I am so lucky it's there for me. Hope your weekend is good, too!

Granny Annie -

I did not see one person turn around - people were lifting their bicycles, dogs, etc. over it. I did not want to go walk, but did anyway, so this looked like an obstacle at first. :)

There must have been a party. I almost asked.

I listened to The Help - you are right - the voices are just wonderful. I never saw the movie - I couldn't imagine it would be better than the book.

happygirl -

I know - I feel that way quite often myself.

Sparkling Red -

I'll look that one up!

Lynn said...

Ily -

Yes - I imagine you have seen a lot of fallen trees. We've had so much rain lately that it's loosening the ground around the trees.

Sara -

Thank you - it as an effort, but I'm glad I did it.

Riot Kitty -

Absolutely!

Elephant's Child -

Isn't it amazing? I love a book that makes me feel like that.

Lynn said...

Snaggle -

They never cleaned up - isn't it about tourist season there?

Thanks for remembering - yes, I'm missing my mom terribly right now.

Joanne -

So true indeed.

Sage -

You could take that as a metaphor - life has been a bit like that lately.

Jannie -

I have laughed a bunch today - it's been a nice day.

I read Olive Kitteridge - excellent book.

Happy mothers day, my friend!

xoxo

Fireblossom said...

Thanks for that interesting observation about books!

Lynn said...

FB -

So apt, I think.