Wednesday, December 17, 2014

The Joy of deeds well done, beginning with me...


Earlier this week I wrote about being zen as I go about my Christmas business.

Lest you think I am some kind of super-hero or fembot, I must disabuse you of this fantasy - it ain't easy.  There is a little voice that sits in the back of my head that says snippy, snotty things at times.

Mostly, it says snippy snotty things to me.

But I am a work in progress and it is progress I seek.

True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

And speaking of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, my good friend GetFresh shared the advance trailer for The Little Prince movie set to be released in 2015.  I thought it so lovely, I wanted to share it here:







I can't remember when I first read The Little Prince, probably in middle or high school.  But it touched me deeply, this story of knowing what to prioritize and what to let go.


The little prince - still my favorite book


Here in the season of light, we need to remember this secret.  It really is so simple, and we know it when we see it: the baby's laugh, a loyal dog, a hand extended,

a cafe manager in Sydney




a peaceful and powerful protest for true rights for all


Preparation: Demonstrators lay on the ground in a mock death protest of the shooting of Brown. The area around St. Louis, Missouri, is preparing for the grand jury decision in the shooting death of Brown


The grief of a nation.


Pakistan school attack


A planet in peril



But in my small brain, it is love and joy that begins the journey to heal all things, helps us dream big solutions, helps us work with one another for the betterment of all.

I was reading a self-help book the other night by Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson (yes, the Paul Williams of Rainbow Connection and Evergreen fame).

I had seen them interviewed by Oprah and I was curious to read the whole book.  There were many things that resonated with me (not so much the drug addiction, I am pretty lucky there) but one of the affirmations struck me deeply:

Something Needs to Change and It's Probably Me.

So I think 2015 is my year to make sure my own garden is well and truly in order before I look over the fence at anyone else's.  And whatever I get for Christmas is just fine, thank you very much.  And those extra pounds I'm carrying?  Sure they should be smaller for my health's sake, but it just gives more of me to love.  

If I want joy, I gotta be joy.  If I want to make the world a better place, I better start with me.  I want to see fully with my heart and forget the rest.

I want to see the world as a wonder-full place, a place that can be taken care of, bettered, one person at at time.  And so I will start with me.  And the week before Christmas seems even more apropos to begin that exercise than the beginning of a new year.

As Mr. Saint-Exupery said:

Then you shall judge yourself, 
that is the most difficult thing of all. 
It is much more difficult to judge 
oneself than to judge others. 
If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, 
then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.


So while I wait for the movie, I think I will reread the book, because I think that fellow was on to something...



Have a wonderful, joyous day!

xoxo wendy

20 comments:

  1. Wonderful post, Wendy. So well said.

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    1. Thanks Jen! I am moving on to decidedly more pedestrian fare later today!

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  2. 'If I want joy, I gotta be joy' - Do you think I'd get away with giving mum that advice? Probably not!
    Lovely post Wendy.

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    1. Nope - sherry, sherry, and more sherry! Dr. Wendy's orders!

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    2. Yes, I think Mum's personality is what it is! More sherry, please.

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  3. Great post Wendy - you're getting the New Years resolutions off early, but for this one it's a very good time to begin as we enter Christmas.
    I bought and read the pop up version of The Little Prince with my oldest a couple of years ago, so many good messages in it for little and big people alike.

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    1. I love pop-up books! I asked Santa for the 75th anniversary pop-up version of Madeline!

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  4. To love one another..yes, we must also love ourselves. We are all wonderfully made but boy we like to flog ourselves. You are so easy to love baby.

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  5. A lovely and thought provoking post, Wendy. I don't think I've ever read The Little Prince - *gasp*! Your resolution is admirable. My 2014 was an attempt at gratitude - no sweating my "first world problems". I think I did ok, but it is a conscious effort. I try to start each day, before I get out of bed, remembering to be grateful that my family and I are safe, healthy, warm, fed and free.

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  6. I do that too! Another thing I did, for a while, was write affirmations first thing in the morning about how my day would go, things like "My writing is easy and inspiring", that kind of thing. Made a huge difference in my attitude towards everything!

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  7. It seems your ducks are pretty much in a row, m'dear. This world, this world.

    As the Rev Peter Gomes of the Hahvahd University used to say, " Be a radiator, not a drain". He was the Plummer Professor of religion(small joke).

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  8. Love this post Wendy, the news is just overwhelming isn't it - hard to make sense of it all

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  9. Wendy, What a beautiful post for the holidays. Really cheered me tonight as I am escaping for a bit from the card writing, shopping and a ton more. This is so true. I need to look at the big picture and start with myself if I want things better in this world! Isn't the Little Prince still just genius after all this time? Wishing you a lovely holiday Wendy and so glad we have become blogging friends! xo Kim

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    1. Thanks Kim, though I think you are pretty spectacular!

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Kindness is a virtue...