Calla Lily. Who can argue with such stunningly simple, gorgeous beauty? Despite a lack of feeling inspired this week, I cannot help but be overwhelmed by the graceful, exotic, delicate yet powerful calla. She truly is one of my favorite flowers...
And now for one of my favorite authors: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The following excerpt adeptly showcases why I love him so entirely...he references a line of poetry that also happens to be the title of one of my favorite essays by C.S. Lewis: Lilies that Fester. I guess great minds (Shakespeare, Lewis and Fitzgerald, here, not me) think alike...
“In this letter (from Fitzgerald to his daughter) we see the molding of character: a father gently but explicitly telling his daughter what her duties are.
‘Dear Pie:
I feel very strongly about your doing duty. Would you give me a little more documentation about your reading in French? I am glad you are happy-but I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed page, they never really happen to you in life.
All I believe in in life is the rewards for virtue (according to your talents) and the punishments for not fulfilling your duties, which are doubly costly. If there is such a volume in the camp library, will you ask Mrs. Tyson to let you look up a sonnet of Shakespeare’s in which the line occurs Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
Have had no thoughts today, life seems composed of getting up a Saturday Evening Post story. I think of you, and always pleasantly; but if you call me “Pappy” again I am going to take the White Cat out and beat his bottom hard, six times for every time you are impertinent. Do you react to that?
I will arrange for the camp bill.
Halfwit, I will conclude. Things to worry about:
Worry about courage
Worry about cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship...
Things not to worry about:
Don’t worry about popular opinion
Don’t worry about dolls
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about growing up
Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you
Don’t worry about triumph
Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault
Don’t worry about mosquitoes
Don’t worry about flies
Don’t worry about insects in general
Don’t worry about parents
Don’t worry about boys
Don’t worry about disappointments
Don’t worry about pleasures
Don’t worry about satisfactions
Things to think about:
What am I really aiming at?
How good am I in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:
(a) Scholarship
(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?
(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?
With dearest love’”
~Taken from The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett
3 comments:
MY NEW FAVORITE.
You brought out the big guns this time, my dear. I so appreciated every detailed, scrupulously gorgeous morsel of this finely tuned photo and writing. How inspiring!
The words spoke to my heart coming at such an opportune time.
Love,
S.
that was great. i love how your photos are inspiring contemplation and the gift of expression through words.
God is romancing my heart! Through you and others. Thank you, Sarah Doty; you're wonderful. Mom & Max say hello!
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