So...here goes...

I'll let my posts do the dirty little job of introducing me, cuz what I tell you may not be what you want to know, and you'll likely think I've chosen those particular details because I want to impress you.  If I met you in person, you'd probably be right, but here, I will just be me.


So...for today's thought.  I saw the trailer for Eat Pray Love where Julia Roberts (aka Liz) says "I just want to go somewhere where I can marvel at something!"  Hmmm.  


First, too many wheres and somes in one sentence for me.  Guess I'm not much of a fan of vagueness.  The old English teacher rears her ugly head now and then (although I've grown quite fond of her ugliness) and makes me go uhhhhh, that's not phrased quite correctly.  Yeah, I do lots of that too, but it's poetic license when I do it, and annoying when others do it.  


Second, her outlook makes me sad.  I know I'm crazy lucky to live where I live, in the middle of the boonies, with stars and cows surrounding me, but all I have to do is go in my backyard and I marvel at nature.  I go inside my house and marvel at the memories of my girls growing up in each room.  I go to friends' homes and marvel at their humor, kindness, intelligence, compassion, and trustworthiness.  I go to my parents (who have been happily married for 57 years) and I marvel at their devotion.  I go to church and I marvel at God's infinite love.  I go driving and I marvel at the constantly changing scenery.  I go to learn and I marvel at others' wisdom.  You get the idea.  Marvel-ing is an attitude, not a place.  


Third, I get what Liz means.  I liked the book (quite insightful and enjoyable) and didn't like the movie (quite insipid and strayed too much from the book).  But I am addicted to travel, and one of the reasons for my addiction is that I marvel more often and more frequently when I am in unfamiliar surroundings.  New smells, tastes, sounds, customs, faces, hair coloring, clothes, buildings, experiences all make it a thrill to marvel.  But travel also reminds me to appreciate home, and to marvel at Life, wherever it's being lived.