Earlier in the year I mentioned in this post that our health authorities were developing strategies to help us maintain our well-being in the face of the stresses brought about by the earthquakes of 2010/11. Their latest initiative is the December/Christmas All Right? campaign which highlights the importance of giving things that really matter – time and kindness. To this end, we get daily ‘happy’ messages in our newspaper, like this one that I read this morning.
You are Amazing
Kind of nice, isn’t it? To be told you’re amazing by officialdom; to be given a pat on the back, instead of the usual stern, finger-wagging, ( but important ) public service messages of ‘Don’t drink and drive”, “Pay your taxes”, “Pay your fines or else…”, which all hold a note of threat, or impending doom, over our heads if we fail to comply.
I particularly like the “Let’s remember it’s often the simple things that bring the most joy” part of the messages…..because it fits so well with the theme of my blog ;), and my About page which states that “Although the big things have changed and continue to change, the little things prevail and bring joy.”
Little, simple things, such as the Cherry Clafouti I made the other day, or
You’re amazing Clafouti 🙂
little things, like the delight of discovering a very old, and very lovely, interpretation of one of the most loathed words in our city…LIQUEFACTION…..
Liquefaction, as we have come to know it, (much too well), is the conversion of soil into a fluid like mass during an earthquake or other seismic event.
Take a peek at this video clip to see how parts of city nearly drowned in the stuff a few years ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-knLM7MZA
And, then, consider the pleasure and sensuous beauty of this type of liquefaction that I found Upon Julia’s Clothes
Whenas in silk my Julia goes,
Then, then methinks, how sweetly flows
That liquefaction of her clothes!………
O how that glittering taketh me.
by Sweet Robin/Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
‘Liquefaction of her clothes’; oh, how I love that image as it sashays and swirls through my mind and swishes over those other gray and grim memories. What was Julia wearing , I wonder. Was it Watered Silk?;
Portrait, Princess di Sant’ Antimo [ in watered silk](1840-1844) by Francesco Hayez
And, isn’t amazing that with a well-chosen phrase, or a slight change of meaning to a word, we can give our world a whole new look?
So, even if you don’t live in Canterbury, make some appropriate changes to the following messages from the All Right? campaign and give someone a kind word and a little time during the holiday season. You may be truly amazed! You may find you’re truly amazing!
“You’re a wee Canterbury gem.”
‘You’re cooler than pirates and ninjas combined.’
‘You’re strong (even if you don’t always think so).’
‘Your smile is life changing.’
‘You’re lovelier than the summer sun in Hagley Park.’
© silkannthreades
ps The cherry clafouti seems to have a certain liquefacted appearance, don’t you think? It was oozing cherry juice 🙂
silkannthreades 