Sunday, October 19, 2014

Big Things

Now I know what want feels like. I want this so bad. I want to write forever. To write with poise and present a thoughtful idea is a beautiful thing. Not as easy as it sounds though. And speaking of beauty, I went into Anthropologie yesterday.

I don't usually go to the Newbury St. store, but I was in the city by chance and had some birthday gift cards to spend. I found myself looking at these... magazines, rather than clothing. Magazines, not like a grocery store magazine, but a thought-provoking, beautifully photographed collection of ideas that are crisp to the touch. I bought 'Darling' whose mission statement is this:

"Darling is... the art of being a woman. Darling Magazine holds the modern mold of woman up to the fire to evoke a discussion on femininity and re-shape an authentic design. Darling is a catalyst for positive change; leading women to discover beauty apart from vanity, influence from manipulation, style apart from materialism, sweetness apart from passivity, and womanhood without degradation. Darling leads women to practice the arts of virtue, wit, modesty, and wisdom -- all the while creating beauty and embodying love. Darling says women are not only interesting, but original. Not only good enough, but exceptional -- not just here, but here for a purpose."

Seriously? Where have you been all my life, Darling?! The first time I read that I almost wanted to cry, because how intelligent is that idea?! God. In an article from the latest edition of the magazine, freelance writer Danielle McGuire wrote about friendships. Some of these lines struck me:

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst in to flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” –Albert Schweitzer


“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” –King Solomon
Let’s move to reclaim these kinds of friendships. 


I think because of physically where I am now, friends that mutually sharpen are a rare commodity. I don't think it's the college environment in general, I have a feeling it's this college. If I want more than five friends here I'm sucked into sharing living spaces, going to daily lunches & dinners, and having a collective set of opinions and ideas. This, without a doubt, is not true of every one here. But I find it the majority. As a result I am absolutely content with my two friends at school. I cherish them. (Hi, Cate and Austin). And some might laugh at the going to daily lunches & dinners point... sometimes I like the state I'm in when I'm alone... I look at it like getting to know myself better. 

As Yoda/Chris Smith (hi! if you're reading this) once told me, there are people in the world who are not always the front runners of the pack or the most popular, but they can often be the best of friends. He said the good people are often the outcasts. And that making one or two good friends, wherever I go, is an accomplishment.  

I'm so inspired by articles like this and articles in the other magazines I picked up ('Tiny Atlas Quarterly' and 'Oh Comely')... I'll have to get 'Kinfolk' next when I have some spare change. 

I was walking from Newbury St. to Emmanuel to shortly but sweetly check in with my friend Ian, who I do love, and who happened to mention 'Kinfolk!!!' But before that, I crossed a bridge and had a Kodak (iPhone) moment. 




p.s. kinda cool... here are some articles I've written for the Sun Chronicle newspaper in Attleboro, Mass. The first time I saw my name in print for these...nothing can beat that. Bylines are a special thing.

A feature on a local boy scout

Electric rates shoot up

Lower gas prices wahoo!

Grocery store face lift