of the trade
Despite a valiant attempt to stay two steps ahead, frustration catches the trio.
Thalia plunges the power button to make room for silence. “Waaaaaa-kh Uhhhhhpppp! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!”
Nia feels gratitude for their rented space on social media, for those who have built their lives by building stairs for others. “It’s not the tools —”
“… it’s how we use them.” Calliope sighs. “We must take responsibility… for our thoughts… choices… and actions. Where are we conflicted? Contradicted? Now that… is where we must shine our flashlights.”
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain — and most fools do.
~Dale Carnegie
A note from LoveLetterist:
On my morning treasure hunt through my inbox, I came across this brilliant analysis of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
https://weirdopoetry.substack.com/p/that-aint-no-matter?r=19lbt&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
My biggest take-away was the reminder that we are creating our lives, individually and collectively.
Why do we expend so much energy railing against what we do not like?
Instead of building better?
Your LoveLetter today and Dale Carnegie’s quote brought to mind an Elvis Presley lyric: (written by Joe South)
“And before you abuse, criticize, and accuse,
Just walk a mile in my shoes.”
I’m curious about “staying two steps ahead.” I’ve read that we’ll never get there as we live in the now.
And I implore you, don’t pull a Mary Oliver on us! Of course if you duplicate her move, you’ll be here in sunny Florida. Please bring along some of your tools of the trade. Muses, Henny, and of course your watercolor stuff. The kid could come for visits while competing in tournaments...😁