love love love in many ways

Chelsea's post the other day got me thinking about all the things, people, places that I adore. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got...both because I love making lists of any sort, and the things that I love excite me anyway! It all ties into my belief that life should be good and exciting, null of apathy.

So, I love Kyle and how he loves me back. I love the growth that he's inspired, and what I've done with him in my life. I love the fact that our love is little old man and old lady love (at least, that's the title in my mind) that runs strong, mature, passionate and deep, but still increases in all those areas. I love the mountains; seeing, climbing, sitting on, breathing the air that flows over them. How can you not be happy when you're sitting on a mtn top, looking down into valleys and at the mtns beyond? Listening to the wind and being memorized by the cloud shapes in the sky? I could go on... I love being in love and how it fills my being with happiness and excitement, that overflows into to other areas of my life, enriching them, going on in a grand cycle. I think it doesn't matter so much what type of love you have, be it romantic love for another person, dedicated love to a job, or just a love of life, as long as there is some type of external love to nurture and inspire. I love that art exists, and I can use it expressively. I love coffee, the taste and smell that can make carry a morning from 'alright' over to 'perfect.' I love the feeling after a good cry, the relief and tired newness. I love memories and how a single picture can bring back so much. I love that I know interesting people, who are brilliant and intriguing. I love that there are creative people who share their ideas and show off their projects. I love music, and how, when it's really good, goes straight into my mind and heart. I love festival ambiance. I love the feeling of heading off on an adventure, be it a grand trip to the beach, or a day in the mtns. I love the feeling that comes with getting a good grade on my math test! Triumph is mine indeed! I love running around like a little kid, capturing the care-free attitude once more. I love that I'm good at my job and that it's exciting to me. I love all my idiosyncrasies and odd things. I love that I do follow my heart and head. I love the summer. I love that my life is exactly what I always hoped it would be, and that it's this way now. I love trees and all the symbolize. I love the beach and watching the ocean flirting with the shore, and the sun warming from the top and the sand from underneath.

There's so much that I love! It would take too long and become boring to list (that's an impossible task) everything that brings me joy, comfort, and excitement.

But I think these are the most important? Maybe.

Beethoven

Beethoven must have been a very "feeling" man, one of deep emotions that covered many ranges. How else would he create such music? Sure, talent and aptitude are needed, along with the standard genius factor, but without feeling, there is so meaning or depth, even worth, to any action or creation.

Anyway...the source of this observation is a love letter he wrote a mystery love.

"Good morning, on July 7
Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
ever thine
ever mine
ever ours"


His letter was edited down to this in the Sex and the City movie (I'm sorry, boredom and curiosity got the better of me!! But I did find this-->):

"My thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved. I can only wholly with you or not at all—
Be calm, my life, my all. Only by calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together. Oh continue to love me, never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
Ever thine.
Ever mine.
Ever ours."

It's just so beautiful, be you in love or not. It speaks the truth of dedication that is in my heart.

Anyway. Enough of the overly romantic, sickeningly obnoxious love stuff.

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas!

I did make the cheese bread, and it was incredible! The changes I made were using half a package of normal yeast (the recipe called for instant......not sure if that's what I had or not...) in the sponge and the additional dough; adding crushed red pepper, basil, and oregano to the dough; doubling the cheese and mixing it with 1/4 cup garlic olive oil and some amount of parm. It could have used more cheese too, in my mind anyway, where more cheese is always better! :-)

Christmas Eve we had The Brothers (Kyle's brothers Jeremy and Alex) over for spanakopita and lots of beer! It was nice, and my spanakopita was amazing! I've proved that I can cook a mean meal! ;-)

I'm free from school until the 8th of Jan. In some ways I miss the academic control of my life, but on the other hand, free time is glorious! And the little extra income from additional work hours is nice too!

Goodnight all.

The Good-morrow.

THE GOOD-MORROW.
by John Donne


I WONDER by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we loved ? were we not wean'd till then ?
But suck'd on country pleasures, childishly ?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers' den ?
'Twas so ; but this, all pleasures fancies be ;
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee.

And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear ;
For love all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone ;
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown ;
Let us possess one world ; each hath one, and is one.

My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest ;
Where can we find two better hemispheres
Without sharp north, without declining west ?
Whatever dies, was not mix'd equally ;
If our two loves be one, or thou and I
Love so alike that none can slacken, none can die.