BEAUTY LIFTS THE SOUL

Dear friend,

If you could give yourself an amazing gift, what would it be?

If I had given myself something for Christmas, the gift better than any other would have been to use my abilities to create something that would help make our world a saner place--to help its people want to be kinder and nobler in spirit. Great writing can do that when it moves people to act on behalf of others.

Part of me wants to write a story that will move hearts, that will move lives, that will change the way we perceive and then do. I want to reach the masses, not just one group within the masses. But I also realize one has to have something to give in order for there to be something of value others can receive.

There are taboo subjects that one could write about and be the worse off for it. Courage says it's worth the cost. One can be imprisoned for their beliefs and mistreated for their affiliations. Some countries limit the conversation. Wouldn't it be wonderful to write a novel that could say the message without censor and is read throughout the world?

A redemptive message is found in almost every novel. Why is that? I think it is because we all need some redeeming, and we want to see the good guy win, we want to see the problem end up being solved, and we want to see people rise above the circumstances. Real life is that way. Did you have any problems in 2017? All of us are in our own personal redemptive story.

Beauty lifts the soul. There are many ways to create expressions that speak to soul-need. Humans have great needs. Some of these needs are crushing us, smothering us, pushing us down. Hope says all is not hopeless for if hope is gone, you have little left. What gives hope? A song, a phrase, a picture, verse, food, bouquet, photo, painting, scent, jewel, touch and so forth are tangibles that speak hope to us.

Depression pulls us inward and stomps on hope. Melancholy moods are common during the holidays and winter days. They hit me too, like when I was shopping in K-Mart. I was thinking about my family and how I wasn't able to be with them for Christmas.  But we don't want to stay there. We have to do something about it. Go for a walk. Meet with a friend. Visit a loved one. Read an inspirational story. Pray to God.

Hope lifts us up. The bright side is the opposite of the dark side. I wish I could say or do something that would carry the multitudes to the brighter side of life. Wouldn't that be grand? Think of the good that could be done if we did all for love's sake? I wish you much love today, and tomorrow, and on throughout the new year.

God's best,
Norma