Day 2 of Project 2015

Le finished reading this book today and it had a few themes throughout that resonated with us. Yes, this is just a book, a fictional book at that. Le chose to read it because of the medical condition that was mentioned in it yet somehow we are able to take away some life lessons from it as well. This book reinforced and reconfirmed our thinking.

Without spoiling too much of the book, in case you plan to read it yourself one day, the character is forced (in an unpleasant way) to slow down her life and reevaluate what is important to her. A powerful and determined woman who put a lot of emphasis on her career that has to come to terms with not returning to the life she once knew.

Money, career and success is not everything! It does not make us happy, it does not define us and it certainly should not be at the sacrifice of everything else that we value and hold dear.

The book reminded us that it is essential to slow down and focus on what is meaningful in our lives. We have too often read books or watched movies, where an event (usually disastrous) is the catalyst for re-prioritising. These movies or books are wake-up calls to society yet how often do people just pass these off as entertainment? It is more than that, read between the lines and stop and reevaluate. It could be the sign you were waiting for.

Summary of January 2

Newbies

Today, we decided to walk to do our grocery shop. It isn’t how we normally do it but we figured that we had enough “walking” training on the Camino and that we would also save the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. We called it our “healthy” shop – not only because we squeezed in some exercise but we also bought less because we had to carry it home; no junk food or snacks or unnecessary items. 

Brighter/Different Perspective?

Would you believe after completing the original version of this post, we somehow managed to lose it all?! And instead of obscenities ($%^&$) being thrown around, we calmly opened a new post to re-write it best we could. We figured what we had written in the other post was not meant to see the light of day 🙂 So hope you enjoy the revised version instead! It also teaches us to hit “SAVE”. 

Advertisement

the law of attraction

A few weeks ago, we read a blog post about Alan Watts. And we had “tried” committing his name to memory at the time, thinking that we would like to read his books.

As we are currently travelling, our minds are clearly so relaxed that his name completely slipped our minds.

Just the other day, David asked Le “What was that author’s name again?”

And we both could NOT remember.

Today we logged onto Facebook and a friend of ours had shared a link to an article worth reading about Alan Watts!

How about that?? The Laws of Attraction?? So this is proof that there are more then just coincidences in life! Maybe we do have the power to send out the messages and attract what it is we are looking for…. Happiness and positivity included!

Anyway, Alan Watts is definitely an author we would like to add to our reading list.

Here is a quote from his book “Become What You Are“.

“Life exists only at this very moment, and in this moment it is infinite and eternal. For the present moment is infinitely small; before we can measure it, it has gone, and yet it exists forever. . . . You may believe yourself out of harmony with life and its eternal Now; but you cannot be, for you are life and exist Now.”

apothecary for the soul

One of the world’s oldest libraries, the library of the Abbey of St Gallen in Switzerland, which we visited today has inscribed in Greek over the entry: “apothecary for the soul”.

Is that suggesting that knowledge heals the soul?

Or that reading provides comfort?

Or that books can make spiritual health better?

Regardless, seeing those words reinforces to us that life doesn’t need to be rushed and that we should make the time to read.

We love reading and it makes us happy but sometimes we make excuses that we are too busy. Not anymore… we should do what makes us happy 🙂