Happiness quotation from Elizabeth Gaskell.
I never knew what sad work the reading of old letters was before that evening, though I could hardly tell why. The letters were as happy as letters could be—at least those early letters were. There was in them a vivid and intense sense of the present time, which seemed so strong and full, as if it could never pass away, and as if the warm, living hearts that so expressed themselves could never die, and be as nothing to the sunny earth.
--Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford
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That's the Third Splendid Truth: The days are long, but the years are short.
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Today Elizabeth Gaskell probably would have said "I never knew what sad work the reading of old E-mails..." ;)
Posted by: Gale | June 22, 2008 at 05:04 PM
Very beautiful, thanks for sharing Gretchen.
Posted by: Stu | Improved Lives | June 23, 2008 at 02:43 AM
It's nice to see you reading Elizabeth Gaskell! I discovered _Wives and Daughters_ about a year ago, and love her commonplace descriptions of everyday life; they're very "happiness-inducing" for me!
Posted by: Mary | June 23, 2008 at 01:06 PM
I'm glad to see you're focusing on happiness. In my travels in life, I notice some people really struggle with happiness. I was abandoned at the age of four and I'm very familiar with the look in people's eyes regarding unhappiness. My life went from dark to light in seconds.
It never changed until I learned how to permanently remove the pain of having your life shattered. Rebuilding my life became my obsession and I did it. I insisted on learning why something worked for me. Today, I can now teach others the steps that take them back to happiness. I've learned how to permanently remove the pain and triggers that can bring the pain back.
It pleases me to see others reaching out to others. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: LaRene Ellis | June 23, 2008 at 02:11 PM