Beautifully simple

I'm reading a book my mom bought me before I left.  It's called The Vinyl Cafe Notebooks, which you may recognize.  I didn't, but I love vinyl, cafes and notebooks, and the picture on the front is of a black crow writing in ink, with its beak, in a journal.  The bird is placed on a table of antique teal, and the rest of the cover is the colour of old paper.  It calmly suggested "Nikki, pick me up" as I almost walked by.  I did, and the next time I went into the book store my mom got it as a going away gift.

The author of this book is Stuart McLean, who is host of the radio show, The Vinyl Cafe.  I also love radio. (On a side note: Have you seen Pirate Radio?  Es ist ein leibslingsfilm fur mich.)  Wikipedia tells me The Vinyl Cafe is a collection of essays, fiction and music.  The essays and fiction, I believe, are writing from McLean as well as his audience.  The music "endeavors to introduce listeners to new Canadian musical talent".  McLean records half of his episodes live in theatres across Canada.  The most famous segment of his episodes are the "Dave and Morely Stories"; they are fiction written by McLean where "the [overall] moral is that the small things and pleasures in life are underrated and that truth, love, patience and forgiving will resolve conflict and misunderstanding best".  McLean's drive forms a Canadian John Tesh in my mind; his fiction, like Tesh's facts, focus on moving people forward in life, towards health and happiness.  His show airs on CBC, and I strive to listen to it soon.

Anyways, I just read a short out of my book called the "The People You Love" which lead me to Max Ehrmann's Desiderata, the real nudge for this whole post.   I'd like to share it's ending with you:

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its shame, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.


-Max Ehrmann

Quite nice!
That's all for now,
<3 Nikki