"The road to hell...

is paved with good intentions."

What a saying.

I never understood it as a kid.  I'm all about contradictions, and I'll be the first to make a witty juxtaposition, but this one just didn't make sense.  I mean, how is it even feasible? Only recently have I finally come to understand what it means. 

In the book I'm reading right now, Deepak Chopra spends several chapters discussing suffering and darkness, and how it pertains to our lives.  It's my natural inclination to want to skip over those chapters, and continue onto the path of sunshine, rainbows and a chocolate waterfall-everything that doesn't have to do with being sad or discontented.  However, it seems to be a recurring lesson to make peace (or at least compromise) with my darkside. 

"In the unconscious, there is a full population of unexamined impulses...an artistic talent will never emerge unless the unconscious mind allows itself to release what it is holding"

Darkness is something I tend to see as unusable, or something no one would be interested in.  In fact, it's one of my great fears that if people found out who I really was, they'd probably just leave me.  He goes on to say, "...the shadow is personal and universal at the same time..." 

We are very much light as much as we are dark.  The sooner we begin to embrace both sides, the sooner we can emerge into our full selves.

I encourage everyone to welcome their fears and doubts and dark (myself included), and see what happens. 

You have my permission (and unwavering love).

.:Anais:.

Hoy!

As in 'today', or 'hey' (and also the Yiddish exclamation that I've been using a lot of lately).

So far, 2013 is proving to be a good one.  I had some doubts and reservations (which is really just my odd taste for even and symmetrical numbers), but it's shaping out quite nicely.

A friend of mine from New York came to visit earlier this week, and it was such a treat getting to spend time with her, since we seldom see one another.  I love showing my friends that come to town all my favorite spots, and just experiencing the city through their eyes.  It's like they breathe new life into something that usually is routine or mundane.  Of course, the hardest part is when they have to leave.  But then, their absence makes for the perfect excuse to make Blueberry Cornbread. 

One small cake for me, one giant cake for mankind.

Being blue isn't such a bad thing.

.:Anais:.