EMBRACING SOLITUDE AND MINDFULNESS

 

A series of essays….

LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS ‘THAY’ (TEACHER), THICK NHAT HANH
IS A GLOBAL SPIRITUAL LEADER, POET, AND PEACE ACTIVIST

….as seen through my eyes!

Note: I wrote my initial story about Thich Nhat Hanh back on April 30, 2015, when I embraced Mindfulness for the first time. I, like millions of others, mourn his passing on January 22, 2022. His spirit will continue to touch all of us throughout time and space. JEH

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

I have waffled in-and-out between requiring a needy life and one filled with freedom and solitude ever since I can remember. Even as a small child, alone time with my toys surrendered to a feeling of complete contentment and joy. Today I embrace my downtime and gratefully add up all of the benefits it has afforded me.

Then my husband planned yet another business trip and I, admittedly, anticipated his week long absence. Yes, I don't believe I have ever embraced the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," simply because love should have no boundaries in time and space. Although, in truth, his gentleness was missed.....

MORNING SOLITUDE

Quite simply, I enjoy being alone! Funny how this conjures-up an image of Greta Garbo in the classic 1932 movie ‘Grand Hotel.’ The author of the book the movie was based upon, Vicki Baum, wrote that producer, E. Goulding, purposely changed the original line, “I wish to be alone” to “I want to be alone.” Interesting how Garbo made the word ‘alone’ sound like an entire line of dialogue!

    

Being a slave to office politics and corporate ladder climbs is a concept that defies all logic for me. The deep desire to be my own boss has been with me since the solitude and comfort of playing alone with my toys as a child. However, as an adult, this feeling of solitude and independence has gotten me into trouble within the corporate arena numerous times. Like I always say, another story, another time. 

Let's be honest, the world we live in can be volatile most of the time, and it is up to us to adapt to our surroundings, make positive changes where we can or, sink with the ship. Between natural disasters and simple human frailty with the lack of 'common sense' in general, our Earth is getting very annoyed with all of us humans right now!

Life has become the Chiliean Calbuco Volcano covering us in ash; a family of five living out of their car and hoping to see a light at the end of the dark tunnel; the ground shaking devastation of the Kathmandu earthquake; a mother attempting to cope with a sick child and avoid missing work at the same time; political unrest and religious intolerance; and a young, Black male afraid to walk down his own street in the light of day or darkness of night. Shall I go on?

I know that each generation harbors doubts about the wisdom of their particular journey in life. Unless you happen to be blessed with a peaceful heart and are the healthiest person ever known to walk the planet, your transgressions in this life will always find a way of catching-up to you. Guilt is generally the most transparent emotion we allow to haunt us—even when questioning our own bravery by surviving conflict when fellow soldiers may not have. We will all experience the black hammer of guilt pounding rhythmically over our heads at one time or another within our lifetime. 

The beloved Vietnamese monk, scholar and activist, Thich Nhat Hanh, has enlightened many of us with his pure, poignant thoughts about peace, love and compassion and how they are central to the teachings of both Buddha and Christ. He tells us how we must be aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life and vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. We must be determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in our thinking, and in our way of life.

After all, if we rightfully believe that we are all connected in body and spirit....killing others would truly be like killing a part of ourselves. Why would we do that? 

                                                             

MINDFULLNESS

CULTIVATE COMPASSION 

Returning to my desire to experience solitude in my life, allow me to introduce, in case you haven't heard of this belief already, the effort of practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is the energy to be here and to witness deeply everything that happens in the moment, and be aware of what is going on within and without, as per one of the Five Precepts of Buddhist Philosophy. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present.

Mindfulness is a basic and more simple root structure of meditation itself that urges us to find wholesome, spiritual nourishment for ourselves and everyone who touches our lives. It can be found by looking up at the blue sky, down at the colorful spring blossoms, or into the eyes of a child.... Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that "The most basic meditation practice of becoming aware of our bodies, minds and the world around us can lead us into a far richer and more fulfilling state than any drug ever could." This is one example of what we called, back in the day, achieving a natural high. 

I believe that when I am alone, in a personal state of solitude  and bliss, I am able to see the world in a softer, more beautiful light containing strong hints of hope and love. So, for me, being alone is truly never a problem. As the white noise in my mind dissipates to unmask the 'vibrations of potential' and my outlook on life reaches momentous levels, the prospect of creative thought flows strong and free like a babbling brook in the springtime. I think every one of us knows where to find our solitude and joy. Knowing how to and wanting to find it is certainly a large part of this journey we are all on.

May I conclude by saying that my husband enjoyed his time away, as well, and returned home safe and sound after a very productive work week. 

Considering my deep connection with the power and healing prospects of Love, I leave you with another quote by Thich Nhat Hanh from his beautifully written work entitled "Living Buddha, Living Christ." 

 

            "Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing. Love instructs 

            us not to act in ways that will cause suffering now or 

            in the future. We can discern when something that 

            seems to be joyful has the capacity to destroy future 

            happiness, so we do not abuse alcohol, ingest                

            unhealthy foods or hurt others by our words. Real love 

            never ends. It will be reborn and reborn."

Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

TAKE A MOMENT TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE BORED!

A series of essays.....

OPENING UP TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES ~~~

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

If our life always felt settled, safe, and warm, as it may have, at some point, back in our youth, then our world would be extremely small, exceptionally limited, and notoriously boring! Fortunately, for many of us, life is anything but boring.

I chuckle to myself as I use the ‘b’ word in conjunction with my thoughts because it tends to be such a harmless and childlike word describing a time when, for several ‘odd’ moments of its waking hours, the youthful mind plays with the art of meditation; it filters out the rest of the world and becomes, blissfully, blank. Being bored is the filler, the chinking between the stacked logs of a less finished structure, that cushions the gap between simply being an innocent child instinctively living for the sake of having fun and trying to make sense of the world that is yet to come.

As young adults, and having lapped that classic, red Radio Flyer many times over, the childhood loop of boredom gives way to new responsibilities with more mature scenarios, making way for higher education, employment, and even the art of falling in love 😍. Work patterns emerge, whether we work from home, an office or cubicle, or out of our own vehicle, we work to get paid in order to pay our bills, raise a family, pay off student loans, play hard....and, eventually, retire with grace and dignity. During this particular phase of life, we can only dream about being bored!

Quite often, mankind meets with obstacles that are unpredictable and life changing. 

Some of us may be struggling with ill health ourselves or, dealing with the illness of a loved one or friend. Naturally, at this point, our focus would be on rectifying this position by any means possible......and, this alone can take up most of our time and energy. This may not be the challenge we had always hoped for in our lives, however, it would be one we must acknowledge, attempt to understand, but never allow losing the fight to be an option. And, if compromise is the ultimate balance negotiator, its important to allow the light to stream in from the tiny cracks that have, inevitably, formed on the exterior and allow it to fill our heart and being with its warmth, its strength, and its love.

If being an adult takes on the responsibilities of life including listening to others, filtering out  good from evil, caring for the health and well-being of those around you, making mature decisions that will help create a healthier, more wholesome world to live in....many adults today have missed the boat on this one. Sadly, this includes a large percentage of the people we’ve elected to govern us in Washington D.C. 

No, I am not taking that course right now. I’m feeling way too good to be pulling myself down into that deep abyss, heaving swamp of depression, deep ocean of lost dreams and acute selfishness, only to find myself adrift upon a sea of uncertainty. Not today!

This morning I’m feeling too good for that because a few nights ago we pushed the ‘ENTER’ button and signed-up for an excursion into two exciting worlds, one yet unknown, Scotland, and the other a continuance of what has proven to be a place we are highly attracted to for many amazing reasons, Ireland. Normally, I am apprehensive about committing so much effort and money into securing airfare for a future trip. (Many of us know how the Internet has made this exceedingly simple to do.) But, not this time. 

My gut tells me this is the right thing to do and this trip promises to be the cherry-on-top of a very busy and eventful year for the two of us. As many of you may know, not only are we remodeling our home in Michigan, but we’re executing a major overhaul of our home here in Orlando with the idea of readying it for resale within the next few months. Timing is everything considering Dan is set to retire in August and it would be nice to have one house 🏡 ready to move into and the other conveniently sold and out of sight and mind. 

Hopefully, we will have sold our property located in North Carolina, as well. Believe me, fingers and toes are crossed with solemn prayers to Saint Joseph said each day for good measure with this one. Survival is having to amputate old dreams yet be strong enough to staunch the flow of life’s blood in order to insure that life can move on. (We’re still having to work a bit on this.)

Moving from one place to another is often grounds for heartache and headaches; having over two thousand miles between the two could turn it into a full-blown migraine in the months to come. We will not be having a company move us back up to Michigan as we did over twenty years ago when we moved down to Orlando from Michigan to follow Dan’s employment opportunities.

I wake each day categorizing our ‘stuff’ and asking myself where this piece might find a new home in our little yellow cottage. Or, explaining to myself the reasons why there’s no way this table will ever fit up there! And, sadly, this third item will just have to be included in our community garage sale in May. Since I like to refurbish things and charm new life into them, many pieces will fit nicely into our new world even if they must be stored for a short time before the new addition is completed on the cottage. 

All of the roads leading us into the immediate future guide us toward a monumental celebration in September; the pièce de résistance, if you will: Travel! While utilizing our purest and most unselfish minds, and sharing an ideology developed and skillfully honed via our personalities coupled with those of our good friends of like philosophy and world views, I predict that this trip is going to be a blast!

 Even though we may be semi-settled, if only in our minds, and safe and warm for the time being, there’s a lot of change happening and each day that goes by reflects upon this fact. Decisions have to be made immediately. There’s no more putting things off until next year because ‘next year’ is here today. It’s time to pull-on our ‘Big Person’ pants 👖 and be open-minded and strong throughout the process, never forgetting to listen to one another along the way. This will help make life considerably easier for both Dan and myself.

So, with all of this to look forward to, for better or for worse, whichever the case may be, there’s one last thing I can think of to say as this year swiftly progresses with each breath I take.....The word ‘boring’ certainly has no room in our lives this year! 2018 promises to be a busy one but, with the added incentive of traveling to Scotland and Ireland dangling like a juicy carrot right before our eyes, we should be just fine.

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE.....ENJOY EACH MOMENT!

Courtesy: IrishCentral.com

Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

SOUL SEARCHING ~ IN REAL TIME

 A series of essays.....

SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL ~ SUNRISE!

mostnature.com

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

A hairline fissure runs through the middle of my spirit these days. It is a narrow split, a stressful division, in a manner of speaking, that helps to define the ache that weighs so heavily on my heart. 

My spirit breaks because of you.

If the spirit were made of stone, these fractures might be explained away, offering comfort in knowledge; options for improvement. Technically, some cracks in rock are a mechanism of brittle deformation in response to stress or pressure that exceeds the rock strength, causing the rock to lose cohesion along its weakest plane. Employ the engineer who might grout such cracks and help to strengthen my 'spirit' that has fallen into such disrepair. Oh, if only the solution were that simplistic...

My spirit breaks because of you.

If the spirit were likened to the brick foundation by which we build our hopes and dreams upon, it would be exhibiting these cracks and shifts that serve to weaken its splendor. A home or shelter that has been shifted from its solid foundation by earthly tremors has lost its original stability and now serves to undermine the spirit that once thrived within; lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of nurturing the hopes and dreams it once sheltered.

Oh, my spirit breaks because of you.

If the spirit was brought forth through a particular fairy or sprite, I would solemnly swear that the 'little gnome' might have entered my universe upon our visit to the Emerald Isle back in 2006. My mischievous fairy would be a leprechaun named John, a tiny old man, who lives in the Caha Mountains of Southwestern Ireland under the guise of a sheep farmer. His playful antics and fun-loving spirit infusing my life with his power to affect the course of human events and insert the inevitable joy of my becoming a grandmother. Would I now see John with a single tear trickling down his wise, ancient cheek? Would his own spirit be breaking a bit in unison with mine?

The collection of actions or deeds by others can serve to break down our spirit.

If I allow the emotional, fundamental, and activating principle of my life, my spirit if you will, to be controlled by staunch man-made walls of negativity, I will continue to experience the brokenness. It will come to limit me; my character will suffer and my heart will break into a million pieces and cease to be the sacred vessel that contains the Love and Peace that, ultimately, defines me.

Once bitten, twice shy. An unpleasant experience induces caution every time!

You will never be able to understand this expression until you have lived through it. Living through a heartbreaking experience should serve to improve the outlook we have coming out of it, on the other side. It should.....if we allow it to happen. Every day now I meditate with the idea that I will slow down this fast-spinning world around me. I will better my life through my deep spiritual beliefs. Open my heart to every possibility. Breathe in the Love; and exhale the Peace. Breathe in the Love; and exhale the Peace until the floral carpet at my feet surrounds my spirit with its color palette of beauty. The peace and calm of our spectacular Floridian sunsets, layered with pink, mauve and brilliant blues, wraps me in a cloak of tranquility. Breathe in the Love; and exhale the Peace!

If my true spirit is the force, the principle that is believed to animate me and enlighten the living being that I am, then it must be so much stronger than I ever imagined before! I must step out of the dark and back into the light in order to change. What I perceived as fissures running along the length of my spirit, my vitality, like irregular shaped shadows that lend breath to my craggy landscape, must be transformed into receptacles that capture the joy I feel from the many blessings bestowed upon my humble life. 

My spirit is becoming whole once again because of you.

Strength is my honor. Always telling the truth and honoring this unselfish act in others, is my virtue in this lifetime. I will not be embroiled in petty battles that lack integrity and service the weaknesses that lurk within other souls. I,too, will become emboldened by these truths and only utilize the 'alternative facts' haphazardly spewed out by others as examples to give me the strength to share my beliefs with those who have reached this identical conclusion with me. 

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." Did you live by that rule yourself, Mr. Twain, proving one of our greatest American authors to be witty, wise and honest! 

The mighty pendulum has swung its one hundred and eighty degrees in less than a thousand words and I am not inclined to accept its return anytime soon. By accepting the challenges set before me, I will strive to forgive weakness, encourage truth and honesty, and live my life with a modicum of caution, having been bitten in the past. My rule of thumb will be if you show me respect, I will return that respect a thousand times over to you.

If my spirit has been transformed from solid rock to the brilliance of experiencing 'sunshine in my soul,' I could not be more grateful to all of you who have been there for me....you do know who you are. Let's work together to make this world a better place, help correct the wrongs, and look forward to welcoming the sunshine into our spirit and soul again.

But, never give up the fight! We must never back down from challenging what we see is wrong with new found hope of making it right!

My spirit is now whole, once more.  Because of you, I am ready to join the fight and win!

alamy.com

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

HOPE

A series of essays.....

 TRANQUIL LAKE LOCATED JUST NORTH
OF BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA ~ TAKEN 6-14-2016

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

HOPE

.....is a small and humble word that holds the weight of the world and all who inhabit her above it, merely waiting to be smashed into a million different pieces at any given moment....if we allow this to happen.

Hope is fragile. Hope is personal. Hope is the longing or desire for something paired with the belief in the possibility of its occurrence. It is the idea that if we work hard enough, study intensely, believe in all possibilities, and center our expectations towards a common goal...our pertinacious desires will be fulfilled; our expectations for the future will be achieved.

Hope is seen in the absence of evil or negativity even when we are surrounded by both daily. We delight in the birth of a baby because we take comfort in the purity of soul this young child represents and, once again, in our lifetime, desire that feeling for ourselves. To be free from moral wrong and not corrupted by hate, fear, treachery, greed, and blatant untruths is to have hope in what lies ahead of us. Hope is to be able to start fresh and see the world through the eyes of children where the spectrum of color constantly amazes and delights and is not valued through the skin tones of varying shades of black and white!

Hope is a small treasure we should keep in our pocket (heart) at all times. Like a talisman touched for luck to avert danger, we hold tight to the possibility that it will take us to where we need to be at any moment in our humble lives. We trust, expect, and believe in the power of our hope because without it, our desires will be as unattainable as an illusive dream....bordering on wild fantasy and unrealistic aspirations.

Hope can be universal and not restricted to a single mind or train of thought. Its presence produces connecting threads like the silken strands of a spider's web that stretch out to connect with and support others who seek truth and love around the world. Even with its intricate design majestically outlined by early morning dewdrops that glisten in the rising sunlight, this group effort can be dashed by outside entities programmed to undermine us at every turn. Hope can repair these broken threads as long as we continue to place our faith in its existence and carry on.

Hope gives us the confidence to aspire to greater things. Without it our world becomes small, inadequate, and characterized by despair and life is difficult if not impossible to navigate. Given hope and the opportunity of education, employment, the expectation of a brighter future, and self-esteem....the possibilities become endless. Hope may come in the guise of a mentor, the examples of a loving parent, a teacher, or ministers of the Divine Will. When hope takes us beyond the boundaries of the ordinary and into the realm of the exceptional, we are destined to become the inventors, philosophers, artists, scientists, and leaders that draw us into a brighter future where the imagination rules and hope itself springs eternal.

Hope is a feeling within that guides us in the right direction. Like meditation, hope helps us deepen and expand our horizons and understand how beautiful and whole our lives can be. May hope be our motivator and lead the weary and strong alike into a future that benefits all of mankind through genuine kindness and love.




     THE PERFECT END OF THE DAY ON                     PROVENCE DREAMING
                     LAKE MICHIGAN
       Courtesy of: Corinne Grimm                                                      



Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

EMBRACING SOLITUDE AND MINDFULNESS

 

A series of essays.....

~~~ SOLITUDE IN THE MORNING ~~~

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

I have waffled in-and-out between requiring a 'needy' life and one filled with freedom and solitude ever since I can remember. Even as a small child, alone time with my toys surrendered a feeling of complete contentment and joy. Today I embrace my downtime and gratefully add up all of the benefits it has afforded me.

When my husband decided to take his mini-trip up north recently to be with our children I, admittedly, anticipated his absence. Yes, I did!  I don't believe I have ever embraced the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," simply because love should have no boundaries in time and space. Although, in truth, his gentleness was missed.....

The simple fact behind my feelings lies within the belief that I enjoy being alone, alive within my own thoughts and mentally independent from the mundane, day-by-day 'stuff.' And, schedules be damned.....! Funny how I just conjured up an image of Greta Garbo from the classic 1932 movie "Grand Hotel."  Vicki Baum, author of the book which this movie was based on, wrote that the MGM producer, E. Goulding, purposely changed the original line, "I wish to be alone" to "I want to be alone," which sounded very like something that Garbo would say in real life. Garbo made the word 'alone' sound like an entire line of dialogue and he had her say it not once, but three times.

DO YOU HAVE A "GARBO COMPLEX?"

Thank you, but I will own my 'Garbo Complex' and move on now, if you please.

Being a slave to office politics and corporate ladder climbs is a theory that defies all logic for me. The deep desire to 'be my own boss' has been with me since the solitude and comfort of playing alone with those toys as a child. Numerous times as an adult, this feeling of solitude has gotten me into trouble within the corporate arena, however. Like I always say, another story and another time.

Let's be honest, the world we live in can be volatile most of the time and it is up to us to adapt to our surroundings, make positive changes where we can or, sink with the ship. Between natural disasters and simple human frailty with the lack of 'common sense' in general, our Earth is getting very annoyed with all of us humans right now. Life has become the Chiliean Calbuco Volcano covering us in ash; a family of five living out of their car and hoping to see a light at the end of the dark tunnel; the ground shaking devastation of the Kathmandu earthquake; a mother attempting to cope with a sick child and avoid missing work at the same time; political unrest and religious intolerance; and a young, Black male afraid to walk down his own street in the light of day or darkness of night. Shall I go on?

I know that each generation harbors doubts about the wisdom of their particular journey in life. Unless you happen to be blessed with a peaceful heart and are the healthiest person ever known to walk the planet, your transgressions in this life will always find a way of catching-up to you. Guilt is generally the most transparent emotion we allow to haunt us even when questioning our own bravery by surviving conflict when fellow soldiers may not have. We will all experience the black hammer of guilt pounding rhythmically over our heads at one time or another within our lifetime.

The beloved Vietnamese monk, scholar and activist, Thich Nhat Hanh has enlightened many of us with his pure, poignant thoughts about peace, love and compassion and how they are central to the teachings of both Buddha and Christ. He tells us how we must be aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life and vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. We must be determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in our thinking and in our way of life.

THE VIETNAMESE MONK, THICH NHAT HANH

After all, if we rightfully believe that we are all connected in body and spirit....killing others would truly be like killing a part of ourselves. Why would we do that?

Returning to my desire to experience solitude in my life, allow me to introduce, in case you haven't heard of this belief already, the effort to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the energy to be here and to witness deeply everything that happens in the present moment, and be aware of what is going on within and without, as per one of the Five Precepts of Buddhist Philosophy.

Mindfulness, a basic and more simple root structure of meditation itself, urges us to find wholesome, spiritual nourishment for ourselves and everyone who touches our lives. It can be found by looking up at the blue sky, down at the colorful spring blossoms, or into the eyes of a child.... Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that "The most basic meditation practice of becoming aware of our bodies, minds and the world around us can lead us into a far richer and more fulfilling state than any drug ever could." This is only one example of what we used to call, 'back in the day,' achieving a natural high.

All I really know is that when I am absolutely alone, in a state of quiet and bliss, I am able to see the world in a softer, more beautiful light with strong hints of hope and love all around me. So, for me, being alone is truly never a problem. As the 'white noise' in my mind dissipates to unmask the 'vibrations of potential' and my outlook on life reaches momentous levels, the prospect of creative thought flows strong and free like Yosemite Falls on a crisp day in winter. I think every one of us knows where to find our solitude and joy. Knowing how to and wanting to find it is certainly a large part of this journey we are all on.

CORINNE, BRENNA, GAVIN AND PAPA
"BEING SILLY"

May I conclude by saying that my husband thoroughly enjoyed his time away from me, as well, and is back home safe, sound and remains a most appreciative Papa, indeed! Considering my deep connection with the power and healing prospects of Love, I leave you with another quote by Thich Nhat Hanh from his beautifully written work entitled "Living Buddha, Living Christ."

 

       
            "Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing. Love instructs
            us not to act in ways that will cause suffering now or
            in the future. We can discern when something that
            seems to be joyful has the capacity to destroy future
            happiness, so we do not abuse alcohol, ingest unhealthy
            foods or hurt others by our words. Real love never ends.
            It will be reborn and reborn."


AUTHOR'S NOTE: May Love and Happiness shine down upon your beautiful face my sweet daughter, Corinne. Gentle Birthday Wishes for you today from my happy heart to yours.....always.

YOSEMITE FALLS

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

NOSTALGIA

A series of essays.....

Photo Credit Naked Authors        A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE......                                   

 

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Nostalgia, my old friend, why must I always find you lurking in the vast recesses of my mind...waiting, waiting for my vulnerability to emerge?  Wrap me in your rose-tinted vail so that I may see all that I long for once more.  Seduce me with your false promises but drown this present feeling of 'hope lost' so that I may smile and feel whole again, if only for a short while.

NOSTALGIA

John Larkins, author and one of New Zealand's founding fathers, once wrote, "Nostalgia is the intimate refuge of every man and every woman in a world seemingly gone mad."  If this statement holds credence, this may explain why so many of us choose to escape into a recent past that's been softened and gently shaped by our own good intentions.

My love affair with nostalgia has been a lengthy one and often reveals my true nature as a 'Hopeless Romantic' which includes everything from classic novels to ancient architecture and places that sweep you away to another place...another time.  Nostalgia has always encouraged my love for travel, foreign languages and the embracing of history in all of its myriad forms.  It would be impossible to see Paris without a lengthy visit to at least a portion of her many museums.  Housing some of the world's most important and rich collections, these museums are outstanding for their breadth, accessibility to all and historic importance.

THE LOUVRE MUSEUM IN PARIS

Whether we are seeking to enjoy masterpieces in painting, sculpture, drawings, art objects, and the history of a particular area itself, a museum is arguably the first place to visit in order to flood your senses with a healthy dose of beauty and nostalgia all in one!

The word nostalgia is a strange one.  And, when you say it out loud, it begs to be analyzed.  It feels funny as it vibrates through the nose, dribbles into the mouth and is imprisoned between the teeth.  In the end, it is released from between the lips like an exotic caged bird that's been given its freedom.  With exaggerated expression, speaking it can give the lower half of the face a good workout!  Go ahead....try it for yourself.  And that's just the physicality of this word. 

Nostalgia, as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary, is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past; acute homesickness.  For me, impactive emotions radiate from it like laser light beams strobing the atmosphere during a major rock concert and its affect on human nature can be measured by a thousand different points!

There is no intention on my part to debate the positive and negative aspects of nostalgia here, especially since, as stated above, I have  embraced it for all of my own personal reasons.  David Guterson, an American novelist and author of the book, Snow Falling on Cedars, was quoted as saying, "There's a certain nostalgia and romance in a place you left."  This idea has guided me through the small villages of Provence and the wide, organized boulevards of Paris.  A bit of yourself, your own spirit, remains behind in each new location you visit and that place will remember you if and when you ever decide to return! In the meantime, I capture each space, romanticize about it and write down exactly how it made me feel then....how it makes me feel today.

Many insightful factors play important roles as to how nostalgia can and does touch all of us.  They may include age, gender, geographical location, religious background, education, and so on.  Whether it's a certain circumstance, fact or influence that contributes to a particular result in our lives.....we can sift all of these elements together in a vintage mining pan and the odds are that finding the 'golden nugget' at the bottom will be determined by the measure of our desire and time!

NOSTALGIA IN A VINTAGE
MINING PAN

I sift through these elements to help summon all of the great memories I have stored-up in my mind or written down in journals in order to recall the many places I have 'left my spirit' after visiting there.  I reflect upon the beautiful people I've met who have influenced me along the way and graciously shared their spirit, as well as the numerous circumstances revolving around my travels that have generously impacted my life.  From the aged and softened heights of the Twelve Bens, part of the Maumturks Mountains of Connemara in Ireland to the water-smoothed, white speckled rocks found along the Côte d'Azur near Nice in France, and everything in-between.....I draw upon the memories of you each and every day.

ROCK COLLECTION

In an article written by Kacey Culliney for Datamonitor, "Consumers want that trip down memory lane, too, and evoking memories through packaging and marketing falls under the nostalgia and comfort trend. It is about inducing a positive emotional response as they, an aging population, anchor their emotions to another time and place where things were simpler and happier."  A prime example of this would be the annual sales of Girl Scout cookies.  A lucrative business that utilizes this trend fervently....  After all, it's all about triggering memories!!

MY PARENT'S TYPEWRITER

The terminology of 'Retro Style' has been around since the 1970's and the concept of nostalgia is linked to retro.  Wikipedia describes retro as forms of 'technological obsolescence' including manual typewriters, cash registers and bulky hand-held cellphones.  It suggests a fundamental shift in the way we relate to the past.  "Retro suggests a half ironic, half longing consideration of the recent past; recalling 'modern' forms that are no longer current."  As ladies, we may refer to this trend as 'vintage' and flock to upgraded second-hand stores in order to find original designer pieces at a lower cost.  Shopping connoisseurs in Paris have taken advantage of this concept for many years and American woman have returned home with vintage clothes, jewelry and shoes that dot their closets like the sparkling gems their original designers always meant for them to be.....

AHH!! PARIS......!

Yes, I freely admit to being a member of the aging population.  Memories are being triggered by so many sources and Facebook has definitely contributed to this 'overwhelming at times' trend.  If we have reconnected with childhood and school friends, and most of us have, we can literally be bombarded by a timeline of products, music, clothing styles, habits, and so much more every time we connect online.  The true advantage of this trend, I believe, is having the opportunity to share with and analyze early friendships that may have contributed to and helped shape our life as it is today.  Generally, this knowledge can be most enlightening!  And, good for the soul!

Think about how many of our waking moments are spent thinking about our children when they were young and how good it felt to be, well....needed.  Even though the pride we take in raising such strong and independent children is evident and we really wouldn't have it any other way, it is human nature to want to be needed and to be able to pass on to those you love all the life experiences and knowledge you've acquired throughout the years.  And, if so blessed, hallelujah, we have been afforded new chances with new opportunities and they are affectionately entitled.....Grandchildren!!

Have you ever wondered if living in the present might be more liberating for us than evoking our 'old friend' nostalgia to seduce us with false promises?  If you meditate as I do, then you have.  If you are indeed a spiritual being who is constantly enlightened by this beautiful world and people that surround you....then you have.  Who wouldn't welcome improved concentration, increased relaxation and a minimizing of the continuous chatter of thoughts about the future, the past or judgments about what is, which distract us from what's going on in the here and now? 

The blending of these two concepts, living in the present while embracing the past, has been working quite well for me even though I realize this could offer-up contradictions of basic beliefs.  However, I find it liberating to be able to clear my mind of unnecessary chatter through meditation in order to write.  But, to be able to write, it is necessary to fill my mind with facts, ideas and experiences that have been collected from my past. 

Sounds crazy, I know.  But it works for me.  So, they teamed up, discovered that they could make sweet music together and, as they say......the rest is history!

Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved