Dancing

“It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind; but when a beginning is made -- when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt -- it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.” ~Jane Austen



Jane has a very good point here. I love dancing. Period.

I definitely love 'Real Dancing' the best-when you actually touch each other and move in graceful harmony to the strains of beautiful music, while the guy leads the girl, etc., etc. However, I spent the other night dancing to what I would call the 'non-real' type of dancing-where you're simply feeling the "felicities of rapid motion," along with a ton of other people on the crowded dance floor.

But that Jane Austen quote caught my eye, because I think it sums up why people dance. There's something intoxicating in any form of music. People talk about music being "fun to dance to," and I think that means that they feel the magic of the music.

I think we're all agreed that swing dancing, ballroom dance, and line dancing is much more fun than just 'jamming out.' But, as long as the music is nice, I do enjoy letting loose on the dance floor.
How about you? :)

On Love (In All Its Forms)

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more." --Jane Austen

I once heard that the three hardest things to say are "Thank you," "I'm sorry," and "I love you." This always intrigued me, as these three phrases are part of my daily vocabulary--"I love you" in particular. (And, okay, "I'm sorry" is pretty common too).

Every time I talk to my friends online I greet them wtih "Rawr"--which as any Froggy fan knows, is "I love you" in dinosaur. Those who know the meaning return it. Those who don't, scream and run.

The beauty of this word is that I can say it to my guy friends, too, without worry that they will misinterpret my meaning. I used to say "I love you" without the cryptic word, but when a friend thought I meant it in the romantic sense I stopped. I do love my guy friends--I am not in love with any of them. (I still say "I love you" outright to my girl friends, though!)

So now I'm wondering if I've taken this to the extreme--in a negative sense. Because I repeat it so often, and because half the time I disguise it with my dino word, is the meaning getting lost? When I say 'love ya' to a friend is it out of habit or because I truly want them to know that I do love them?

Unfortunately, sometimes it's out of habit. I greet with 'rawr' and say goodbye with 'love you' because that's what I do. Would it be more meaningful if I said it only sporadically? Should I be like Mr. Knightly--saying it little but feeling it, meaning it, desiring it to be known, much?

That might be the better route--I honestly couldn't say. But I don't think I'm able to do that. When a friend signs off before I have a chance to say I love you, I'm disappointed. Even if it is out of habit, I want you to know I care about you. I want there to be absolutely no doubt about how much I love you.

I think I'm the opposite of Mr. Knightly. If I loved you less I could talk about it less. As it is, you'd better get used to hearing it.

Love you all! <3

Nature

"They are much to be pitied who have not been given a taste for nature early in life."
~Jane Austen

All I can say to this quote is:

Amen, Sister!


I found this quote on the internet, and I knew I had to blog something about it, because I completely agree-one hundred percent! I absolutely love, love, love nature, and I've been blessed enough to grow up in a very unusual neighborhood. My entire neighborhood used to be one vast forest, but now there are little woods tucked all over the place-including my backyard. I've always been enchanted by trees, probably because I've grown up around them. They're so lovely, majestic and comforting.

I think that a lot of people in our world don't spend enough time outdoors-simply just being outdoors. Doing absolutely nothing except enjoying the world around you, talking with God, and just being alive. When you're having a bad day, just step outside and be alone. It works wonders. :)
To conclude with a quote from Chesterton that Clare posted a while back:


When we are very young children we do not need fairy tales; we only need tales. Mere life is interesting enough. A child of seven is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door and saw a dragon. But a child of three is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door. Boys like romantic tales; but babies like realistic tales - because they find them romantic. In fact, a baby is about the only person, I should think, to whom a modern realistic novel could be read without boring him. This proves that even nursery tales only echo an almost pre-natal leap of interest and amazement. These tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.
~ G.K. Chesterton

Addie's Other Blog

We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.
~Jane Austen


I would like to introduce the other blog that my friends (two of whom you forum people know as Saerwen and Cecilia!), my older sister and I have started up:
*drumroll*

Garden of Violets

Since we were all set on having Shakespearean names, I decided to create a separate blogger account with the name "Lady Desdemona", which is the name I post under over there. That's why you haven't seen Garden of Violets under the list of "My Blogs." Anyhow, we would love it if you would stop by sometime and check out our randomness, our stories, and our reflections on life. Part of the reason we started it was so that we could all share our thoughts throughout the schoolyear, when the majority of our members will be off at college. Also to support each other and any other young people reading it as we journey through life and encounter the inevitable obstacles in our paths.
I've discovered that the internet can be a great place to find support groups (like this blog and others in the blogging community and the Fairy Tale Forum) of like-minded Christian young people who are seeking God in their lives. I've been so, so blessed to have discovered these communities and wonderful people, and we wanted to do our part, and add our little bit of encouragment. :)

Love to all,
Addie