LIFE ~ as it is ~ I have learned to work with ‘what is’ . That does not always mean I am  ‘resistant’ or ‘passive’. What it does mean is that I try to find a way to ‘be in the moment’ do my best with it. I and all of us have that choice. We can choose to be miserable because our leader is so frustrating or we can live life well despite the situation. We can also ‘resist’ and be a bit more proactive if that is called for with some situations.

The photo above was the catalyst that initiated my thinking about life and  a phrase from Alcoholics Anonymous ~ an acronym ~ F E A R ~ translated to ‘False Evidence Appearing Real came to mind. What appears most real in this photograph to me at first is the very fine branches that appear to not be bearing fruit and do not seem very attractive ~ yet I find them beautiful. Juxtaposed with the thin branches is the full frilly white leaves appearing more healthy and, perhaps, is like a ‘gestalt’ ~ what do you see first?. My grandmother frequently had another phrase ~ ‘All that glitters is not Gold’ so I learned at a rather young age to see and hear the beauty that was real despite what might be the most shiny or loudest around me. 

In life I see the beauty in both the thin brown branches and the frilly golden like branches. Yet I would prefer the simplicity of the ‘thin brown branches’ over the other. I find in life I am drawn to the beauty of ‘simplicity’ whether in words, photos, clothes, people or any object or situation. I look for the real, the solid, the truth, especially in a person. As I age, I am  becoming more and more selective in how I spend my time, my energy and who I spend that time with is significant to me as well.

When the United States election results came out the next morning after I had gone to bed with the thought Clinton would win, I was appalled ~ I still am. The difference is now I don’t waste my energy on his verbiage by reading everything that is reported. It all seems so unreal that I have my own conflict of the ‘need to know’ and the need to have a peaceful day.  I do what I can to resist this ‘nut case’ and his cohorts and am deeply concerned with it all. Yet, I am going have hope that ‘this too shall pass’ and quickly. Hopefully, a real leader  will arise and America will be healthy again and real ~ not perfect ~ real. Definitely not ‘frilly’ with no substance.