We’re getting a little late here, but it’s still Thursday… This week’s Three Beautiful Things:

1. I went to a birthday party on Saturday night and decided to take some brownies with me. I made up a mix and threw in a couple handfuls of peanut butter chips at the last minute. Everyone oohed over them, reminding me how much a little “extra” can really make a dish.

2. At the farmers’ market on Sunday, we stopped at a number of stalls so farmers could inquire about Rudi’s shoulder and how we’ve been. One even went so far as to give Rudi some balm to help relieve the tension in his arm and shoulder muscles. We’ve become part of the market community…

3. I love when you finally pick up a book that’s been on your to-be-read pile for a while and it actually seems to be as good as you were hoping it would be. I’ve been wanting to read Mr. Norrell and Jonathan Strange since the end of last year and have finally gotten around to it. I’m not far in yet, but am enjoying what I’ve read so far.

This poem cried out to be shared today, not only because of the date, but also because of the sentiment — generated by the devastation on the Gulf Coast and in Bagdad this week, by ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and by a culture at home that is oppressing freedom of speech, scientific exploration, and open-mindedness.

It took several years from when Germany invaded Poland for there to be a response, but one did eventually come. May we not need to reach that point of desperation for change to come to us today. And may all our voices join together and our lights shine in the darkness to remind ourselves that we all seek peace and that we are not alone. (more…)