A Day By the River

A week or two ago, the days were particularly bitter and drab. Sun was away on vacation, and rain and cold had taken her place in the sky. I did not mind too much; I like any excuse to wrap up in blankets and get extra cozy. However, going an extensive amount of time without being comfortable to explore outdoors does make me sad and somewhat uncomfortable.

So when the weekend arrived, accompanied by weather that tasted like fall with a hint of beach breeze, I was elated. I was eager to run outside as quickly as possible and bask in the glory of the sun and wind. I pranced through my house to my parents expressing my joy and said something along the lines of, “The weather today is so beautiful I could pee. I just want to go run in a park and be merry!” And to my surprise my dad turned immediately and said, “Ok, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

And so we did. We found a quiet park on the Chattahoochee River (which was important to us because we both love the water) and just explored and talked. We found some great hiding places for the Zombie Apocalypse and made the best catch & throw of frisbee in the history of the world. It was simply wonderful. I snapped some shots along the way as I always do, and I am happy with how they turned out. 

The park we went to had a beautiful abandoned bridge.

A fisherman captured through wild branches.

This is one of my favorites. The man caught his fish right as we approached and was ever so pleasant about having his pictured taken. I love jolly strangers.

My dad caught me entranced by the river on some enormous rocks we discovered.

Old bridged are so grand.

Golden hour was especially magnificent against the water.

I told you the rocks were large.

Golden Hour

Disclaimer: I took all photos except the two photos of me. My dad took those.

Disclaimer 2.0: My reference to pee is only figurative and translates into meaning great excitement, happiness, or really anything. 

The Day of Love

More pictures below :)

As all are aware by the onslaught of Valentine’s Day references in every shop and on all social media, yesterday was the official holiday of love. Now I am not a Valentine’s Day enthusiast by any means (particularly because I am single), but I love the original idea of Valentine’s Day. It is a day to be intentional in telling those you care about, how much you love them. Love is most definitely something to be celebrated, whether with your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend, family, or friends. That is exactly what February 14th does; it celebrates love. 

Anyways, I keep a leather journal the size of my hand to write down quotes that catch my eye and awaken my soul. I thought this holiday would be the perfect reason to share some of the great words on love I have found through the years. 

*****

Ode to Love

Sometimes I think of the sun and the moon as two lovers who rarely meet, always chase, and almost always miss one another. But once in a while they do catch up and they kiss, and the whole world stares in awe of their Eclipse

Anonymous

You are loved more than you will ever know by someone who died to know you. 

Romans 5:8

This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive.

Love is not possessive.

Love is not anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own ideas.

Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage.

Love is not touchy.

Love does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.

Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands when all else has fallen. 

Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman

I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity and her flaming self respect. And it’s these things I’d believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be. 

I love her and that is the beginning of everything.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

In French, you don’t say “I miss you.” You say “Tu me marquees” which means “You are missing from me.” I love that.

Anonymous

I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 

John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

The world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday. That's guaranteed. I can't begin to explain that. Or the craziness inside myself and everyone else. But guess what? Sunday's my favorite day again. I think of what everyone did for me, and I feel like a very lucky guy.

 Silver Linings Playbook

I loved you at your darkest. 

Romans 5:8

Even 

After 

All this time

The Sun never says to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look

What happens

With a love like that,

It lights the whole sky.

Hafiz

True love will triumph in the end—which may or may not be a lie, but if it is a lie, it's the most beautiful lie we have.

John Green

*****

Before I go I thought I would quickly share some of my day with you. So this Valentine’s Day, one of my best friends held a “Galentine’s Party” if you will, and I was pleased to spend the day with some of the people I cherish most in the world. We had an epic Nerf gun war, ate too many sweets, watched a hilarious movie with an attractive male lead, and took dozens of photos together. Below are some of my favorite pictures of the night.

 All laughter and love.

I'm clearly feeling extra sassy.

I like to think of this picture as if the paparazzi just caught me having an affair with Lamp, and I have just realized my husband will find out. The other girls are the shocked witnesses at the scene. (If this does't give you an insight into how truly weird I am, I do not know what will.)

 Searching for a man.

I love lamp.

(I truly love you if you know what movie that's from.)

Much love for these ladies.

~~~

I hope y'all spent Valentine's Day with those you truly love. If you didn't you still have 364 more days in the year to let them know how much they mean to you. 

If you have any quotes about love, or really anything, I would love to read them. Feel free to comment or email any.

If anyone did not tell you they loved you on February 14th, I would just like to say that I love you for stopping by and spending time on this little outlet of creativity.

I hope you give and receive much love the rest of this year, and the years to come.