Nothing Good Gets Away

I'm sure some of you have already seen this, but I loved it too much to not share...


In November of 1958, John Steinbeck — the renowned author of, most notably, The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men — received a letter from his eldest son, Thom, who was attending boarding school. In it, the teenager spoke of Susan, a young girl with whom he believed he had fallen in love.


New York
November 10, 1958


Dear Thom:


We had your letter this morning. I will answer it from my point of view and of course Elaine will from hers.
First—if you are in love—that’s a good thing—that’s about the best thing that can happen to anyone. Don’t let anyone make it small or light to you.
Second—There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you—of kindness and consideration and respect—not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.
You say this is not puppy love. If you feel so deeply—of course it isn’t puppy love.
But I don’t think you were asking me what you feel. You know better than anyone. What you wanted me to help you with is what to do about it—and that I can tell you.
Glory in it for one thing and be very glad and grateful for it.
The object of love is the best and most beautiful. Try to live up to it.
If you love someone—there is no possible harm in saying so—only you must remember that some people are very shy and sometimes the saying must take that shyness into consideration.
Girls have a way of knowing or feeling what you feel, but they usually like to hear it also.
It sometimes happens that what you feel is not returned for one reason or another—but that does not make your feeling less valuable and good.
Lastly, I know your feeling because I have it and I’m glad you have it.
We will be glad to meet Susan. She will be very welcome. But Elaine will make all such arrangements because that is her province and she will be very glad to. She knows about love too and maybe she can give you more help than I can.
And don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens—The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.
Love,
Fa

Seattle Pre-Script

Just a little taste of my weekend in Seattle. More photos to come (when I'm not at work).

My love is easy, and I get more than I deserve

I was out running today, musing over the faint and intangible when this song came on my iPod in my running mix. I wasn't really paying attention to the words at first. Just kind of in the moment  still lost in far distant thoughts, weighing the lovelies and stones of life. And then, bit by bit, the lyrics started to flow and take shape, and the epiphany hit so hard that my footsteps faltered, I did a bit of a stumble kick and just stopped; right there in the middle of the road... That is when it all finally made sense. Or at least a part of it.

"What I have, what I have

Is nothing that you want

What I lack, what I lack

Nothing but your love

(It's easy)

Don't try, don't try so hard

My love is easy

Don't be the afterglow

These drugs won't leave me

All we have, all we have

Is nothing but our love

(It's easy)

It's easy, your love is easy

And I get more than I deserve

I get more than I deserve

Baby everyone has some worth

And we get more than we deserve

Don't try, don't try so hard

My love is easy

Don't be the afterglow

These drugs don't leave me

Don't try so hard

My love is easy

Don't be the afterglow

Your drugs don't leave me

And I get more than I deserve"

Finals Playlist

Sometimes we find a song that pierces our hearts and screams into our souls. It rekindles those long dead flames. It reminds us of that pain felt long ago. It reopens mis-patched wounds. It heals the scars. It hurts. It makes us laugh.

Or...it's just dang good and gets us through finals week.

Finals Playlist:
The Civil Wars
The Head and the Heart
Of Monsters and Men
The Shins
The Black Keys
Fun.
Les Miserables Soundtrack
Theophilus London
Tune-Yards
Ruts and Weeds
M. Ward

How are you?

(Sometimes I write random things down and then never post them. I'm gonna try to be better about that. I wrote this a few months back...)

How are you with forward people?

Would you prefer me to be naïve, or can I speak my mind and show you me?

Do you want a girl who craves your attention and not your affection?

Can I stand next to you on that stage or will I always be cheering you from the crowd?

How are you with respecting girls?

Do you need a wife and not a woman to marry?

If I disagree with you will you think me impertinent or will you grow pride in my own opinion?

Do I need to be the girlfriend who waits at home twiddling or will you encourage me to climb mountains, without patronizing me?

Can I be me without you?

Will you be proud of my accomplishments and my aspirations?

Will you kiss me when I need love, hold me when I cry, and correct me when I’m wrong?

How are you when it comes to loving someone?

Do you live the double standard?

Or can I trust your actions to parallel your words?

Are you the type to say you love, more deeply than ever before and then turn away at the first sign of a future promise?

If I open my mouth to tell you I admire you, I adore you, I love you, will you shut it with a panicked gaze or will you open your own and tell me the truth?

How are you with honesty?

Are you one of those who hide behind excuses or do you show that fearful soul?

Will you tell me when I’m pushing too much and holler when you need a little reassurance?

I can’t read minds like the rest of them, but I’m wanting to give more than the best of them.

So make me a promise, an easy one, a simple one-

Promise me that you’ll be honest.

That you will tell me that you’re actually scared of committing and not hide behind anything else.

In your honesty, promise that you’ll spare me from long term pain, but that you’ll still keep me in the loop.

Promise me that you’ll be trustworthy.

That no matter what happens I can count on you to be you
and to love me for me.

Published Poetry

Remember this? The writing competition I entered my poem into? Well I didn't win but they still decided to use my poem for a new writing website. So check it out at the link below!

http://www.everydaymormonwriter.com/work/jars/

"I Was Just Thinking"

I was just thinking, that some times it's good to know that someone else can put to words the feelings that I cannot seem to express.

I was just thinking that it's comforting to know I am not the only one out there wandering down this road.

I was just thinking that I needn't even relate completely to the story they are telling, it's more of just that emotional connection created in listening to them talk or sing that screams out "Hey, me too!"

*New found music love