I'm currently reading "A Little House Sampler" by Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, Rose. In it, Laura writes stories about her life at Rocky Ridge Farm (which was after she was married to Almanzo, and they moved to the Ozarks). Her daughter Rose writes of her adventures as a young woman - she became a famous, world traveling writer. Anyway, I came across these four small paragraphs today that really made me think (written by Laura):"Why should we need extra time in which to enjoy ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life we will have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just at stated intervals, when we can get time, or when we have nothing else to do.
"It may well be that it is not our work that is so hard for us as the dread of it and our often expressed hatred of it. Perhaps it is our spirit and attitude toward life and its conditions that are giving us trouble, instead of a shortage of time. Surely the days and nights are as long as they ever were.
"A feeling of pleasure in a task seems to shorten it wonderfully and it makes a great difference with the day's work if we get enjoyment from it instead of looking for all our pleasures altogether apart from it, as seems to be the habit of mind we are more and more growing into....
"...Not that I object to joy riding! The more the merrier, but I'm hoping for a change of mind that will carry the joy into the work as well as the play."
3 comments:
So wise. I need to find joy in the work...and quit my whining.
I love those quotes- especially the first one...learning to be joyful in all of it. Thanks, Hannibal!
Hi Hannah, Sorry to lurk (I'm from the Somersworth Ward)...but I couldn't help myself. I just had to share...my grandfather, Alvie Turner was raised by Rose Wilder Lane at Rocky Ridge Farm! Rose wanted to adopt by grandpa and his brother, but the brother chose not to! Doh! Anyway, my grandpa got to speak at the dedication of the home to the National Historic Society. Rose put my grandpa thru high school (which was like college at the time because you had to pay for your books). She even financed a tour of Europe for him. Kind of cool. I don't really hear much now days of Rose Wilder Lane and the farm. My grandpa had some really great stories of Miss Lane, Rose and Almanzo. Thanks for sharing!
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