Wednesday 30 March 2022

No matter where you go or what you do, 
you live your entire life within the confines of your head.
 ~ Terry Josephson

Friday 25 March 2022

Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way 
in order to come back a short distance correctly.  
~ Edward Albee

Wednesday 23 March 2022

By being yourself 
you put something wonderful in the world 
that wasn't there before. 
 - Edwin Elliot

Monday 21 March 2022

Friday 18 March 2022

March 18, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   I don’t know about you, but some days it feels like we’re all on an out-of-control roller-coaster!

   Events around the world are enough to make you wonder if there are any sane leaders left. 

   The ever-increasing cost of living makes you wonder how much higher it can (or will) go up, and how long before we just can’t afford to pay our bills.

   If you have health concerns, besides COVID still lingering around, then you are probably wondering when things will settle back down, and when/if you’ll ever feel better.

   It is said that the only true constant in this world is change, and we are certainly seeing a LOT of change coming at us, all at once.  Of course, when there is that much change, and our lives feel out of control, the first thing we all want is to cling to (the illusion of) control and for things to go back to the way they were.  Unfortunately, we can’t go back, and things will never be the same.

   We can only keep breathing, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep being kind to those around us - because we’re all facing change, no matter how well (or not) we are handling it.

   I was reminded of a quote recently that goes something along the lines of: when everything is falling apart in your world, it’s because something new and better is being birthed.

   I know (believe me, I know!) it’s hard to believe that something better is coming when you feel like your stuck deep in the midst of the chaos and confusion, but the chaos never lasts.  Life goes in cycles, so if you can just hold on and remember that “this too shall pass,” it will be easier to handle whatever life throws at you.

  We’ve been through a lot in the past 2 years in particular, and we’ll be faced with more in the future - life cycles - but everything we go through makes us more resilient, and better able to handle the next situation we are faced with.  Keep breathing and keep smiling!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jlsr8A6HD7eYEAWA7QeKd8Fd6Z52SQrK/view?usp=sharing

   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available: 

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua   

Wednesday 16 March 2022

If you just look at all that already exists in your life, all that you already have: 
unlimited air to breathe, ample lighting to see, music to hear, books to read, 
stars to dream by, trees to gaze upon, floors to dance over, friends to cavort with, 
strangers to meet, enemies to befriend, woods to walk through, beaches to comb, 
rocks to scale, rains to splash in, rivers to float in, animals to bring comfort…
 you have to admit, there's more of it than you could ever, ever, ever, ever spend.
- Mike Dooley (tut.com)

Monday 14 March 2022

Friday 11 March 2022

Time is intrinsically linked to space.  
When you don’t have space, you feel like you don’t have enough time.  
Time arises in space, so when you don’t have time, it’s really a space issue.  
If you open up space in your mind and in your body, 
you’ll open up time in your life. 
 - Cate Stillman

Wednesday 9 March 2022

The more you live in simple rituals that work for your body, mind, and spirit, 
the more creative juice you free up.  
Your highly functional daily certainty anchors make you energy-efficient – 
freeing up space for clarity, for creativity and for stepping toward potential.  
- Cate Stillman

Monday 7 March 2022

Friday 4 March 2022

March 4, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   As my (free) email account is reaching its capacity limit (again!), I spent the past three days - in between working on this issue - deleting old emails. Some I remember keeping “just in case,” and some I don’t remember keeping at all (and would swear I deleted at the time they arrived). There are also emails that I saved to read “later” that haven’t been read in over 6 years! Note to self: just because you can keep something doesn’t mean you need to!

   I focussed most of my digital declutting efforts on emails from 2016 and 2017, which was a time in my life when I experienced a massive health setback, so that may also be why I have a large email backlog.

   It was interesting to see what interested me (lots of health related topics as I tried to figure out what was causing my health issues) which no longer do, and what was just becoming an interest (lots of subscriptions to artists’ email lists) as I started to transition to a new phase of life.

   The most interesting find during the email purge was a handful of emails, from an artist I admire, who had pictures of her artworks at the bottom of each email. Of the ones featured in the saved emails, I have copies of her paintings in her art & poetry chapbook that I did the interior layout for, and two of her original paintings now hang on my wall!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lBNq9BxW-lBOsZVk_QWdA70fnUeWXESE/view?usp=sharing

   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available: 

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua   

Wednesday 2 March 2022

The less time you have to do something, 
the more you will focus on doing what is important and seeing it through,
 on account of the pressure.  
The result will be the same as or better 
than if you have an indeterminate amount of time 
to do it and take things too easy.  
 - Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles