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Friday, January 2, 2009

Take Joy in 2009

A sunrise in Colorado

"I salute you.
I am your friend and my love for you goes deep.
There is nothing I can give you which you have not got.
But there is much, very much, that while I cannot give it, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in today.
Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instance. Take peace!
The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy!
Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty . . . that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it, that is all! . . .
And so I greet you, with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away."

~ from a "Letter to a Friend" by Fra Giovanni, 1513
Hoping that 2009 will be a year full of hope, peace, and joy for all!

27 comments:

  1. Beautiful post and wordings Pat, and that's how I feel about you. Love the new header :D

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  2. Pat,

    I'm looking forward to the New Year and what a way to start the year, with your beautiful post! Thanks so much,

    Rhonda

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  3. How stunning and gorgeous in every possible way. Thank you for sharing it.
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  4. Great letter...and a pretty photo! Happy New Year Pat...all the best to you in 2009! Love your new banner photo too.

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  5. What a beautiful and inspiring message to begin my day, Pat. Thank you for sharing it.

    I love your new header photo, too!

    Sincerely,

    Janie

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  6. Happy New Year. thanks for those lovely words:)
    Cheers, Shelagh

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  7. Wonderful thoughts as the new year lies before us. May you also find rest, peace, joy, courage and hope as each new day dawns in 2009!

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  8. What an incredible letter!

    I see that you've been doing some tidying...your new header is simply marvelous.

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  9. Hi Pat! See you survived the food and the champagne, and entered 2009 in great shape! ;)) Lovely post!!
    Happy New Year!

    Blogtrotter will be posting on Delhi the next weeks; lots to see… Hope you like it and wish you a great weekend!

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  10. Gorgeous message, Pat! And I'm sending you love right back. You are a blessing!

    Happiest of New Years!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  11. Hi Pat! Good to meet you! That Fra Geovanni poem is so beautiful and easy to relate to! Thanks!
    I know that my life probably looks ideal. There are so many ways to live, aren't there! I love New York...and have been there two times in the past ten years. I'd like to bring my husband with me next time! I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge! What a place!
    What kinds of things do you grow in your pots? Where do you get your plants? I will look forward to your reply!

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  12. Ah, the Italians; they know how to turn a phrase!

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  13. Lovely quote Pat. i still can't get over the beautiful pics of Leo.

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  14. Beautiful picture and poem!

    Your grandson is absolutely precious too!!! What an exciting New Year you have ahead with a new grandbaby!!!

    Thanks for sharing and enjoy a healthy and happy 2009 :-)

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  15. Hi Pat!
    Thanks for introducing yourself to me on my blog, and for your helpful tips. I have been reading your blog for a while now-it is truly the insiders guide to NY-
    I am thrilled for you and your family on the birth of Leo. He is beautiful, and the photos are so touching.
    Happy New Year to you as well!
    jenny

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  16. Oh, how lovely, Pat...and so is that glorious photos--all very uplifting! Thanks so much for stopping by to see me. :o) How wonderful you get to the Met to see operas several times a year! We love opera, but don't get to the city often enough to see anything and it's become so expensive to do so...Hence our little classical music project ;o) Hope you'll stop by to see what we're listening too. Happy weekend, my friend ((HUGS))

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  17. What a wonderful post...beautiful words....stop in at my blog if you get the chance. I have the new 2009 Sophie calendar posted..."Toddler in the Movies" and a giveaway...not a big giveaway but a giveaway non the less....

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  18. A nice start to the new year :)

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  19. Morning Pat....what a beautiful post!!!! Happy New Year to you my friend....Looking forward to this great year in blogland with you & seeing how your precious little grandson grows! Have a great Sunday girl!

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  20. And, it is still perfect today.

    Thank you, Pat. This is beautiful.

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  21. Welcome home Pat!

    Beautiful post :)

    Your grandson is absolutely precious!

    Happy New Year and thank you for always being such a great friend to me. I'm so glad I "met" you :)

    love and hugs,
    rue

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  22. Hi Pat,
    What a beautiful letter. I always think its so interesting reading letters from the past. There's always so much depth to them.

    Have a wonderful Sunday.

    xo Cori

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  23. Love this post--love you blog!!

    You MUST come over and help me celebrate my 100th post!!! :)

    Dana

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  24. wow...beautiful post, Pat. Beautiful!! Hope you had a nice weekend.

    **hugs**

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  25. Did you know that Tasha Tudor wrote and illustrated a Christmas book titled 'Take Joy'?

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  26. What a beautiful piece! I've never heard it and the words are really beautiful. And that sunrise photo...stunning.

    May all of our shadows flee away in 2009!

    xo, Laura

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