It's a Classical Life

This quote concludes our month of Bitesize Inspiration from Eric Carle. It was always my intention to focus on one person each month for inspiration but I'm surprised that my first one was Carle. I've learnt a lot about him and his creative life. This quote came from this article here , and was in reference to his own upbringing and time spent reading with his father.  There is so much love and warmth to be had when reading with a child. As Carle says, it really does cultivate a sense of security, belonging and wellbeing in both parent and child. I find it really sad when I hear people say they are too busy to read to their kids but it's okay because they play them audio books (I've actually heard this a few times over the years). I'm a big fan of audio books as an adult and they certainly have their place, but nothing beats that quality time spent with a parent who can put on silly voices, explain new words and engage with the text - all while having a little snugg...

  When I read this quote by Eric Carle I knew I wanted to include it in my Bitesize Inspiration showcasing the wonderful author and artist, Carle. Doesn't it just convey all the best things about home, whether you are a child or an adult? A sense of security is just exuded from this brief sentence.  How do you feel when you get in the door? Is there a sense of overwhelm because the laundry hasn't been folded, the breakfast dishes are still sitting on the sink and no one seems to remember to put their shoes back where they belong? Even if that may be the case (though I truly hope it isn't), there is still room for warmth, holding hands, toys and a sense of love and security throughout the house itself.  In our world of visual stimulation, picture-based learning and constant representations of what home "should" look like, we have to remind ourselves that even the most perfectly curated picture of "home" cannot possibly have a feeling. That is something we...

  Do you remember the article I wrote earlier this year about cultivating discernment? (you can read it  here  if you're interested). I think that Eric Carle has summed up that idea perfectly in this week's Bitesize Inspiration. As long as our eye sight is good, then we have to look at things each and everyday - that is what our eyes are for. If we are placing disaster, tragedy and trauma in front of ourselves everyday then that is going to have an impact on our brain and consequently our psyche. Not only can Carle's words refer to the beauty of art but also to other content that we choose to give our time and attention to.  Some of my favourite Instagram accounts to follow are museums, in particular Rijks Museum (Amsterdam) and architectural accounts with beautiful designs and interiors. I unfollowed the news accounts that I had been following because I found it too depressing to come onto the Instagram. Now, I only follow things that uplift and inspire me. Beautif...

  Happy Monday! Are you in need of a little tip today that will help you take a moment, remind you to see the beauty around you, and let you celebrate the small things in life? I am always in need of a tip like that so Eric Carle's beautiful simple quote really spoke to me. There are two things that I love about this quote: Firstly,  his inclusions of sunsets in the world of art. Lately we have been having the most glorious summer sunsets. We've been having a mild heat wave here the last week or two, so evenings are very still and clear. The colours that have decorated the sky have been magical and mesmerising. We often have our front curtains closed to block that strong afternoon/evening sun (our house faces west), but when I remember to open them I am never disappointed. Here are a couple of shots that I've taken with my iPhone, look at those colours! The second thing that I really like about this quote is the very first line: simplify, slow down and be kind.  It's...

Wendell Berry is a well-known and much loved American writer and environmental activist. If you are thinking of learning more about agrarian living, moving away from technology towards a more simple lifestyle or just like poems like this one, then Berry's writing is a wonderful place to start.  Normally I don't use a whole poem like this one as Bitesize Inspiration but I will keep my comments brief. To me, the peace and hope that this poem radiates is palpable. Berry doesn't dismiss the harshness or despair that the world can hold - in fact, he embraces it as a given and finds a simple antidote that can be recreated by anyone who feels the same.  As I mentioned in Friday's post about the garden, there is something soul-nourishing about being with wild things, even in the more domesticated setting of a suburban garden. As someone who worries more than is necessary being able to put some space between the world and my thoughts is always a blessing. For me, being outdoors ...

Each morning I try and get up early enough to do 10-15 minutes of meditation, followed by some reading and then journalling. I have been using the Insight Timer app for a number of years for meditation, contemplative prayer and listening to gentle music. I love it. Every morning there is a new quote of inspiration and a couple of days ago I saw this one by John Boynton Priestley. Before this, I hadn't heard of Priestley - an English playwright, social commentator and novelist. I love it when I come across a quote that speaks to me without knowing anything about the author. Firstly, it gives me the chance to mull over the quote in my time without any bias of who said it, in what context or what they were referring to. However, if I so choose, I can research into it and find out more about the context.  This quote spoke to me because last year I wondered whether it was worth continuing on with my blog. Was this a form of communication that mattered? Was I even saying anything n...

  Hello all! It's been quite some time since I've posted on here and if you've popped back in then I thank you for your patience and interest. I hit a bit of a creative wall and upon reading this beautiful quote by Isaac Newton I got thinking. I needed silence and I needed to meditate on what I was sharing and what the point of it was. There are so many wonderful blogs and websites on the internet - was I really contributing anything worthwhile? I sat with these questions for quite some time and I'm not really sure that the answer is yes, but I do know that today I felt inspired to share this with you and a few other things that have crossed my path recently.  I think the biggest take away we can have from this quote is the search for truth. If we are really interested in finding the truth in any aspect of our lives then we need silence and we need the time to ponder. Not necessarily stew or worry excessively, but quiet reflective time. If there are any areas of uncerta...

It's taken me exactly eleven weeks (the year to date) to realise that I have overloaded myself and I'm not coping very well. Although I have left my teaching job, I have picked up extra work in the office where I have been doing some bookkeeping, plus I'm also helping a friend out with babysitting one day a week. Suddenly, like Virigina Woolf, I find myself craving simplicity and to stop the rush. I'm out the door early four days a week (and I know many people do the same and more!) but I'm a low-energy person and I suffer from overwhelm quite easily. It's quite counter-cultural to admit this and it's taken me a long-time to accept the fact that I am simply a low-energy person and cannot do all the things, all the time.  This was the guiding thought behind my moving to a more simple, slow literary life  and yet this year I seem to have forgotten not only the goal but the motivation behind it. It has taken this mini-episode for me to realise that I need to si...

  If you have not read Mary Shelley's classic novel, Frankenstein , let me assure you that it touches on some of those most important issues of our time - even though it was first published in 1818. Ethics, morality, human suffering, the importance of nature - all of these are addressed in a meaningful way and can contribute to the way we view our own lives today.  This quote demonstrates something that we have talked about quite a lot here on the blog, and that is the idea of how we choose to spend our time. In understanding ourselves, what is best for our minds and bodies, how to use our time wisely, then we are already steps ahead in enjoying a life of contentment and overall satisfaction. It is easy to 'study' the lives of others, make comparisons, waste time, criticise or judge, and generally work to 'destroy your taste for the simple pleasures,' - in fact our society makes it really easy for us! We have the choice to decide who we study, who we go to for inspi...

  Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird , is one of my favourite novels. Lee's writing is moving and thought-provoking and this quote is one of many that I have highlighted in my copy of the book. Conscience, moral behaviour, ethics and so on are all important themes highlighted throughout the book, but are just as relevant and important to our modern lives. There are so many things in the world that are wanting to distract us from who we are, what we value and how we wish to live our lives. By being in touch with these things, reflecting on them often, truly knowing ourselves deep down, we know that despite "majority rule" we can live in a way that satisfies our conscience and brings us true joy. If we are living in a way that doesn't sit well with our conscience, it is (in my opinion) near impossible to find joy and peace in our lives and in our selves.  Sometimes we need to understand what we need to let go of, what we need to hold onto and what we ...

  Rilla of Ingleside  by L.M. Montgomery is a beautiful story about Anne Shirley's and Gilbert Blythe's youngest daughter, Rilla (short for Marilla). I love Montgomery's stories, but this one with its up-close account of the the families and loved ones left behind during WWI was especially moving and sweet.  A couple of weeks ago I shared a Bitesize Inspiration on Maturity, and this week, rather coincidentally, I have one on youth. I remember being a teenager, and I can assure you that those 'pangs of youth' were very real for me. Perhaps my parents were laughing at me, but I don't recall that ever happening. Just as Christie reminded us in that last quote, maturity does come with age and a mantra like "this too will pass" can be helpful for those who are ready to hear it but quite hurtful for those who are still feeling those pangs acutely.  With a houseful of teenagers this quote is an especially poignant reminder for myself not to patronise, dimini...

  Hello and welcome back to It's a Classical Life. I've had a lovely break over January - we went away to the beach for a holiday, visited family, played games, read, then returned for the new year of school, work and studies. It's been a good mix of busy and relaxing! I hope the new year has started gently for you too.  I have been giving a lot of thought as to how I would like to continue with the blog this year. One small change that I was thinking of introducing was including more quotes from classic books as part of my Bitesize Inspiration posts. I constantly take note of quotes that I love and have so many that I would love to share them with you. Today's quote comes from a short story by Agatha Christie called The Problem at Pollensea Bay and was said by her famous character Mr. Parker Pyne.  The reason I loved this quote and took note of it was because we often seem to live in a world of  perpetual youth. Pyne was actually directing this to a woman, a mo...

  Welcome back to It's a Classical Life. We are now a week into 2024 and I hope that this year will bring you much fulfilment and happiness. I know this is the time for people to be making (and possibly breaking) their New Year's Resolutions  and it's common for these resolutions to be centred around our wellbeing, and perhaps the wellbeing of those around us.  Zeno - one of my favourite Stoic philosophers - reminds us, though, that wellbeing is realised by small steps. Small, easy steps that we can incorporate into our everyday as seamlessly as possible. He doesn't suggest that wellbeing comes from hours of sweating through hard workouts, intense meditation or yoga retreats, strict eating regimes or long therapy sessions. Small steps . Baby steps even. The contradiction, or paradox, lies in the second part of his quote. It is truly no small thing. If wellbeing is realised through small steps, then why does it still feel so elusive to so many people? Perhaps because ...

  I absolutely love this quote and when I came across it again recently in my reading I knew I wanted to share it for Advent. Even if you aren't a follower of an organised religion or have a deep connection to a spiritual journey, I think there is much to be said about this time of year of peace, hope, waiting, and love. We can get caught up in all the bad things that are going on in the world but Advent and Christmas are meant to be times when we can focus on love, beauty and hope for the future.  The smallest acts of hope and kindness can mean the most to those who are suffering, especially at this time of year. I have just come back from a shopping trip on the other side of town and I was impressed by how kind and helpful the shop assistants were. There was no panic, no rudeness or impatience. One shop attendant even chatted with me about the weather! I was on a mission to get my shopping done and had to slow myself down to appreciate the moment for what it was - a blessing...

As we approach the end of the year, it is a nice time for many of us to stop, reflect and give thanks for what we have, who we have, and where we are in our lives. I know many of you enjoy the celebration of Thanksgiving, a mindset built around the idea of gratitude and giving thanks. For those of us who don't have a day to focus on this, I thought the beginning of December (and of Advent in our household), would be a good time to express our gratitude. We have a little advent calendar in our house with different activities and ideas in each day's pocket. The 2nd December says "talk about what you are thankful for." For me this week, I am thankful for the rain but also for the rainbows and the sun that have followed. In the bigger picture, I am thankful for our home, my family, my job, and my faith.  This quote by Aesop is a telling one. Living in a time when philosophy, religion and storytelling were all deemed as admirable qualities, one can assume that when he uses...

I  found this quote by Anais Nin in a book I've been reading lately called An Authentic  Life: Finding Meaning and Spirituality in Everyday Life by Caroline Jones. Jones was an Australian journalist who died in 2022, aged 84. This book has been quite a powerful read for me and I hope to share more of it with you in the coming weeks. Perhaps Nin's quote can be taken quite harshly, but when broken down it makes a lot of sense. We often feel that we are in a position where we can't change, where we  are a victim to our circumstances, or that things are simply outside of our control.  Whether or not this state is one that we would willing choose for ourselves or not is  relevant. The fact that we  choose  to remain in it, is very relevant. For the longest  time I felt like I could not leave teaching. It was a position I had chosen for myself,  but when it was no longer working for me, I slowly felt like a part of me was dying I nside. I wasn't ha...

  Hi all, and welcome back! This week's 'oldie but a goodie' Bitesize Inspiration comes from Charlotte Mason. If you don't know about Mason she was a British educator who dedicated her life to improving the role of education in children's lives in the nineteenth century. So much of what she believed and endeavoured to teach has been lost in our modern school system (at least from what I've seen in over seventeen years of teaching!) This quote is at the heart of her belief of what education should be - an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. Let's have a quick look at each of these. Atmosphere refers to the environment in which we learn. This can be the school environment, but also the atmosphere at home and the attitude towards learning. Education shouldn't just refer to those thirteen years of registered learning - it should be a part of our whole lives (see here for my thoughts on being a lifelong learner). Discipline isn't about punishment and cruel...

  Hi there! Thanks for stopping in here today. Sometimes I am at a loss for what to post here, simply because I feel that so many other writers have already commented on the things that I want to comment on. Sometimes I feel like I am repeating myself with my quest for simple living, joy at home, contentment in everyday life, and being inspired by the classics. Sometimes I just think I need to take a step back and not keep pushing myself to write or produce something new. The last thing I want for this blog is be redundant and repetitive. No-one gains inspiration from that!  Serenity, inner-peace, true contentment, whatever we want to call it as at the heart of Lao Tzu's quote this week. This quote, like so many others that I like to inspire me here, can be taken a number of ways. I won't go into them here, but I'd love to hear how this quote speaks to you. Is it calling you to switch off, and be present once your working hours are done? Is it reminding you that some thin...

  When looking at the definition of a proverb, the term short or pithy is often included; as in, a short, pithy piece of advice or general truth. Proverbs can be found in all cultures, and have been around for millennia. Most of these general truths are based in the truths of the culture from which they come. Today's Bitesize Inspiration is an Italian proverb (and the image is one taken from my trip to Venice in 2004) and one that tickles my fancy.  The Italians are famous world-wide for their high-quality shoe making skills so to think that many a pair of shoes is worn out between saying and doing implies that we are great at the ideas, less so at the execution of ideas. I know a few people who are really good at coming up with ideas, but expect others to see them through. I also know people who are happy to be the action people, as long as they don't have to come up with the ideas (being the meal planner and then actually making the meals is the first idea that...

  Happy Monday! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and visit us here at It's a Classical Life! For those of you who are new here, every Monday I try and offer some bitesize inspiration to start the week - a quote generally - and unlike my other posts, I try not to ramble on too much about it! It's simply there to inspire and get you thinking.  This week I am dedicating all posts to the wonderful children's writer and illustrator, Beatrix Potter. I couldn't believe I hadn't showcased her work here before, so I set out to rectify that! There will be today's Bitesize Inspiration, a free downloadable word search on Friday and another post next Saturday. I hope you will come back and appreciate the wonderful world of Beatrix Potter! What I love most about this quote is the idea of reframing our thoughts and looking upon something that we may not be keen to do as an adventure. Sometimes my children tell me that they are anxious or nervous about something. I remind ...