Soul Candy
It seems there’s all different
types of candy these days. There’s of course the sugary stuff that
we have known as candy for years. But lately something that is pleasing
to the eye is being referred to as “eye candy," which would make music
“ear candy” I suppose. I like the new trend and decided the first
column I write should address those things that are pleasing to the
soul.
What exactly is “soul candy”?
Well, soul candy is any thing we do that makes us feel not necessarily
good, but alive. Singing in the shower is soul candy, sleeping in
is soul candy, treating yourself to something you don’t really need
is soul candy, and of course, reading and writing poetry is soul candy.
Not all poetry makes us
smile, which is especially the case with love poetry. Love is messy.
Love is a gamble; your heart is the ante. If you attempt to love without
putting a part of yourself at stake, then there is nothing for you
to gain. And, sometimes the cards aren’t there. But, love really is
all it's cracked up to be, it's one of the finest emotions we experience.
It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything
for. Which is why its absence can be so painful.
We do some crazy stuff
in the pursuit of love and sometimes fall into it entirely on accident.
That’s why there is so much poetry written about it, everyone has
their own unique experience and point of view to share. Love is anything
but simple. Lovers see the world in bright vivid colors.
There’s music in their
silence and smiles in their eyes.
Writing can help you understand
your own feelings as well as reading the work of another. You feel
that you aren’t alone, and that maybe, just maybe, everything will
be ok. And when you’re in the euphoric stage of love you just want
everyone to feel this. It’s nothing short of amazing.
So, do what you can to
put a little more soul candy in your life. We only live this life
once, enjoy it. Feel everything, do everything, and experience poetry
on any level you are comfortable with. After all, it's all about living
love and loving life.
Column #2
Love Letters
I used to spend a lot of time trying to explain to my exboyfriend
why letters were so much more valuable than a phone call or an email.
I am not sure if he ever really understood. You can hold a letter
in your hand. You can’t do that with an email or a phone call. Ok,
so you can print an email, but it’s difficult to treasure that stark
white paper with its perfect type. A letter holds an imprint of the
person who wrote it. It shows they took that five minutes to sit down
with pen and paper. We’re more likely to reveal more of ourselves
in a letter than we would otherwise.
During one “episode” when
I was trying to explain my overwhelming preference for letters, I
almost got my point across. I asked him if he still had the letters
I had written him, he said yes, then I asked him how many of my emails
he still had, the answer: none. Aha! There is the difference!
I still have letters that
my high school sweet heart wrote to me. It’s always refreshing to
read them, you get a sense of who you were and how you’ve changed.
Love letters aren’t the only ones worth keeping, I keep letters from
friends too. Those are always good for a smile and are in some ways
greater treasures.
Letters seem to freeze
a moment in time, one that you can re-experience any time you wish.
The moments they freeze are usually ones that we want to relive as
many times as we wish in any manner we choose. Maybe I’m just a sentimental
sap. I keep other stuff too, I have ticket stubs from hockey games
and movies and each item holds a memory. These are the types of things
I’d take with me if my apartment building were on fire, because these
are the things that matter.
Column by Webowner Samantha Johnson. If you are interested
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