Everyday Canvas

Feb 9 & 10

Prompt: What things are you thankful for at this time?

--------------

For everything. First of all, for having given a chance at life and for all the years I've lived. In fact, I express my thankfulness every night before I go to bed by writing down the details of all the things I was thankful for during the day. I have notebooks and notebooks of thanking over the years. I am doing this for myself, not for anyone else, as this practice lifts up my mood in general.

“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.” ― Cassandra Clare
Let this quote influence your blog....

-----------------

I am not sure about this quote. First, I don't see how anyone can determine what a "weak-mind" is. In fact, I know someone who is a member of the upper echelon of Mensa who clearly dislikes literature and poetry, calling them fake.

On the other hand, I am mainly and greatly influenced by literature and poetry and so is the family I was born into. I think poetry is a form that has been practiced to reflect human emotions since the dawn of civilization. Poets, first in front of their caves and later on stage, put their emotions into words and described rivers, winds, dark skies, flowers, sunshine, animals, and danger. They were happy, sad, humorous, worried, or scared. Some of those, later on, were sung or orated at a war scene to scare the enemy or any other gathering to add spice to life.

Most or all of the oral and written literature did the same thing, later on. The way I see it, most literature and poetry is about humanity and the different perceptions of the writers who use different tones and viewpoints to reflect who we are as species. Then, literature also influences other forms of art, such as songs, music, visual arts, and stage. Sometimes it is the other way around when the music and arts influences the writers and poets. Still, the whole exchange has to do with humanity.

As to those who may call Literature and Poetry "fake" or those who call others who have a different opinion "weak-minded," I have to say what they call fake is as real as humanity and that everyone has a right to their opinion. And as a human being, I do respect your stance on the matter and I'd never call you or anyone else with derogatory names and attributes, but by shunning poetry and literature, you don't know what you are missing in this life.