Be Able To Be Alone. Lose Not The Advantage of Solitude -Thomas Brown (1605-1682)

| TravellinPenguin

From my shelf…….

Today I am going to share a recently purchased book with you. It’s not the regular type of book I buy but I think it will be lovely. That is why I want to share it with you.

These Ranunculus brighten anybody’s day.

How many of you are familiar with the Danish magazine FLOW? I subscribed to it or just picked it up when I saw it. It could be quite difficult to find. Then with all that’s happening in the world they stopped printing it in English and the library I only had Danish copies. The editors have a love affair with books, bookmarks, cooking lovely treats, paper in all it’s forms, self wellness, little trips, big trips and beautiful art work. I have kept most of my back copies simply to cut apart for my art postcards I share with others around the world.

But it disappeared for a long time. Then walking through my home away from home, Fullers bookstore in Hobart, their little icon caught my eye at a book as I passed it. I stopped in my tracks , grabbed it off the shelf before I saw they had more than one copy tucked away behind the display book. I loved it.

It has been designed to continue sharing everything I loved in the magazine. It has postcards in it, a nature journal to fill up, a biscuit (cookie) recipe and a page of lovely tear apart bookmarks.

It gives fun advice for dealing with darker moods. Not full on depression but those days when one feels lethargic, out of sorts and full on contrariness. It recognises compassion, loneliness, self image and encourages activities for doing the small things in your community to get out of your own head as we deal with global warming, war and Covid to name a few. Little things to just get you moving that is guaranteed to get you out of your head on those funky days. Go to a museum, have a coffee and chat to someone, exercise with a walk in your neighbourhood or in nature. Pick up some colours and draw. Get back in touch with enjoying child like wonder. It is completely illustrated with beautiful artistic illustrations. It really is a happy book, impossible to leaf through without perking up and having a few, “I could do that”, “awwww” and “that looks yummy”. Bottom line….just MOVE!

I’ll leave you with some photos and as I progress through it on the days I’m so sick of rainy days where I deal with wet, muddy dogs, standing at the bus stop with the sound of rain on my hood, on those days I can’t get out with my camera…..this little book just may pop up again as I consider their advice and get moving to counteract the annoyances of our world.

I’d enjoy hearing about a book or activity that pulls you out of the doldrums. Stay well.

14 thoughts on “Be Able To Be Alone. Lose Not The Advantage of Solitude -Thomas Brown (1605-1682)”

  1. I am not familiar with the Flow magazine, but definitely have to check it out. I am Swedish so can read and understand Danish. It does sound very interesting.

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  2. I had a Danish grandpa from whom I inherited the gift to sit for long periods of time doing absolutely nothing except breath. I am very grateful for this gift as I notice that most folks I know are unable to do this. No wonder Denmark is one of the best places in the world to live. Perhaps the Danes are onto something.
    Carol Best

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  4. I occasionally pick up the Australian Breathe magazine for the same reason. This looks awesome though. At least the rain is good for reading but I can sympathise, some days you are just desperate for a sunny day to exercise dogs without the wet fur and mud.

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  5. Not a book, but during lockdown someone advised doing these things every day:
    *say something nice to someone (anyone)
    *eat something delicious
    *enjoy some greenery, spend some time with growing things in gardens nearby if you don’t have your own.
    *get outside, preferably for a walk to somewhere you like
    *read something interesting
    *talk to somebody, even if it’s just a chat with fellow dog-walkers or the person who sells you something.
    And another piece of advice that I heard applied to old people, but actually applies to everybody. People often find that visiting the elderly is a real trial because they complain all the time. What they need is
    * someone to love (can be a pet, of course)
    * something to do
    * something to look forward to.
    We all need to work at having those things in our lives, especially the last one.

    The book that was my bible during stressful times at work is the Meditations of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I wasn’t really surprised when it turned up in advice to save your sanity during the pandemic: see theconversation.com/guide-to-the-classics-how-marcus-aurelius-meditations-can-help-us-in-a-time-of-pandemic-142659

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  7. The magazine is beautiful, with lots of great photos and information.
    Not surprising, coming from the great country of Denmark 🇩🇰

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