Bob Dylan and Aldous Huxley say pretty much the same thing!
“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” — Aldous Huxley
May your heart always be joyful May you always know the truth And see the lights surrounding you May you always be courageous Stand upright and be strong May you stay forever young — Bob Dylan
It’s my secret too, not that I think I’m a genius, but I’ve retained the childlike (not childish, there’s a difference) ability to revel in simple joys.
This is me at three and it’s really no different than the current me; same hair and same happy smile as I display a kitty balloon for the camera in my flower-sprigged nightgown.
Only now it’s Hello Kitty and whales and butterflies and seashells and daymoons that spark that pure bliss! (And Chanel.) And the Angels, of course.
Now that it’s turning cold (not here, it’s seventy degrees right now) it made me think of that specific feeling of the warmth of the winter sun on your face. The word that describes this phenomenon is apricity.
You can be absolutely freezing, but when that glorious ray of sunshine finds you, it’s uplifting, hopeful, and calming. However brief, to bask in an unexpected but significant gleam of winter sunlight is a wonderful and restorative feeling.
We close our eyes, lift our faces toward the sun, and those moments of apricity warm the spirit as well as our body, and we yearn for more.