Don’t Stop…JUST STOP IT!

We received so many great responses to last week’s “JUST STOP IT” email.  Here are just a few:

“I like that…JUST STOP IT.  We are all so frozen.  Let’s bring back the idea of adventure and the “go for it” attitude that makes us all so much more interesting.  I am with you on this.  I will join you in the fight to stop the negative talk and let’s all just get back to work and stop worrying about our futures.  Our future is what we are, what we want, and the choice is not to wallow in negativity, but to find that which excites and moves us to new places”

“Congratulations! I agree, A recession needn’t mean that we must all be terrified and depressed.”

“Joan – Your store/s IS a mood-elevator all on its own! Imagine how many people have entered Hammertown Barn, over the years, in a horrific mood and been soothed and engaged by the beauty and bounty within. Imagine how many people have come to the store, just for the purpose of being lifted up and reminded of the beauty and calm of our country environment. (and walked away with a special something, or a perfect gift, or the ideal furnishing to complete a room…..or maybe just a great idea or inspiration) You GO, girl. I completely align myself with your positive/helpful attitude. The only way out of this economic turn-down is to take The High Road…..which is never a bad choice.”

Wow, I thought.  Clearly, we’re all tired of bad news and negativity.  So we’ve decided we’re going to continue to provide a forum here on our website where we all can share our “good news” stories and perhaps even a few secrets of how to cope when you lose your mojo now and then. After reading comments like these,  I realized that no ONE person has THE answer but each of us has some part of it.  So keep sharing your stories here, email me or submit your comments for all to see.  It really could help someone.  It already helped me.

After getting all this positive energy from all of you, I decided I would take my own advice and take a day off with the mission to fill my head with positive energy.  I met my son, daughter, and granddaughters at the Whitney Museum to see the Calder exhibit.  Unfortunately, the exhibit closes this weekend, but it explores Calder’s Paris Years, from 1926 to 1933…when at the age of 27,  he began to create his first wire drawings in space, performed his Circus and invented his signature mobiles.  The exhibit just made me smile…it made me feel GOOD. We all had a wonderful morning filled with fun, inspiration, and creative stimulation.  Just what we all needed.  And, to top things off, we had a wonderful brunch downstairs at Sarabeth’s Cafe.

As we left the museum, outside on the sidewalk was an artist selling his work…prints of fabulous and colorful collages.  His name was Michael Albert  (www.michaelalbert.com).  We talked to him for quite awhile.  He told us about his work and then offered to give us several of his prints…for free.  We said we’d be happy to buy some but he believed that by giving his work to people who really loved it, he was putting out positive energy with his art with the hope that it would come back to him.  Well…it did come back.  I’m writing about him here with a link to his website and we’re hoping to have an exhibit of his work this summer in Rhinebeck. How about that!

We then headed to the park for an afternoon of delight at the playground and the zoo.  The joy of watching the kids, over and over again, climb the ladders, go down the slide, run through the tunnels all the while laughing made me realize that we all have to take the time to fill our hearts and souls with positive and hopeful energy and share it…because it does come back.  You, our readers, and the artist proved that to me.

We’ll keep the conversation going and we will all get through this difficult time together as long as we, in the words of E.M. Forster, “only connect”.