Puppy Chow

"Some men say an army of horses and some men say an army on foot and some men say an army of ships is the most beautiful thing on the black earth. But I say it is what you love."  - Sappho

Kristen showed me this quote in our Western Literature book when we were sitting at the Edge one day, absentmindedly drinking frozen muddy waters and attempting to study. Ever since, it's been running through my head, and with every passing day, I realize Sappho is so right. There are some people who think pride and beauty go hand in hand- they judge how many hearts they've conquered, how many minds they've laid claims to and slap a label on it and say it is beauty. I've been constantly searching for things that I find beautiful in this sordid world. At first, I thought true beauty was a bit hard to come by- I was scraping by with each day, coming up with empty hands. But now I'm opening my eyes and realizing that I love so much- extended heart to hearts with my friends, traveling through rolling hills, writing in my journal on my house's patio with the wind lifting the hair off of my neck and sun streaking the yard with its friendly beams.

This weekend, I traveled to Fayetteville to visit my seemingly long-lost friends. I laughed more than I have in a long time, hugged more people than I'm used to, and got less sleep than I should have, but I loved every single second of it. As I was sitting in my friend Mary's dorm room, I noticed how big the smile on my face was, and I realized Sappho was right- it's where we find love that we find beauty. I see it in the pages of a fresh book, in the sheets of music, in riding my bike against the wind, in seeing more of the world as I grow older, in being with my friends. All we have to do realize what we love, and harvest that love to overshadow any of the disorderly ugliness of our lives.

Kristen and I are watching When Harry Met Sally and I'm overjoyed that I get to watch it with her because she has not seen it before. She made puppy chow and I have powdered sugar all over my pajamas.