Mythos & Marginalia

life notes; flaws and all

j.g. lewis

original content and images ©j.g. lewis

a daily breath...

A thought du jour, my daily breath includes collected and conceived observations, questions of life, fortune cookie philosophies, reminders, messages of peace and simplicity, unsolicited advice, inspirations, quotes and words that got me thinking. They may get you thinking too . . .

I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.

j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.

follow on social media

keep in touch

Enter your email to receive notification of significant posts. Don't worry, I won't clog up your inbox or sell your data

Greater Than A Concept
Posted on December 26, 2018 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment

Sometime. In the past week, or
the past day or two,
it happened.

It is not memory, nor even déjà vu.

You stopped
for a moment, a breath
caught in your chest, a
small tear in the corner
of your eye.

Unaccountable recollection of a moment,
or a face; an amalgam of a personal antidote,
myth, family story of another time or place.

More than a feeling, but not quite an emotion.
Greater than a concept, far more than a notion.

If you called it happiness, you would do it a disservice.
Not enough force to be joy, nor significant gravity
to be bliss. It simply arrives.
Unnoticed, without warning.

The spirit of Christmas
can’t be explained,
cannot be justified,
will not be claimed.

It just is
what it is.

It arrives during a phone call from
a daughter, a playful story about a mom,
or grandmother’s recipe
shared or prepared.

It is fleeting, yes, but
it makes your day.
It’s never enough, but
all we have at times.

Remember that feeling.

© 2018 j.g. lewis

An Exercise For Your Self
Posted on December 19, 2018 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment

Approaching the shortest day and the longest night at Winter Solstice, we need to be mindful of the dividing line between darkness and light, negative and positive, and, perhaps, even good or bad.

An effective time for reflection; the end of the calendar year allows us to look closely on what has, or hasn’t, happened over past months.

Now is an especially important time to make notes, or a list, that will help us focus on what has been done, and what needs to be done.

This is an exercise for your self.

Select a piece of writing paper and draw a distinctive line down the middle (either vertically or horizontally). Select one side as dark, the other as light

On the dark side, begin to jot down the secrets, sins, shortcomings and disappointments of the past year. It could be career ambitions that did not develop, financial fortunes fallen flat, goals and plans that never materialized, unresolved relationship issues, mistakes made, unexplained catastrophes, and those concerns that kept you awake at night.

Think, now, of even the minor events and inconsequential inconveniences. Write them down. Don’t prioritize or apply any weight to a specific event or error, just fill in this section of the page with all that has bothered (or has been bothering) you.

Spell out your troubles and leave them on the page. Be reminded, be respectful, but don’t be beholden to them. Leave them where they land.

On the other part of the page, the bright side, begin to list all things worthwhile in your life, yourself, and your surroundings

Celebrate even the smallest achievements or tiny steps forward. Recount feelings and emotions; remember what you have managed to pursue or accomplish despite all the negatives listed on the other side of the paper.

Take pride in the positive.

Then find an envelope, address it to yourself, and place a postage stamp in the corner.

Hold up the freshly-formed list and tear it in the middle, right down the line.

Separate the dark side from the light, distance yourself from all the negative crap you managed to dredge up, and don’t even bother looking at it. Simply crumble up the dark list or place it in the paper shredder. If you want to add a little drama, light a match and burn the words, turn the negative thoughts into ash.*

Now take the positive side of the list, date it, fold it, and tuck it into the envelope. Walk to the post box and send all those positive thoughts ahead to brighter days.

You don’t have to open the envelope when it arrives in your mailbox. Of course you can, but you might also want to tuck the letter into your journal and wait for one of those days when life lets you down and you could use a little positive reinforcement.

Leave the negative thoughts behind and enjoy the ever-increasing lightness as we step forward to a new year.

Solstice blessings.

*please be careful when using matches

© 2018 j.g. lewis

A Gift From The Sky
Posted on December 12, 2018 by j.g.lewis // 4 Comments

I found a feather on the sidewalk
Delicate. Natural. Out of place
on an urban pathway littered
by disposed-of coffee cups, cigarette butts
scattered carelessly across the landscape, with
pet waste, unabashed ignorance and exhaust fumes;
traces of society’s irresponsibility.
No end in sight. Yet there, without notice,
a treasure waiting to be found,
or witnessed.
All I know is what I see.
I have only heard of Native spirituality and
a belief that when a feather falls to earth
it carries the energy of its owner
to a living being.
                              A gift from the sky.
I sent the feather to a faraway friend,
one who feels she is lost, at times, even
among friends and the familiarity of home.
Gravity keeps her grounded,
but not comfortable.
By her own account, the world weighs heavily,
as it does with each of us, at times.
We all struggle — the fortunate less frequently —
we are all fragile.
You are not human if you are not.
Pulled in many directions, we cannot step forward
when doubt is a distraction and purpose is given,
not discovered. You are not whole
when the words you think will not find a place.
Debt becomes despair.
                                         Neither here nor there.
I sent a feather to a faraway friend, knowing
one feather alone will not repair the damage
that has been done, yet the gift may serve
as a reminder she can still fly.

© 2018 j.g. lewis