"That's Barry's pond," Matthew said.
[Anne replied,] "Oh, I don't like that name, either. I shall call it the Lake of Shining Waters. Yes, that is the right name for it. I know because of the thrill. When I hit on a name that suits exactly, it gives me a thrill. Do things ever give you a thrill?"
Matthew ruminated.
"Well now, yes. It always kind of gives me a thrill to see them ugly white grubs that spade up in the cucumber beds. I hate the look of them."
"Oh, I don't think that can be exactly the same kind of thrill. Do you think it can? There doesn't seem to be much connection between grubs and lakes of shining water, does there?"
-Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
[Anne replied,] "Oh, I don't like that name, either. I shall call it the Lake of Shining Waters. Yes, that is the right name for it. I know because of the thrill. When I hit on a name that suits exactly, it gives me a thrill. Do things ever give you a thrill?"
Matthew ruminated.
"Well now, yes. It always kind of gives me a thrill to see them ugly white grubs that spade up in the cucumber beds. I hate the look of them."
"Oh, I don't think that can be exactly the same kind of thrill. Do you think it can? There doesn't seem to be much connection between grubs and lakes of shining water, does there?"
-Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
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When I was introduced to Maxwell's equations in physics class, I was thrilled like Anne beholding the Lake of Shining Waters for the first time. The math was beautiful and predictive. I was in awe of the law of the natural universe, and man's ability to stumble upon understanding of it. Now, I am not in any physics classes this semester, but I am taking cross section econometrics. I am acquainted personally with individuals who feel invigorated during discussions of instrumental variables and model specification, but I simply cannot muster the awe. They can't be exactly be the same kind of thrill, can they? :)
All academic dorkiness aside, my heart craves beauty -- a thrill-- right now. I want to paint or sculpt or sing in a choir or perform a dance or stand at the top of a mountain and drink in the hills below. I'm feeling tired of people-- and all of our complications, communication problems, and uncertainties. I love those that surround me, but I think a retreat is in order.
Maybe I'll go find my own Lake of Shining Water.
What do you do when you need to recharge?
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