Monday, February 11, 2008

nothing time

I've always found this a trying time of the year. The leaves not yet out, mud everywhere you go. Frosty mornings gone, sunny mornings not yet come. Give me blizzards and frozen pipes, but not this nothing time. Not this waiting room of the world.

So says the C.S. Lewis character in Shadowlands. I say the character because there are a few quotes floating around from that movie that get attributed to the man himself, when actually they are simply from a movie script about the man. And some days that drives me a little batty. Today would be one of those days because my house is experiencing a case of the grumpies. I have enough self-control to avoid going on an internet rampage posting little messages saying "C.S. Lewis didn't really say that!" And so, that's hopeful.

I have to somewhat disagree with Lewis-the-movie-character here, because I don't want blizzards and frozen pipes. I've had enough of those this year. I am ready for Spring. Spring! Hear it leaping off my lips and bouncing madly around my house looking for some place to settle. But the sentiments are understood. Enough of the blah. And February is famously known for a month that can hold a lot of blah.

C.S. Lewis, perhaps feeling exasperated about February

I think most people get a case of the winter blues around this time of year. You feel a little dull, and anxious about your job, your relationship with your cat seems to be suffering, and you wish those HD tv commercials were real so that you could hop into the tv screen and go surfing or something.

In an effort to remedy some of my own grumpiness I have cleaned my bathroom and made my bed. We'll see what we can do about everybody else's mood. Chocolate chips all round! Cheap chocolate! Also, there is no snow in the forecast this week. That's exciting.

8 comments:

  1. And how about this.. because of this cold, wintery snowy winter.. When spring finally arrives.. it will be a wonder to behold.. I know this because the buds on my forsythia bush are getting fat.

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  2. I've been catching your blog for a little bit now. I tried to sweep away my winter blues with Screwtape Letters. How ironic that you would also put those feelings together with C.S. Lewis. I ended up giving into the devils and just being resentful that this winter may never end. I'm from Minnesota, so there is only a little hope that our blizzards will be gone by April, frozen pipes may thaw by May.

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  3. Sorry Allysha but I heard on the weather report that a large and protracted snow storm is on it's way. It's suppose to cover most of the state with more than a few inches. I think all those prayers for moisture a few years back are receiving a delayed response.

    -M-

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  4. You had me at "waiting room of the world." You are enough of a classy poetic writer that those words could have been yours and I thought they were. I wonder which screenwriter was responsible for them. Notice that he/she gets no credit whatsoever in the grand scheme of C.S. Lewisizing. Life's not fair.

    Blah. Maybe I should go clean a bathroom to cheer myself up.

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  5. Thanks for the compliment, Julie! William Nicholson is the writer of both the movie and the play it was based on. Cheers to W. Nicholson! We give you your due here!

    Also, hi TJ! I have to say, the Screwtape Letters + a Minnesota winter does sound like a good recipe for resentfulness! I guess it's a good thing I don't live in a more snowy place...

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  6. I went to see Shadowlands the day before I was due with Grace and as soon as I sat down I went into labor. Don't remember much of the movie and haven't seen it since :)

    And on a sidenote--you have no idea but the kids in the ward here have been passing around my old DVD of Divine Comedy and thinking it's so funny. My daughter, when I told her about Ben, said that she wanted me to email and beg to see if I could get them to "make more." I chuckled at that, like me emailing you is going to produce a revival tour :) But at least he can know there are young fans blooming in odd places :)

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  7. i love shadowlands, and i am due for a viewing....i am also due for a reading pf mere christianity...i read the book so quickly last time but that was in 99. maybe we should watch it together while we pass through this nothing time that seems to be hanging around.

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  8. i took your movie quote - i needed it today....one of those grey days, eh? but we remain with smiles on our faces nonetheless. cheers!

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