turn-around-and-watch.jpg

Basic Joy

Anne Bentley Waddoups

“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

— Mary Oliver

Hello, I'm Annie, an American living in Australia. Writer, researcher, professor, mum. Enthusiast: developmental psych, innovation, ideas, travel, design, stories, and a good laugh.

Click here to subscribe to Basic Joy.

“Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.”

— Wendell Berry

First time here?
A few posts to get you started:

Marriage
Passing the bridge of sighs
A modest proposal
A modest proposal ii
Adeste fideles

Life
Uncurbed enthusiasm
Liner notes to growing up
Sunday dinner @ 135
Playing big
In praise of late bloomers

Parenting
Triptych
Bless her heart
Paging EB White
Nine and a half
Madeleine, 16
Keystone parents
She holds these truths
Louie, Louie

Latest Instagrams:

This week's greatest hits:
A podcast musical!
Award winning lobster roll in PC (Freshie's)
An immersive read
Broadchurch season 3
Cabin time
Canyon walks
Movie matinee with my mom
•
Not pictured: lunches and dinners with dear friends (I cannot be trusted to remember to photo document these!), texting with my girls, Monday emails from Sam, and nightly FaceTime with G.
•
My Grandma Elsie Brockbank Memorial Week with the Bears is almost over--it wasn't the Hotel Utah (which was where she would go for her solo week or two) but it was just what I needed.

🌲
"When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
🌲
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
🌲
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
🌲
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
~Mary Oliver
🌲🌲🌲🌲
The cabin is quiet this week and I am walking, writing, and prepping for the coming semester. Happy to be mentored by the trees--to bow often, to go easy, to be filled with light, to shine.

Meanwhile in Ghana, @madeleinebw has a cute posse at church.

Fantastic week at Bear Lake with the extended Waddoups clan. 🔅This year marks 27 years of crashing their fabulous fam and they still accept me with open arms! (Check out the last pic; the lake was up to the back patio this year!)

Look @mcgeeandrew and @fakelindenfield we had cousin time today, too! Loved running into @janepclayton at Deer Valley tonight. #ohwonderful #paxmancousinsforever

Reading:

What is it like to live in another's shoes? In a refugee camp? War zone? UN piloting Virtual Reality experience at https://t.co/CejRykwT2T
about 3 months ago
What can we do? "Increase your courage, increase your love, and give hugs to someone you don't know" @AnwarKhan_IRUSA #dpingo #UN
about 3 months ago
RT @LizOstler: We are often talked about but not talked with. @AnwarKhan_IRUSA #Islam #focusonfaith #Refugees #dpingo
about 3 months ago

Writing Elsewhere:

Segullah
Letters to a Parent
Nest and Launch

facebook

instagram

twitter