“The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.”
–Samuel Johnson
“A truly powerful force in the universe is that of optimism. Optimism lies at the root of our mental and physical health. Feelings of hope can stimulate the body’s immune system and inspire recovery from a critical illness.
Optimism expresses itself in
the persistence and resilience of living things. A child learning to
walk repeatedly falls down and picks himself up until he stands erect. A
decade after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens destroyed the local
ecology, life reestablished itself on this volcano with amazing
abundance and rapidity. And despite its hostile environment, a sole
dandelion miraculously pushes itself up through a crack in the concrete.
That dandelion is optimistic that it can and will survive.In the long run, the forces of love and life always
triumph over those of fear and death. No matter how challenging the
obstacles or difficult the tests, there is always cause for optimism.”
–Douglas Bloch
Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013
Oh My! Something seems to be lurking in the jungle here. I started this painting with the Iguana. It came from a photo by Lisilk at WetCanvas, from the Reference Image Library. I couldn’t paint the feet, so I decided to use another of her photos to hide them.
These photos were taken when Li and her hubby were on the Tortuguero River in Costa Rica.
Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 [O.S. 7 September] – 13 December 1784), often referred to as Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. Johnson was a devout Anglican and committed Tory, and has been described as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history”. He is also the subject of “the most famous single work of biographical art in the whole of literature”: James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson. More…
Douglas Bloch, M.A., is an author, teacher and mental health coach who writes and speaks on the topics of psychology, healing and spirituality. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from New York University and an M.A. in Counseling from the University of Oregon. He is the author of ten books, including , Healing From Depression: 12 Weeks to a Better Mood, Words That Heal the Blues: Affirmations and Meditations for Living Optimally With Mood Disorders, and The Power of Positive Talk: Words to Help Every Child Succeed.
A former radio talk show host and popular public speaker, Douglas has given lectures and workshops around the country to businesses, schools, church groups, recovery centers and national psychology conferences. Douglas currently leads healing from depression and anxiety support groups in the Portland area. He also offers a mental health newsletter on his web site, http://ww.healingfromdepression.com
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