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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Objects of Our Desire

Shop views. . .

















During the last years of his life, Gandhi was well-known around the world. Everyone wanted to see him. Ever inventive, Gandhi found a way to accommodate them by doing his paperwork while sitting in his front yard.

One day the secretary opened an envelope. Two sheets of paper, attached to each other by a paper clip, came out. Quickly, he crumpled the sheets of paper and threw them in the wastebasket. Gandhi asked him the reason for this and was told that the letter contained obscenities directed at him. Gandhi insisted upon reading the letter himself. Once he had finished, he took the paper clip out and threw the two sheets of paper away. His secretary was amazed that he did not look upset at all. "Bapu, has the hatred in this letter not hurt you?" Gandhi smiled and said that he was not affected because he was certain that the epithets and curses in the letter had no application to him at all. He added that the man who wrote the letter perhaps knew this too and, to make up for his assault, had sent along the gift of a paper clip. It was as important to not let the hatred contaminate oneself as it was to enjoy the gift of this paper clip.

. . . in the midst of the inevitable suffering of life, solace and even joy often come to us in the form, so to speak, of a paper clip.

Prologue to Objects of Our Desire, Salman Akhtar

Thanks for stopping by! Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline


I'm linking to my favorite of the week, WHITE WEDNESDAY at Faded Charm.

22 comments:

  1. Lovely post! What a beautiful mantel. It is a work of art!
    Blessings,
    Debbie

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  2. Such pretty things and vignettes in a pretty room.

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  3. Beautiful post, the paper clip still has me smiling!

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  4. A stirring post. Thanks for sharing it. ♦olive

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  5. Wonderful post! I believe that this actually happened and I also believe that Gandhi, was able to find something nice amidst all the hate...that's what made him Gandhi.

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  6. Lovely post for White Wednesday! Your mantel is wonderful!

    Wanda

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  7. Those are beautiful! I love white in my kitchen... Enjoy the rest of the week!

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  8. Hi Jacqueline.. You do white so well! Always love your WW posts:-) I have never heard the paper clip story, it is fabulous!
    Hey the movie photo on the bottom of your side bar with the quote "don't say never to me" always gets me I recognize her and can not place it! I have looked a dozen time trying to remember... tonight I give up! What movie is that?
    Bella

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  9. Oh how I'd love to be there and browse your shop with you! The photos are beautiful and gorgeous--I use those words for you all the time, and they don't do justice to your posts. The glassware and laces are exquisite! Thanks for another beautiful WW.
    Kay

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  10. Beautiful whites! And I enjoyed the little story of Gandhi. Such a good lesson to us all!

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  11. Popping over from Common Ground! You have a wonderful blog and your shop is magical!! Love all of the whites and mostly, that clock! :-)

    Hope you are surviving the heat this summer!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  12. Jacqueline, I found your blog today via Debra @ Common Ground and I am so glad I did. Beautiful photos and great eye candy AND inspiration!!

    I am a follower and I will be back :)

    Lou Cinda

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  13. Hello
    Stopped by to say hello, Debra sent me over and I am glad she did! Your post was lovely, love the paper clip lesson.
    Blessings
    Rebecca

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  14. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GOOD WISHES FOR US I LOVE YOUR LOVELY THINGS SO ROMANTIC .BLESSINGS...SANDRA

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  15. what a lovely quote, wise words to live by~ new to your lovely blog by way of Debra at Common Ground. what great images. noticed you had Fried Green Tomatoes pics on your side bar- my favorite movie quote " face it girls I am older and have better insurance!!

    Karen

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  16. Beautiful glassware, stunning wall clock, and a very thought provoking post! I would love to look at the world that way, but instead I probably would have been cursing at the person who wrote that letter!
    Happy WW!
    Carol

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  17. Lovely photos:) Just found you through Debras blog: Common Ground. She said you had a beautiful site and she was right:)
    ~Debra
    Blog: Capers of the vintage vixens

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  18. What an uplifting story! He more than saw the glass as half-full, didn't he? Wonderful pretties you've shown today!
    Brenda

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  19. So many pretty things to look at! You should be so happy to be surrounded by them.
    Great message too.

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  20. Thanks for letting us browse through your lovely shop!

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  21. I love the different textures of white you have in the room.

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