Learning Challenge: Gratitude

In my creative therapies class this semester we watched a video that basically changed my perspective on life. The video is called GRATITUDE by Louie Schwartzberg. It highlights the important things in life. I believe a big part of being happy is actually realizing what all there is to be happy about in your life. The list is always longer than you think, and it is not something that you really think about on a daily basis. It is so important that we be grateful for the great things in our lives! Once we realize how extremely blessed we are, it is impossible to be anything but happy! I encourage you all to take the time to watch this video. It really might be just what you need!

GRATITUDE

Image Info: Gratitude, online source

Reading Notes: Russian Folktales, Part B

Gah, some of these stories are just so morbid and gruesome! I just don’t enjoy reading stories like that. Give me rainbows and unicorns… Lol. That is a joke, of course, but a woman’s daughter ending up being the witch of Death and getting her arm cut off and having to be drowned? That is just too much for me. Could we somehow purify the little girl so she didn’t have to die? I thought it made for a very interesting story how the man discovered who the witch was, but the circumstances were very sad. Perhaps he could find out who the witch was a different way or perhaps get her to go away altogether somehow. Now, the story about the headless princess was a great one! It did have some scary details, but I love that the boy stuck to his faith and was able to overcome evil! That is what I’m walking about! That is another one of my favorite aspects of some of these stories- good overcoming evil! The religious themes in these stories are something I really enjoy, and I wasn’t really expecting them. I know that the reason the third daughter-in-law lived in the Warlock story was because she was cunning, but of course, she was cunning in that she would not remove her cross. These stories make me think of the devilish horror movies they make. They are pretty captivating, but I am a baby apparently, meaning I only enjoy them when good things happen in the end. Multiple stories used the phrase “Glory be to Thee, O Lord!” I would like to use this in my story as well because I want to incorporate the religious themes in my story while enforcing good character over evil actions. I can try to include some morbid details in my story since it is out my comfort zone, but I will continue to give happy endings to my stories.

Rosary, online source

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore by W. R. S. Ralston, link to online source

Reading Notes: Russion Folktales, Part A

I really liked the idea that the dead mother came back to care for the baby and comfort the baby, but why did the baby have to die? How morbid! I would love to write a story where there is a happier ending because the original ending was way too sad and abrupt for me. The story was almost too short because it lacked details that could have made it better. I am so glad that the pope got what he deserved in that story, but I wished I could know what happened with the poor man. I could write a story where he ends up with riches and success some other way and remains rewarded for his good nature. I enjoyed the story about the orphan. It read so easily and was so captivating that I was finished with it sooner than  I thought I would be. My favorite aspects of these stories is that a good character will bring you reward, but a bad one will bring you punishment. No matter what story I decide to write, I will definitely keep this aspect of the Russian stories alive. I still don’t know how I feel about the water snake story. There were aspects that I liked and aspects that I didn’t. If I were to retell it, I would either make her mother killing the snake an act of rescue because the daughter would not actually enjoy her life with him or I would have him turn into a human so he could come live with them on land and they have a nice life together. I like happy endings too much, I guess. I just have the opinion that if you are getting to control what happens in the story, why not make it something good? There are too many unhappy endings in the real world. I figure I might as well make happy endings if I have control over it!

The Water Snake, online source

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore by W. R. S. Ralston, link to online source