random thoughts: on light, breath and newton's third law

In the late afternoon, the sun finally makes it over the eaves of our house and comes streaming into our living room.  I love the light in this room during that time -- because it's so late in the day, it's never blazing, and it just lasts a few moments before dipping behind the houses across the street and turning to dusk.  Every time I notice the light in our living room, I involuntarily inhale, deeply.

No matter where I live in my life, now or in the future, I hope my home always has a room that only gets late afternoon sun.  I'll call it my "Reminder to breathe" room.

* * * * * * *

Yesterday, I watched the last Oprah episode.  I will admit to you: I've never actually watched an entire Oprah episode before (including the one I was on!), but better late than never, right?

Anyway, in this last show Oprah was, predictably, straight-up unmitigated class, and she was full of her trademark wisdom.  I'm sure anyone who watched the show felt, at some point, that her words particularly resonated with them, but I was most struck when she invoked Newton's Third Law of Motion:

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

I know this means that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object will exert a force on the first one, equal in magnitude, but opposite in direction.  For me, this certainly has always made sense in the physical world: push something it pushes back. In a pool, pushing the water behind you propels you forward.  I get it.  But listening to the law coming from Oprah's mouth (instead of from a physics professor's), it suddenly dawned on me that the law works outside of the physical world, too.  Treat someone -- anyone -- a certain way, and the favour is sure to be returned.  The reaction may not happen immediately, but it will happen.   For example, in relationships.  In parenting.  In how you treat the people you meet on the street; heck, even in blogging.  That karmic boomerang'll get you every time.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

This might be my new mantra.

Thanks so much for all your lovely comments in the previous post, everyone! I'm sure Molly will see them, and given that, I'm sure she will feel incredibly moved by your warmth and generous kindness.  To that end, the winner of the signed copy of Molly Ringwald's book, Getting the Pretty Back is Ellen, who said "i loved reading about her! so wise." Congratulations, Ellen!  Check your email for a note from me requesting your snail mail info.

And with that, happy Love Thursday, everyone.

Images:  Photographed with my Nikon D300, 60mm micro lens.  aperture 3.5, shutter speed 1/100, ISO 200.

Song:  Call and answer by Barenaked Ladies