Whimsy, light and music

I shot this photo from the doorway of the Maritime Museum in Victoria BC a few years ago, when we visited there with my brother-in-law and his wife.

We love the Maritime Museum, and always make it a point to go there -- my husband because he loves the history associated with ships and sailing, and me because I love the woodwork on those old boats and suspect I am somewhat programmed by the fact that I spent the first few years of my life residing less than a block from a maritime museum.

But I do distinctly remember standing outside the museum and looking at this gallery and thinking, "that looks like it would be so much more fun." How often do we do -- or keep doing -- things we pretty much think we ought to do, or have always done, without even really thinking about it? It's very easy to get in a rut and to think life will always follow the same patterns.

But isn't it true that a sudden change -- or a prolonged period of boredom -- can propel you into exploring new choices -- often out of desperation? Activities do go through cycles, of course, and it's always good to try to stay the course - especially if you have a tendency to be constantly leaping from one thing to another. But there are those of us who need to be prodded a little bit, to be reminded that if you hate your job you really could do something else; that if you're tired of driving this route every day you could go some other way or choose some other destination.

If you close your eyes and imagine yourself doing something you really really enjoy, what does that look like? And how might you rearrange your life to do more of it? I'm trying to take some time to do that this week. Because I'd hate to think that the next time I get to Victoria I do the Maritime Museum again, and never stop in to see this gallery, never get to visit the whimsy and the light and the music that are portrayed in this outside display. Because if I could name some things I would never want to have to live without, the list would surely include whimsy and light and music.

What does YOUR list include?