Intelligence from book of Qualities

This was the page today from the Book of Qualities by J Ruth Gendler

Intelligence

Sometimes Intelligence is safe and sometimes intelligence is dangerous.
When he is in a reassuring mood you leave his house walking lightly and singing to yourself because everything makes sense.
Other days you go to see him and he tears up your notes or sends you back on the road even though you really want to stay home.
If intelligence is in the mood for facts he may interrogate you for hours.
Intelligence does not go to parties much. He is very popular when he does show up. Everyone knows him but no one knows where he will turn up.
You may find him in the upstairs bedroom talking to the children or outside on the back porch telling bad jokes. Intelligence listens well. He is no stranger to silence.
Intelligence is Intuition's favourite lover. It is thought that theirs is an attraction of opposites, but they are more similar than they first appear.
Other people tried to keep them apart for years by telling each of them vicious stories about the other. When you see them dance it is clear they have been through the fire. They like to make up stories together.
Intelligence knows how to use words to make music and how to use words to make pictures. He thinks in black and white, but he dreams in colour.
Intelligence takes photographs with his inner eye. He paints with logic.
Intelligence loves surprises and he is not afraid to change his mind.

Joy

I have a book by J Ruth Gendler, the book of qualities. A delightful book and I've owned it for quite a few years now. I used to open it each morning at a random page and read the quality that was there. I stopped for a long while. Maybe I didn't need it at the time?
This morning I found the book again while searching for a bird book. I thought I'd start the morning readings again and as there was a marker in the book I decided that was the first reading. I give you:-

JOY.

Joy drinks pure water. She has sat with the dying and attended many births. She denies nothing. She is in love with life,all of it, the sun and the rain and the rainbow. She rides horses at Half Moon Bay under the October moon. She climbs mountains. She sings in the hills. She jumps from hot spring to the cold stream without hesitation.
Although Joy is spontaneous, she is extremely patient. She does not need to rush. She knows that there are obstacles on every path and that every moment is the perfect moment. She is not concerned with success or failure or how to make things permanent.
At times Joy is elusive - she seems to disappear even as we approach her. I see her standing on a ridge covered with oak trees and suddenly the distance between is feels enormous. I am overwhelmed and wonder if the effort to reach her is worth it. Yet, she waits for us. Her desire to walk with us is as great as our longing to accompany her.
Why did this seem appropriate today? It mentions half moon bay and there is one just down the coast from us. A message for me it seems:) The figure above is one I decorated for Ostara a few years back. Hope you like her.


This was a doll I did for a black and white doll swap a few years back and I thought she represented well the balance I strive for.
This seascape was done with my hand dyed fabrics and threads. I love the peace of it.
I do recommend the book of qualities. It is such a whimsical, thought provoking book.