Nests of Pleasant Thoughts

"Make yourselves nests of pleasant thoughts. None of us yet know, for none of us have been taught in early youth, what fairy palaces we may build of beautiful thought - proof against all adversity. Bright fancies, satisfied memories, noble histories, faithful sayings, treasure houses of precious and restful thoughts, which care cannot disturb, nor pain make gloomy, nor poverty take away from us - houses built without hands, for our souls to live in." -J. Ruskin

I've been reading a series of historical novels set after the Holocaust, about Jews who survived the concentration camps, and it's set me to thinking. A lot of people, (think Corrie Ten Boon and others of that ilk,) spent months and months in prison, in isolation, before being carted away to the concentration camps. All those days upon days upon days in a tiny, dark cell, with no books, no paper, no anything, (except ever-so-occasionally when something was smuggled inside to you,) what did they think about?

What would I think about?

Would I have beautiful nests of helpful quotes, precious scriptures, wonderful hymns, interesting facts and sayings and stories, dear and warming memories to turn over at leisure in my mind?

In wondering about this, I have been made thankful again for the way my parents raised me - my head brim full of stories, poetry, and truths from when I was tiny all the way to now.

So, what are you filling your head with? Is it fluff and sugar that will totally dissolve within weeks? Or is it good, sound, interesting, funny, wonderful literature and memories?

This year, resolve to either continue with the good things, or ... since it's almost January and January is prime time for starting anew... begin building houses for your soul not made with hands.

Even if you don't end up in a dark cell alone, or something of that magnitude, you'll never regret having those fairy castles.