9/21/15, Love & Marriage
Hi Everyone,
I hope you had a good week. I had a birthday last month (I always dread my birthdays, but I had a great one this year!!! With my children, we spent a weekend together, and REALLY enjoyed it). 
The joke of the birthday was that my kids had a fantastic birthday cake made: it was a life size and life like sculpture of my two tiny Chihuahuas, Minnie and Blue, wearing tutus and tiaras. The cake showed them looking real, was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, and the baker who made it was a genius. I was THRILLED with my birthday cake, and because it was so cute, I wouldn’t let the kids cut the cake——I wasn’t about to let them chop off a nose or an ear, or a paw when it looked so real and so adorable—-I spent the weekend protecting it, and made the family eat apple pie instead!!! And there were a LOT of complaints about it. I took the cake home after the weekend, untouched, like a work of art. It would be hard to top that cake!!!
I got wonderful gifts from my kids, even a pair of shoes that said “I Love U”, and lots of other gifts, shoes, sweaters, bracelets, a ring with a heart on it, all kinds of thoughtful things I loved and have been enjoying since. And I got a really sweet little tiny miniature book from a friend, with sayings about love and marriage that I found extremely touching and wise. (Including a very funny quote from Phyllis Diller that said “Don’t go to bed mad, stay up and fight”). The book is called “Words about Love” from the Orange Art Miniature Press. And I wanted to share my favorites with you here. Since you all know how much I love quotes!!!
– “Money can’t buy love, but it improves your bargaining position” – Laurence Peter
– “The great secret of successful marriage is to treat all disasters as incidents and none of the incidents as disasters” – Harold Nicholson.
– “Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving about 3 or 4 things a day unsaid” – Harlan Miller.
– “Be good to yourself, be excellent to others, and do everything with love” – John Wolf
– “We can do no great things, only small things with great love” – Mother Teresa
– “Love your neighbours—not the neighbours you pick out, but the ones you have” – Wendell Berry
– “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person” – Mignon Mc Laughlin
– “Love has to be put into action, and that action is service” – Mother Teresa
– “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward in the same direction” – Antoine de Saint Exupery.
I thought they were wise and helpful, and some good reminders!! Have a great week!!
love, Danielle
(Footnote: After writing this blog to you a few days ago, I was shocked yesterday to learn of the passing of my friend and very talented writer Jackie Collins. She was a wonderful woman, and apparently has been battling breast cancer in secret. We spoke several times only a few weeks ago, and she didnt even hint at it. We’ve been friends for many years, I admired her talent enormously, and loved her as a person. She was an incredibly kind friend, and helped me for several years with my son Nick’s foundation, and came to San Francisco to visit me. She will be greatly missed by all her friends, for her kindness, wit, sharp mind, beauty and great sense of humor……my deepest sympathy to her family and all who knew and loved her. A truly terrific woman. Farewell, beloved friend.)
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Your cake is amazing! Happy belated birthday!
Love, Elaine
Happy to read you had wonderful birthday. That was the cutest cake.
Hi Danielle,
Belated Happy Birthday!! I’m glad you had a great one this year.
Love,
Asavari
Thank you for your blogs!!! I really enjoy it. Happy belated bday.
great birthday gifts!!!!
and i really enjoyed the quotes…
theres a song in portuguese and the firts sentence is (nothing to do with love): I want the promisse of being free one day…”
isnt it something to think about?
well, im just having some thoughtful days.
anyways.
may jackie be with God.
love always,
Keyla
I love cake! It’s beautiful and Happy birthday!
Hi, Miss Danielle… Your friend, Jackie, is actually one of the authors I read about from time to time, and am awed by her enormously admirable writing since the day I tried to read her work. A wonderful author, indeed, just as you are. My family used to bake cakes when I was in gradeschool. I really enjoy even just looking at them, and I believe that yours for your birthday is something one of a kind. Blessings to you and Jackie, from my heart to yours both. 🙂
Danielle,
Happy belated birthday.
Liked the quotes and cake.
The footnote moved me re Jackie Collins and her kindness to you when you needed it most. I get it.
I also just lost a loved one but got to be there in the hospital literally holding his hand as he passed. He lived a full life. He wasn’t afraid. It was a very sacred experience. There was one particular chaplain who was with us one particular night when we knew time was very near. Love was right there.
Your theme of Love moved me today. Love and Hope are my favorite words too.
Keep shining!
Truth, wisdom, Love and Sincerity, to ALL Mankind.
Rob Scott
Chicago, IL
Love & Marriage: Love without marriage, why not, but why not get married then? Loveless marriage, what time lost, and sometimes unnecessary suffering that!
The success of your birthday, it may be a convergence of positive energy, yours to forget last year focusing your current happiness and that of your children, which together have renewed their love you all!
A ring with a heart?
Phyllis Diller: A man of honor always fights to the end for our values! Some even promote and protect the widow and the orphan.
I think you can love someone that is estimated, but not otherwise.
Laurence Peter: In case of separation, yes, to recover his freedom and liquidate the commons.
Harold Nicholson: Yes, but there are a bunch of other great secrets!
Harlan Miller: Perhaps, all truths are not always good to say. However, important unsaid can be like the cells of a cancer that develops insidiously. Without checks and frequent screenings one day it may be too late … and love dies.
Cit. 5. 6, and 7 and 9, too many responses.
Mignon McLaughlin: Yes, every morning, but it takes a little reciprocity if we want to avoid dying by inches!
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: He still has reason but he did not write that the two are incompatible!
I think these quotes are very revealing. Thank you a lot.
Happy belated birthday !I love your novels and get strenght to live from them
Glad you enjoyed your birthday! Did you ever end up eating any of the cake??
Lorraine