New beginnings

I spent yesterday riding down to Olympia with a friend who will embark on her new career as a legislative aide for a state senator just a week from today.  We were hoping to find her an apartment, and were planning to take a peek at her new office, so we had business to conduct. 

We were successful in finding her a new living space (a lovely aerie with a distant view of the capitol building) and the capitol building (which I'd never seen before) was absolutely gorgeous.  I took piles of pictures, but as it was a typical Northwest January day, dark and rainy, and I was rushing a bit, most of them were hopelessly blurry.  Oh, well!

Despite that, it was an exhilarating and inspiring time, both for my eyes and for my hungry spirit.  And looking back over it now, I see that a lot of the joy I took in the day was the excitement of seeing her new job, her new home, her new office, and her new surroundings and responsibilities.  It's been a long recovery period from her divorce, and to see her life begin anew is just wonderful.

The Germans (bless their dear hearts, I've married them and I'm descended from them) have a wonderful word for "joy in other's misfortunes" -- it's schadenfreude. (Sha-den-froy-duh).  But do they have a word for joy in other's GOOD fortunes?  Because that's what I'm feeling right now -- and it's pure delight!