Gift from the Sea

Many sunsets ago, I read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's

thought provoking book, Gift from the Sea.

It is one of the books from my "reading life" that I treasure, read time and again, and settles well in my heart. 

"I walked far down the beach, soothed by the rhythm of the waves, the sun on my bareback and legs, the wind and mist from the spray on my hair.  Into the waves and out like a sandpiper.  And then home, drenched, drugged, reeling, full to the brim with my day alone; full like the moon before the night has taken a single nibble of it; full as a cup poured up to the lip.  There is a quality to fullness that the Psalmist expressed: "My cup runneth over."  Let no one come--I pray in sudden panic--I might spill myself away!

"Spill myself away."  Isn't that what we, women, do on a near-daily basis? 

Spilling over, two small words with intuitive significance.

The opening of Questions.

Why do we long to be by water, a river, pond or ocean?

Why do we collect talismans: stones, pebbles, driftwood, shells?

What is their mystery; their hold on us?

Do they remind us of a few days, a week, where we didn't Spill Over?

Self-nourishment. Solitude. Repetition. Infinity. Sanctuary

These are the most arresting of shells. Full of fascination, imperfections, yet strong, protecting, a house for guests of all kinds.  Room for all.  Yet tucked deep inside is a place for me-ness, space, solitude, sanctuary.

These shells remind me of a poem by Rumi.  The Guest House.

This being human is a guest house

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness

Some momentary awareness comes

As an unexpected visitor.

Treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

For some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

Meet them at the door laughing

And invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes

Because each has been sent

As a guide from beyond.

I have found ever so many perfect, flawless shells. They rest upon shelves, tables; in gleaming glass jars and vases; lovely pristine gifts of nature's handwork.

However, in the end, I prefer gnarled and misshaped shells with infinite imperfections, flaws, life's markings that tell the whole story.  

Such is life with its dings and dents, imperfections,  flukes, disappointments--they add to my many blessings, the true picture of my journey.

So I roll along, tumbled, tossed by life's

turbulent waves, knowing that but a few feet out is the

calm I seek.  It is there.

A gift to You...feel free to print.

Great Expectations--2010

When I was a very little girl with pokey pigtails and crooked bangs snagging my eyelashes, I could never have BELIEVED-IMAGINED-CONJURED the possibility of a YEAR with such BIG numbers as 2010! It was beyond the scope of my imagination!! But here it is, all wrapped in a pretty red box of high expectations.

Four of us toasted the magical midnight hour from our perch overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.  Black spindly fingers of denuded trees stood as a filter between us and the brilliantly exploding fireworks over the frigid water. May we toast a New Beginning, a New Decade? It makes one feel optimistic! It gives one a sense of adventure.

Isn't it great to start a fresh new calendar, no eraser marks, cross-outs, and illegible words? Equally exciting is to choose a new WORD to focus on for the year.  One might call it a 'personal-one-word-mantra'. This year my word is:

                                                         EXPLORE

To EXPLORE brings visions of Raiders of the Lost Ark; intrepid 19th century female archeologists shaking dust and spiders from their bodices; traversing the depths of the Indian Ocean to the brilliance of the North Star; challenges beyond what one might want to risk life and limb for.

This year will be my opportunity to learn, inquire, examine, and travel both the inner and outer life.  External-Internal-Exploring. Would you like to join me? 

My blog has a new "up-do" and name, I Paint. It is being re-purposed, to EXPLORE new and different avenues to make it interesting for you dear reader, and challenging for me; a bit of this, a bit of that; a dangling from the limb; smidgens of inner thinking, prose, poetry and lots of art and some how-to techniques. 

2010 will be a better year for all of us, if we EXPLORE its nooks and crannies together. Join me with open eyes and hearts to EXPLORE life, living and humankind. 

 

On This Shining Day-Inauguration

On this shining day

we awoke to glorious

milky sunshine.

The air felt pregnant

with expectation

On this shining day

we were mesmerized

by two little girls

enormous brown eyes

laughing smiles.

On this shining day

a father, husband, son

became a president

of great consequence.

On this shining day

a judge issued an oath

a preacher prayed a prayer

a singer sang a song

a poet summed

it

all

up

Bless this Earth. Bless the Leaders. Bless those who are Led.

Christmas Eve

The house is decorated, the lights are strung, packages tucked under the tree and a letter and plate of cookies for Santa are prepared. Dark comes early and the candles are lit…

it is Christmas Eve.

Ashley and Daniel arrive laden with gifts, holiday egg nog and cheese for our Swiss raclette dinner. Meanwhile we had steamed, diced, sliced and chopped up tiny boiled potatoes, snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini and thin beef and ham to pour the softened raclette cheese over. A yummy salad and bread and dinner was ready. You could almost hear the bells tinkling on Swiss cows.

We had so much fun taking our time trying different combinations of food that we got absolutely silly. We tried “broiling” an egg, little rubbery but okay; Snicker bar, rather melty peanuts; dark chocolate, yum; and ta-dah “PEEPS.” Peeps won the prize…toasty runny-melty-gooey on the inside and crispy-crunchy-crackly on the outside. We could publish a cookbook with all of our great new uses for Daniel and Ashley’s raclette machine.

We sat at the dinner table a LONG time, chatting and experimenting and eating everything within arm’s reach!

After dinner we returned to the family room to visit and open gifts. Since Santa was expected in the morning, Emma opened a few gifts from Grammy and Grandpa, her mommy and Ashley and Daniel. Most of Mindy’s gifts were saved for Christmas morning. The fun centered on Daniel and Ashley and gifts from family to mom and dad.

Let’s start with Ashley—

Big surprise was a gift card to Anthropologie (it was tucked in a blue honey-combed paper ornament), children’s Peace banner and painting of their Thanksgiving dinner with Matt and Ginger. Daniel brought some early Christmas gifts for her to open like an adorable purse and funky hat.

Daniel was caught off guard with an exercise gizmo that you secure in the door frame…yup, like shown on TV! We promised to NOT ask him if he uses it! Among his gifts were books on Jewish pirates, poetry by Mary Oliver and a set of antique books once belonging to Grandpa Clyde Furner. Mom painted Daniel, the sailor, standing tall and strong on his family’s sailboat…wind whipping the sails, sunny day on the Chesapeake Bay.

Emma was a sweetheart patiently waiting her turn to open a gift….hat and mittens, game and a Grammy painting of a little girl artist and writer, just seemed perfect for Emma.

Chris and Sandi had sent their gift to Mindy and there were a few other little goodies to open.

Grandpa was so happy to receive his shaver he has wanted… correct brand and style; a huge Scottish tartan tin full of flavored popcorns, nuts, candy and more goodies and a hand painted mug with Papa inscribed.

Grammy was touched by donations made to Women for Women, funding for two Afghanistan school girls for one year, and clean childbirth kits. It was a heartfelt gift knowing donations were going to such important causes. Thank you. Thank you for helping ease another's problems.

Christmas Eve concluded with hot fudge sundaes and cookies, lots of visiting and humility and gratitude for all the blessings we receive as a family.