« April 2009 | Main | June 2009 »
I love this art movement that is spreading across the globe. My eyes are now peeled in hopes that I will be lucky enough to pass one.
You Are...I Am.
It's as simple as that.
I came up to the lake this week to spend a bit of quality time with my Mom in advance of our family gathering this weekend. My Mom still lives in the house that she and my Dad built when they retired, which is about 45 minutes from our lake house so perfect in many ways.
She also wanted me to take a look at a potential 55 an older condominium complex for her (she is 72 young). She is starting to think about downsizing and selling the family house. My mother is very much a planner and quite possibly the most organized person I've ever known. I am very much my mother's daughter in this regard although I've tried to down play the perfection trait the last several years as the standard is simply too damn high. This trait, as you may have guessed, is directly tied to my strict catholic upbringing," "letting go" and "coloring outside of the lines" work. Which by the way...is going exceptionally well.
What I didn't expect as we were walking the grounds was to feel a sudden pit in my stomach. It's a wonderful place with fantastic amenities but, "coming home" is not going to a two bedroom condo. I understand her need for low maintenance living (she's learning to "let go" too) but, in my mind (or maybe it's my heart), if she moves to a condo we are starting the transition towards the inevitable and I just can't go there. Thank god there were walk-in closets because I had to walk in, fight back tears, gain my composure in under 30 seconds, walk back out, smile and say "great closet space."
When we finally left all I wanted to do was reach out, hug her and cry--which again, I did not. I put my sunglasses on to cover my tear filled eyes, smiled and reassured her it was a wonderful place and that if it was something she wanted to do, we would do it. I was able to toss out the idea that maybe we take it slow, keep her close to her friends, the things she enjoys doing (12 miles can be far when you have night blindness), look at ways we can make the house feel low maintenance (i.e. having her housekeeper come twice a week instead of once, etc..). All of which she liked. So that's where we are at (for now).
Which takes me to this whole aging parents (or loss of) business. It's one of the most difficult things to experience as there is absolutely no way to prepare for it. It knocks even the best of us planners to the ground.
Kelly Corrigan wrote a book called "The Middle Place" (which is on my nightstand) and it is one of the best and most heartfelt reads regarding aging parents and/or the loss of one if you are starting to experience any of this. It requires two days and a box of kleenex but, it is also filled with much love and humor.
Which is where I am turning my attention. Boat rides, swimming with my nieces, taking them for banana tube rides (which is the funniest thing ever if you ride with them), a ping pong tournament and barbecue cook off.
Making memories...because you simply can never have enough of them.
Have you noticed it's physically impossible to look up at the sky and not be inspired or amazed by its beauty? Today's sky is the perfect touch of beauty, the perfect touch of blue.
It has me thinking about each of you. The special ones who come back from time to time to visit and read these pages. You may be surprised to learn there is a common thread that weaves through you.
There are those of you who are writing books, those of you who blog, those of you who are photographers and share photo journals, those of you who are actors, those of you who play musical instruments, those of you who are the best resource for independent music. All of which are passions you've built and created time for in a world that promotes everything but "time". Your individual talents are amazing and it's why I am always surprised and touched at my core when one of you mentions that something on these pages has struck a chord or has you tuning back in.
Today's sky has me thinking maybe we are all connected and drawn to creative spaces because it's in these very places that we get to figure out who we are apart from our daily lives which keeps us running in a constant state of motion. In our creative places we are all free...free to slow down...free to be ourselves...free to share our stuff openly and honestly without worry or fear of critique (no matter how badly we juggle the lense cap or sing off key). It is what it is...in the creative places. And the ones that keep the creative places alive know this.
So to those of you who have been reading these pages since day one, thank you...To those of you who encouraged me to pick this space back up after a long hiatus last year, thank you...and to those of you who recently tuned in, thank you...for coming back.
There is a common thread indeed--you are my best teachers...the ones who make me feel safe...the ones who inspire me to try new things...the ones who never cease to amaze me with the energy, creativity and love you put into this world.
Enjoy the beauty of your sky today.
