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Memory from March 26 2012
For Maria Girouard. The Heart of Dawn Land. Happy Birthday and Thank you.
For Maria Girouard. The Heart of Dawn Land. Happy Birthday and Thank you.
Oh, just the right dose at just the right time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, just the right dose at just the right time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
May we all find our way home.
Recalling when I was an intern at The Telling Room, a non-profit Community Writing Center in Portland, Maine. My assignment was assisting with a workshop for fourth grade students. The room was bustling with energy and the workshop facilitators were offering rapid fire writing prompts the kids were responding well to. Until this one. The prompt was simply HOME.
At my table 4 of the 5 kids seized up. All I could see was spooked horses. Eyes white and bulging, frozen for a moment before they prepared to dig stirrups into their own hide to bolt.
It was quiet but I murmured 'I wasn't always happy at home. It wasn't a cozy place. I felt more at home running by myself in the woods...'
Oh? The young girl next to me said.
And then I, 'Is there a place like that for you?'
She finally exhaled the breath she had taken in when she first heard the prompt. She described her after school drama club where she loved who she could be and she could be ANYTHING.
I said 'Oh. Home.'
The others mentioned distressed parents, awkward step parenting. Much, much was left without words.
I remember that today as City of Portland institutes a Stay At Home Ordinance to curb the spread of Covid19.
May we all find our way home.
Out here where I have never been before, I see footprints headed back to the shore already covered by a film of incoming tide.
The tide was surprisingly low. I walked out where I have never walked before. Out beyond the tidal pools and ledges that become tiny islands at high tide, where sea birds drop their shells to crack them open. I walk out and it is quiet. And feels right. And then, out here where I have never been before, I see footprints headed back to the shore already covered by a film of incoming tide.
I look around seeing no one.
And Still, There Was.
And Still, There Was.
Our City by the Sea. The moon and venus remaining socially distant.
Our City by the Sea. The moon and venus remaining socially distant.
This Impossible Gradient
This Impossible Gradient
On the dawn, you took flight.
On the dawn, you took flight.
Not cancelled.
Not cancelled.
Friday morning at the MaineWorks circle often includes guests from the community.
Friday morning at the MaineWorks circle often includes guests from the community. This morning we were delighted to welcome Andy Lilienthal, from Camp Winnebago where "'Winnebagans' achieve extremely high results and campers understand the value that being supportive of each other makes, while gaining leadership experience, emotional intelligence, physical confidence and skills over the course of the summer."
What did Andy think of the circle? He referred to it as community. And community building is where growth can blossom. Thank you Andy for meeting us all.
To those whose lives are right now hijacked...
To those whose lives are right now hijacked by their addiction, by their substance abuse disorder, by their pain and their effort to avoid pain. To those that may not ever get to the underlying issues. To those that are suffering. To those that struggle with relapse. And relapse. And relapse. And to those that love them.
Stay in the love.
No easy task.
Wild Geese Call - That was a good day.
Wild Geese Call - That was a good day.
Memory from March 2015
It was THAT cold.
It was THAT cold.
Tiramisu Dawn
Tiramisu Dawn
( with gratitude to Susan Britton Pettingill )
Trees detailed out in ice for the second day...the grace of cold and no wind.
Trees detailed out in ice for the second day…the grace of cold and no wind. And then sea smoke this morning. How can my heart hold any more. And still…
Spirit Rising. On a breath. Cold enough to burn.
Spirit Rising. On a breath. Cold enough to burn.
And had you been standing here in this light, you too would have looked perfect.
And had you been standing here in this light, you too would have looked perfect.
For a moment you threw on your diva's boa and strutted. For a moment.
For a moment you threw on your diva's boa and strutted. For a moment.
Cauliflower. Brains. Cross sections. Now reminiscent of 60's flower power....
Cauliflower. Brains. Cross sections.Now reminiscent of 60's flower power. Your provocative language written out with only a Rorschach interpretation. God, we must frustrate the hell out of you.