Born Doris Mary Ann Von Kappelhoff, she became Hollywood legend Doris Day. Her movies (like Pillow Talk), her singing “Que Sera, Sera” and her love of, and involvement with, animal rights endeared her to millions who this day, mourn her passing.
In spite of a life which was very difficult, you brightened this world with your singing, dancing & sweet smile. Thank you. Rest in peace, Doris. Rest in peace.
Today is the last day of Passover. Today is the first day of Easter for Christians in the East, and day six of the Season of Easter in the West. Pesach (Passover) for Jewish adherents is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. Easter for Christians is about new life.
Today, there is cause for neither liberation nor new life. Instead, a crime was committed at Congregation Chabad Synagogue in the town of Poway, California. Deemed to be a ‘hate’ crime, one person died and three were injured. And the question continues to be asked … when will laws happen which will make possession of assault weapons by civilians illegal?
Grief overwhelms the people of Congregation Chabad Synagogue, the people of Poway and the families affected by this senseless violence. Thoughts and prayers? Yes, I am thinking of them and all for whom this situation raises a bitter and painful personal memory of their own.
Yes, I will offer prayers … prayers of consolation and support for the victims and their families as they grieve … and prayers for the politicians who can change laws so that no other hate crimes, terrorist crimes, mass shootings, individual drive-by shootings using assault weapons will happen.
Politicians – you can change the laws so such murders don’t ever happen again. Why aren’t you? What can’t you understand, politicians?
Australian calligraphy artist Gemma Black was recently in western Canada teaching a variety of workshops, including one named Art Deco. I first learned about it a couple of years ago and wanted to take it soooo much. I talked about it with the local calligraphy guild’s workshop co-ordinator and wonder of wonders, she and Gemma chatted, the workshop was booked and I registered. I was a very happy puppy! And then, one of those health “blips on the screen of life” happened and I had to withdraw. I was no longer a happy puppy.
One afternoon, feeling very sorry for myself <silly me!>, I decided to surf the net and see what I could find about art deco. I didn’t find very much but decided to play around with some watercolours with what I did find, only to realize that my fingers weren’t very steady with a brush any more. I was going to stop and then had a good talk with myself and continued on.
The result – in carrying on with the project, I learned some things I’d learned a long time ago, but somehow had forgotten. Simple lesson, really – never stop playing!
As the watercolour went on the Arches Text Wove paper and then the card was mounted on red, then white, then red cardstock and a birthday card for a special friend evolved. If you are dealing with physical pain, let me be the first one to encourage you to find something creative to do within your range of physical abilities and dexterity … make a card, bake a cake, make paper beads, write a letter to someone, play with watercolour … whatever! And oh yes, while I was creating, I not only experienced the pain less intense for a bit, but a peace, deep within.
Ahhhh, Soulistry’s combination of creativity + spirituality rises to the surface. Again. 🙂
As Holy Week continues for Christians around the world we pray to you, Mirroring God. As we look at the face of another at work, at the bank, crossing a border, panhandling, in Hospice care, passed out on a street, at a meeting, in traffic, in the Emergency room on tv, in a political rally, in the shops, in a line-up, awaiting/recovering from surgery with different coloured skin, different political beliefs, a foreign name, an accent , wanting to be in relationship with someone of the same gender, not speaking our language, wearing unfamiliar (to us) clothing, may we see You, reflected, as in a mirror.
Mirroring God, may we mirror your compassion and unconditional love this holy day, in this Holy Week. And may we mirror your compassion and unconditional love, every day, in every week. Amen (which simply means “So be it.”)
“Soulistry – Artistry of the Soul” is about making the connection between creativity and spirituality and last evening, trying to find a youtube video that would show me how to make cotton/silk flower broaches (creativity), I re-discovered the importance of patience (spirituality).
No matter what I put into the search line, while I found some delightful broach-making, hat-pin, etc. videos, I didn’t find what I was looking for. And then, after making a cup of Crystal Tea (aka “boiling water served in a china cup/mug” <g>), slowly sipping it and “letting go”, I came across a little video that gave me the basic instructions and I was able to make these broaches.
While I didn’t save the youtube video or its link and can’t go back and review the process, I learned a new word – Kanzashi, the Japanese art of folding delicate squares of silk into three-dimensional flower petals. Once I learned about that and viewed the video, I was on my way to demystifying the Japanese art form into something I could do with supplies-on-hand.
So why share all of this here? It’s a reminder to myself (and might be of help to others) to continue making connections between spirituality and creativity.
a) welcome the gift of patience with self when learning something new … spirituality
b) “let go” of rules, regulations, “steps in a process” when in a creative mode … creativity
Who says Kanzashi has to be made only of silk? Or that fabric flowers only have to be made out of cotton? Or that all such flowers have to have five or seven petals; or only single layers; or can’t have both cotton and felt in one broach; or must all be the same ‘petal design;’ or …
aka … “play”!
Hope you make time this week to play in some way — perhaps with fabric … or paint … or paper … or yarn … or wood … or a new recipe … or a new garden design … or calligraphy pen and ink … or sketching pencil … or a new blog post.
A story … some realizations … a tender ‘memory … and some conclusions.
Faith: One day, in a town troubled by drought for many months, villagers decided to gather and pray for rain. On the appointed day, the people gathered. One little boy came with an umbrella. Faith. That’s faith. Trust: Have you ever noticed that when you toss babies up in the air, they laugh? That’s because they know you’ll catch them. Trust. That’s trust.
Attitude: When my husband turned 85, he delighted in wearing a shirt that read “I am not 85 years old. I am sweet 16 with 69 years of experience!” Attitude. That’s attitude.
Humour: When we were children, naptime was often regarded as punishment. Now an afternoon nap is like a mini-vacation. Humour. That’s humour.
Hope: Each night, we go to bed without any assurance that we’ll be alive the next day. And yet how often do we still set the alarm to wake up in the morning? Hope. That’s hope.
Confidence: In spite of zero-knowledge that there will be a tomorrow, we still plan events, meetings, appointments in our agendas / daytimers / phones. Confidence. That’s confidence.
Love: The world is suffering and many consider the future to be bleak. Yet people still marry and have children. Love. That’s love.
May we live each day with Faith, Trust, Hope, Confidence, Love, Attitude and Humour. 🙂
