Amelia’s Wisdom

On May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart took off from Newfoundland and nearly 15 hours later landed in Ireland, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

I applaud her courage, her sass, her confidence, her skill, and her devotion to a dream!

And that’s all I was going to say. Except then this thought came along for the ride…. that sometimes I feel like we’re all flying, flying through time and space, yet we’re moving from one thing to the next with an odd sense of urgency, like an almost directionless wave. Are we piloting, or going wherever the wind propels us ~ and in the end, does it even matter?

Amelia had a goal, for which she was very clear and very determined. Her eye was on the prize; nothing deterred her vision. Distractions were temporary ~ in contrast to today’s practically full-time, ongoing societal movement of distraction and sense of go-go-go to the next thing, the next chore, the next gadget, the next appointment, the next video, the next news cycle, the next facebook post that will fill in the void created in the five minutes between.

When do we sleep? When do we sit still and just be? Talk with a friend?  It’s almost as though those things have become diversions. I find that sad. I also find it true. And I also feel grateful that I have at least a couple of personal outlets that take me away from the frantic “gotta do this” mentality – a mentality which is very real, but also a manufactured product resulting from the marvel of technology allowing us to access everything NOW. We’re like little children who want to stay up so we don’t miss anything. We’re like subscribers to a virtual Life Magazine, interested mainly in the quick pictures.

And so we tell ourselves, oh, who cares about the cobwebs creeping down the walls, there’s no time for that. We get pulled in, sucked in (whooshing sound – can’t you hear it?), carried into the current. And time goes by without our noticing. It literally seems to fly – but not the same kind of dedicated flight Amelia ventured upon; not at all. And is that good or is it bad? Is it just different?

Is it harder to have focused goals like Amelia Earhart had, when we are driven to distraction in modern daily life? (Not counting those wealthy enough to hire others to handle the mundane.) Goals were simpler, “cleaner” way back when. Farmers sowed seeds in one season, harvested in another. Granted, that was hard work, certainly no walk in the park, but now it’s as if hoeing and tilling and sowing and harvesting and reaping are simultaneous actions, and then everyone needs to broadcast and re-broadcast their progress so the world will know that their tomatoes are the best tomatoes ~ because by tonight, something else will have our attention.

Time will tell… but I know that I need to do something organic everyday to counterbalance all the time spent electronically, that computerized place that’s “open all night”, around the clock, every day of the year, for business or play. There is a great usefulness there, and I value that, but I think it’s all too easy to lose sight of one’s own “prize” in the process. So I need to walk away now and then, whether it’s to pull a few weeds from the garden, play a few notes on the piano, draw, swim, stop and pet my cats. Spend some time with myself, the core me, not the “what am I going to share next with the world” me. Meditate. Stay away from my to-do lists.

It’s just hard to find the time… but I’m going to go do that very thing right now. An hour should do it. Maybe I’ll start by contemplating Amelia’s wisdom. Or maybe I’ll just thank Amelia for reminding us that we can do anything we set out to do, and then go feed the birds and not think at all.

ps: Sorry for getting all off base here from the original intent of a quick, light post, but sometimes it spills out and I’m not going to change it because I’m now on a bird-watching mission.

The Road To Imagination

“Everything you can imagine is real.”
― Pablo Picasso

It starts out when you’re small ~ imaginary friends to share your secrets with and mythical beasts under your bed, dolphins swimming on clouds, dancing spaghetti and talking fish…. and if you’re lucky you loop back around after you’ve grown up, after at least a few journeys into more serious, practical waters.

There are some who never wander far from that magical place of the imagination, but most of us stray. We twist and scuttle around winding roads of this and that important thing. The key is to not stray so far and so long that we forget. Because our imaginations are like beautiful shiny rocket ships, launching a thousand ideas and dreams. Imaginations make art and music and electricity and cures for diseases and stories that make us feel and think and grow. Imagination is liberating. It’s a life force beyond our comprehension – we have to use it to know it, and even then, just around the bend there’s always more marvelous wonder not yet discovered, not yet realized, not yet “thunk up”. Always.

……….

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
― Albert Einstein

Mother’s Day

Carolyn Naught Saxton, circa 1940′s

On this day reserved for mothers, I’m planning to sit back and bathe in any loveliness that might possibly come my way. But first, I’d like to share something of my own Mom.

My mother was “my world” when I was little, and a role model as I grew. She did all the things you’d expect a Mom might do, like fix meals, teach manners, dry tears, cheer you up and on. She was there for her family, she was involved in her community. She loved to laugh. She loved to give. She loved life and tried to worry only on Tuesdays.

She was my biggest fan; my most trusted friend. We all adored her to pieces. And though she left the world much, much too soon – nearly 30 years ago, before her 60th birthday – she left gifts behind. Treasured, timeless words; gifts from the heart, mind and spirit.

Her poetry first appeared in anthologies as early as her teens. Later, perhaps her greatest work, was the collection of sonnets published in her book titled The Pine and The Power.

It was hard to choose just one poem ~ but I share this piece below in honor and life-giving celebration of mothers near and far, here or remembered.

Happy Mother’s Day  ~
Patricia

♦

…………………………..

God help our children to transcend the dark

And walk the earth with dignity and cheer;

God help them seek the mountains, persevere

The road that twists through thorn and tanglebark,

Ascending finally where eagles mark

Their point of vision. Help our children find

Two masters ~ one the spirit, one the mind ~

And rediscover constancy of heart.

Help us to find cathedrals in the skies,

A will to walk the long uncharted mile;

(The will to find in winter’s legacy

The ochre sands from which the lime trees rise!)

Help us to know the measure of the child ~

To live in time and in eternity.

© Carolyn Naught Saxton

…………………………..

♦

Tuesdays with Chris: “The Gift of Listening”

Chris Staley, early work

In his typically wise yet humble way, Chris covers another of my favorite subjects in this last video of the series ~ unobtrusively reminding us that the world could use quite a bit more good listening.

Hope you’ve enjoyed the series as much as I have. It’s been a pleasure filling our Tuesdays with the creative insights from a great teacher, a great person, a wonderful artist and an old friend. Thank you Chris, for the opportunity for more of us to listen to you.

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

A Plethora of P’s / #68: Presentation

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

“Presentation is everything.”

I’m not sure when, or by whom, this phrase was first coined, but it speaks volumes. From job interviews to table setting to product marketing to public speaking to asking a date to the prom to framing a picture ~ presentation is the packaging that can make or break a deal, set a tone, and stamp a nearly irreversible impression.

Of course, it probably should be said that a well done presentation can be deceptive. How many of us have been fooled into buying an unworthy product, or trusting someone not deserving our trust? A slick presentation can be a ruse to cover truth ~ so we shouldn’t follow blindly, nor believe what we see just because it’s presented a certain way.

However…. how much lovelier the world is with fresh flowers on a table. How much more engaging to hear an authentic, articulate speech than a sloppy one. How much more effective to sell a home that’s clean and attractively appointed. How much more likely the neatly dressed person will be favored for a job over someone who looks like they’re fresh from an all-night at the pub. How much sweeter to give (and receive) a gift that’s presented with a smile, if not also a bow? We can so much more appreciate a symphony recording that’s clear instead of scratched and muffled. A well-written note means more and feels more genuine than one filled with errors that appears rushed. A meal is more savored when artfully arranged. The list goes on.

It’s the human touch, the extra mile, the care and thoughtfulness behind just about anything, that makes the presentation more winning, the sharing more worthwhile, and the receiving more valued.

(see our growing, ongoing Plethora of P’s here)

Tuesdays with Chris: “Outside the Frame”

As “Tuesdays with Chris” nears its inevitable end (sadly, all things must pass…), we’re given a glimpse of how these videos have been made. You’re going to like this a lot! It’s just as inspiring and well-done as all the rest, with a good measure of “informative” tossed in. For anyone thinking they’d like to whip up a quick 3-minute video, take note of the time and care involved. Kudos to Producer Cody Goddard (and his awesome mittens).

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.) 

Next week will be the last in the series. Enjoy!

We’re Never Done

It’s been a rough week here in the U.S. Kind of kicked me in the gut. Lots of praying and waves of love being sent out to those most in need, and we’re not done yet. Truth is, we’re never done ~ there’s a whole world of people in need of love, peace and beams of light. If you’ve got a soul, tragedy isn’t something you get used to…. and when it gets too big, it feels overwhelming. But we hope, we try, and hope again, that in some way each of us can make a positive difference, in even one life ~ which I believe we can, and many do, often without knowing the difference made. From the public heroes to the smallest unsung gestures of kindness ~ we won’t rid the world of all its ills, maybe not yet, but ~ we do the best we can. We all have the capacity to touch individuals, to shine a light, to lift, to support, to encourage, to potentially give rise to blooms of goodness. And so, at the end of the day, I hope we have loved as often and as well as we can.

Love and blessings ~ Patricia

Tuesdays with Chris: “Life & Death in Art”

A wonderful examination of the concept of cave paintings and their possible purpose, intertwined with thought-provoking questions about our modern experience with the environment, our surroundings and asking ourselves what’s of real value.

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

Message for Boston

Our hearts are with you ♥

Tuesdays with Chris: “Advice for Young Artists”

A delightful spectrum of views from do what you love, to stay vulnerable, to never give up, to make friends, to don’t do it for free ~ you’re gonna love these snippets of advice for young artists. :  )

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!