Creative Writing Saturday

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Lydia | 2 Comments

A photo of the sculpture “Dancer and the dance” by John Safer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dance when you’re broken open.
Dance when you’ve torn the bandage off.
Dance in the middle of fighting.
Dance in your blood.
Dance when you’re perfectly free.
Struck, the dancer hears a tambourine inside her,
like a wave that crests into foam at the very top,
Begins.
Maybe you don’t hear that tambourine,
or the tree leaves clapping time.
Close the ears on your head,
that listen mostly to lies and cynical jokes.
There are other things to see, and hear.
Music. Dance.
A brilliant city inside your soul!
~ Rumi

Blessings, Lydia

All Will Be Well, ~ Julian of Norwich

A Stranger’s Kindness

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Lydia | Leave a comment

Today started out as a very ho-hum day. I woke up exhausted and longed to cover my head and stay in the cozy, comfort of my bed. Unfortunately, that was not to be, because I had a scheduled appointment and I needed to get up, take a bath and pick up my daughter, in that order. I was determined that, for once, I’d arrive early. (Boy, was she surprised!) Anyway, we reached our destination (early, I might add), and walked into the office to the very perplexed faces of the office staff. I said that I was there for my appointment and after looking at one another, they informed me that they’d left a message last week that the doctor would be out of the office. I didn’t get the message, and I was perturbed, not at them, because I have no doubts that they left a message, but at the thought of the cozy bed that I’d left for no reason.

Anyway, I came home, still annoyed at the wasted trip. As I arrived home, I stopped at the end of our driveway by the mailbox to pick up the mail. When I got inside, I leafed through it and finding nothing of interest, tossed it on the table. In my haste to get out of the house, I had to forego breakfast, so, I was ravenous. I hurriedly ate lunch. Since I promised a friend to look into a legal issue for her, I headed off to do some legal research. I slogged through 65 pages of a Texas statute until my head was almost touching the keyboard from exhaustion and boredom, so I decided to take a break. Thirsty, I went to the dining room table where I left my drink to find mail for me — a post card. Apparently, I’d overlooked it earlier as I rifled through the mail.

I knew immediately that it was a New York post card based on the prominently displayed Statute of Liberty and the initials “NYC.” Now, I love to receive the surprise card or letter in the mail, but as I racked my brain to identify the card’s sender, I came up empty. I turned the card over and I instinctively looked for a signature. To my surprise, I didn’t recognize the name — not at all. I checked the address, thinking that it was meant for someone else, but there was my name and address written clearly and decisively.

At the top of the card was the word “HOME,” and below it a magical, whimsical list of what the word means to the sender. My favorite is “a moment and place in which you realize your world is perfect, however fleeting that perfection is, and clarity becomes a reality.” While reading the post card, my ho-hum day became anything but. The simple post card and the obvious thought behind it, warmed my heart, put a smile on my face and made me feel extra-special, all at the same time.

Today, it took the kindness of a stranger to remind me of life and its promise of serendipity and surprise. I mean, when things happen for reasons that you can’t explain, they serve to punctuate the potential for mystery and wonder in each precious moment. The post card also goes to show that an act of kindness need not be a significant thing to make a big difference in someone’s day or life. I feel blessed that by happenstance, a post card sent by a kind stranger, made my day a memorable one. Because of her actions, I am also reminded to pay it forward, to make a difference in someone else’s day. It is the very least that I can do.

Blessings and grace, Lydia

All Will Be Well, ~ Julian of Norwich

Quote Tuesday

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Lydia | 2 Comments

Morning Meeting (Photo credit: Lyle58)

“Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

What is Grace?

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Lydia | 2 Comments

Wind Chimes (Photo credit: kulicki)

I am taking an e-course titled “30 Days of Grace,” taught by artist and healer Alena Hennessy. In one of the lessons, she asked us to consider what the word ‘grace’ meant to us. When I initially read the lesson, I groaned thinking, “Yet another important question that I cannot answer!” To my surprise, I quickly realized that I knew the answer to the question, that I felt the answer to the question.

I’d never given the question much thought. Growing up, I was taught to define the word in one of three ways. First, as the prayer that we said before a meal, second, one’s way of handling themselves in various situations and third, one’s way of presenting themselves to those around them.

Yet, as I began writing, it occurred to me that the list of instances and things in which I see ‘grace’ is limitless. There is no set of definitions that can define the word ‘grace.’ Grace means different things to different people and though there may be some commonality, there is rarely a common agreement as to what the word engenders for each of us. In my case, I believe that ‘grace’ = life and all that comes with it.

Grace is the joy that I feel when I look into the faces of my children and grandchildren. Grace is the music of my wind chimes as a gentle breeze rushes through them. Grace is the scent of orange blossoms, jasmine, lavender and more. Grace is a candle-lit room as I sit still in meditation. Grace is prayer and thanksgiving. Grace is the beauty of my daughter as she labors to give birth to her first child. Grace is the love and devotion on my son-in-law’s face as he stands vigil to support my daughter through a long, difficult labor. Grace is being there as my grandson, eyes wide open, takes his first look at his new world. Grace is the sound of rain on a tin roof. Grace is the sound of my favorite songs. Grace is the feeling that propels me to dance and sing to those songs.

Grace is laughter. Grace is a smiling face. Grace is my husband. Grace is having my mother still with us. Grace is in spite of fibromyalgia, being able to get out of bed most mornings. Grace is the trusting look on the faces of my grandchildren as I look into their eyes. Grace is in the beauty of the night sky with its infinite stars, planets and galaxies, unhampered by city lights. Grace is the smell of freshly laundered clothes. Grace is a sense of accomplishment for a job well done.

Grace is a steaming cup of tea or coffee on a cold day. Grace is coming home after an extended trip away. Grace is a field of wild flowers swaying gently in the breeze. Grace is the birds who gather each morning at the feeder outside my bedroom window. Grace is a surprise call from a loved one. Grace is serendipity. Grace is the feel of the sun on my skin. Grace is having the exact amount of money to pay for a purchase. Grace is not looking, but finding that ‘perfect’ gift for a special person in my life. Grace is in the amazing art that my daughter creates. Grace is my son’s tireless determine to make a better life for himself and his family. Grace is in the strength to overcome horrible circumstances. Grace is in falling down, and picking one’s self up.

Grace is being there for someone in their time of need. Grace is saying “I’m sorry” and meaning it. Grace is forgiving, both others, but especially, yourself. Grace is the pleasure of friendship. Grace is going to the mailbox and finding a beautiful card or letter, sent to me, for no particular reason. Grace is helping those in need. Grace is paying it forward. Grace is hot water for an insanely long bubble bath. Grace is having the time to slow down and enjoy the moment. Grace is being alone without feeling lonely. Grace is being my own best friend. Grace is in spite of having three children by 21 years old, I persevered to graduate college and law school. Grace is a piece of ice cold watermelon or a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Grace is the feel of settling beneath freshly laundered sheets. Grace is expressing my creativity. Grace is writing, painting and drawing. Grace is playing a game of jacks. Grace is playing bingo with my 7 year old g’daughter. Grace is the stillness and quiet of the early morning before the rest of the house wakes.. Grace is realizing that I can after years of believing I can’t. Grace is loving myself, just the way that I am. Grace is reading a good book. Grace is learning something new.

Grace is being grateful. Grace is saying ‘thank you.’ Grace is being a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. Grace is the love that gripes my heart when I think of my little brother who died much too soon. Grace is saying ‘I love you.’ Grace is being told “I love you.” Grace is every morning that I wake to a new day. Grace is kindness and generosity. Grace is the faith that I have in God. Grace is food on the table, a roof over my head and clothes on my back. Grace is in the challenges that I face, in order to appreciate the grace around me. Grace is me and you. Grace is the special person, now a friend, who gifted me this class when we only knew one another through FB and not very well. Grace is in accepting things as they are and not as you want them to be.

I wrote and wrote for pages until I got tired and had to stop, but I could have written for hours. I understand now that grace is everywhere and a quality in everything that I do. Grace is in the faces that I see in stores and on the streets. Grace is in every encounter. Grace is the blessing of each of you that I ‘meet’ and connect with through this blog. In fact, grace is the opportunity to spend my time with you in this way. I feel blessed that I’ve had the chance to ponder this question as it has done for me what I intended in creating this blog, brought me closer to my true and graceful self, as well as an appreciation for all the beauty that surrounds me. As I said earlier, grace is — life.

Blessings and grace to you, Lydia

All Will Be Well, ~ Julian of Norwich