Flight of Fancy

Mixed media collage on 12"x12" gallery wrapped canvas. Given to a friend as a birthday gift.

Created Winter 2010. Could be hung either way, according to one's preference.

The Things I take for Granted

12/30/10... On Christmas Day I emailed a friend of mine who is serving in the Peace Corps on an island in the Caribbean. I found out she has been without reliable running water since late October when Hurricane Tomas hit there. This is what she had to say:

"Hurricane Tomas devastated our island Oct 30-31.  We are still in recovery mode.  Went several weeks without water, power and any form of communication.  We still go long periods without water, I am on my 9th day right now.  Woke up this morning hoping today would be the day I'd get a shower and wash my hair but, no such luck.  My landlords have a water catchment so we have water that I carry for flushing the toilet." 

When I expressed concern and sympathy for her situation, especially on Christmas Day, she responded "The water issue is frustrating, but as life goes, no big deal.  People have lived for many generations with even less.  I will never take water for granted, it is precious."

Reading her words I realize how fortunate I truly am. I am amazed at the level of comfort and the many conveniences I completely take for granted: a roof over my head, easy communication with anyone, anywhere, at any time. Clean hot and cold running water, toilets that flush with the push of a lever, a ready supply of food of every kind, consumer goods and gadgets of every description, an excess of everything, it seems. 

I want to keep a picture in my mind of everything my friend is sacrificing in order to help others, without complaining about what she lacks. Whenever I hear myself getting complainy or whiny I want to remember how my friend and so many others live and work every day.

I am exceedingly grateful for this lesson, and for my wonderful friend. I am so blessed in every way.   

Rain

12/29/10 ~ Last night I didn't sleep very well, which isn't all that unusual. Even still, it was great to have arrived back home after traveling to see family over the holidays. We drove the final few hours of our trip in a slow drizzle that gave the Texas Hill Country a misty, otherworldly look, with fog rising off of creek beds and low clouds hugging the tops of hills. This made for a lovely wintry scene, which would have been more enjoyable if not for the rather iffy driving conditions. The drizzle continued as we arrived home, greeted our pets and unpacked. 

We've been in a drought for a while now, so any precipitation is welcome, as far as I am concerned. The rain picked up toward bed time and I happily fell asleep listening to it. When I woke up during the night, it was comforting and peaceful to lie there, listening to my sleeping husband's rhythmic breathing and the gentle rain while I snuggled with our happy cat. So, this morning I am giving thanks for seeing family during the holidays, arriving safely back home again, and the little bit of rain we've gotten since yesterday. I know it's not enough to be a drought breaker, but still...  

The Wisdom of Others

12/24/10... Yesterday I happened upon this quote by Cornel West: "Last, but not least, there is a need for audacious hope. And it's not optimism. I'm in no way an optimist. Optimism is a notion that if we keep doing what we're doing, things will get better. I don't believe that. I'm a prisoner of hope; that's something else."  From the commencement speech he gave at Wesleyan University in 1993.

I love Cornel West. He's a great pontificator, and he has the courage to speak the truth. These words of his leapt off the page at me. I've been thinking about this gratitude writing project. Seeing the many people, places and things to be grateful for is not so difficult. Writing about those things every day has been a pretty big challenge -- daunting even -- because I am not a writer, and like Cornel West, I don't think of myself as an optimist. Maybe I am hopeful, but I'm not sure. I do know that until I read these words, I would have said hope and optimism were the same. I am thankful for great minds, for people like Cornel West, who give me food for thought. I am grateful for the wisdom of others.  

Having a radar that fixes on 'the positive' doesn't mean a person only sees silver linings, but that's obvious, right? There are some pitfalls to avoid in writing about thankfulness. It can come across as self important, grandiose or trite, lapse into cheery feel-goodism, bland pollyanna niceness, or what I really fear: writing that makes people cringe and roll their eyes. This exercise has been eye opening, and I am thankful for that, too. Today is Christmas Eve. I said I would write about something I am grateful for, every day for 30 days, but I am going to take a break for a few days. I thank my friends who inspired me to try this experiment. I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. 

Teachers

I think it's safe to say this town is populated with its fair share of amazingly creative people. Writers, actors, musicians, film makers and fashion designers immediately come to mind -- textile, game and web designers, too. There are visual artists and craftspeople working in every medium imaginable. I have been fortunate enough to have some of them as teachers. I am thankful for their enthusiasm and generosity in sharing their knowledge with others. 

Some teach as their chosen profession, and some teachers come in the form of friends, insightful and wise. I learn from them, too. Today I send a big huge Thank You to all the teachers, everywhere.

Laughter

12/22/10... A few nights ago we watched the holiday movie "Elf" again, and not surprisingly, I laughed myself silly. I laughed until big fat tears streamed down my cheeks. I laughed at details I'd forgotten, and I laughed at lines moments before they were said. Apparently, the mere anticipation of them is enough to trigger the joy. 

Whoever said laughter is the best medicine was actually onto something, as it truly does have health benefits, reducing stress and releasing endorphins. Laughter is universal, and laughter is contagious. A little levity can make even the most grim of situations a little more bearable. We all laughed even before we learned to talk, and really, is there anything more adorable than a laughing baby? Laughing is something people everywhere have in common. Laughter breaks the ice, eases awkward social situations, and warms us to one another. I dedicate this post to laughter, and I celebrate the actors, writers, comics, my smart and funny friends, and all of the situations in life that make me smile out loud. 

Life's Little Luxuries

12/21/10... The season for indulgences of every type is upon us: parties, food, drink, not to mention temptations galore when allegedly shopping for other people's gifts. The gifts themselves can also be extravagant if TV, billboard, and magazine advertising are any indication. Apparently, you haven't really said "I love you" if there isn't a diamond involved, or a shiny new car parked in the driveway with a giant bow on top. Overeating, overspending, overdoing it in just about every way imaginable -- it's part and parcel of the holiday season. 

Today we allowed ourselves a little luxury, too: we dropped off the laundry to have it washed, dried and folded for us. I honestly don't mind doing the laundry, though I sure prefer doing it at home and not at the laundromat. One of the quirks of living in our sweet older house is the lack of proper, up to code, laundry hook-ups. Someday we'll remodel, and carving out a space for a washer and dryer is a top priority on that particular wish list. I am thankful we have a nice, new, pristine laundromat near us. It offers wifi, TV, a clean restroom, good air conditioning and large tables for folding. Despite these many amenities, I was perfectly happy not spending two hours there this afternoon. As Christmas fast approaches, it seems like time itself is a luxury in short supply.  So today, I am grateful for this little gift to myself -- 'Tis the season, after all.