Foggy Peace

Sometimes, you’re just overwhelmed with beauty, filled to the very brim. What a blessing in those times to be given a day to just stop and exhale… and to do it in the company of loved ones… what a gift… Time to simply be present and to make memories that will last a lifetime. Really. Who would believe that fog was so generous? and that the living of life as a prayer is sometimes just stopping and sitting still…

Life is so abundant, and I am so lucky… counting my blessings and giving gratitude for the bounties of Nature and Love.

Peace Play

Taking my own advice about Sacred Play. Going off to Clyde Peelings Reptile Land with the Grands… and then to the river to enjoy swimming, boating, eating by the river. As my sister-in-law Margaret says: If you’re lucky enough to live by the river, you’re lucky enough!

The thing will be to remember how to do this when the kids aren’t here to remind me! But for today? Be Present! Count Blessings! Play! And make some great memories! Make some summer Peace. It doesn’t get sweeter than this!

Peace Adventure

No really, I didn’t plan this when I set out to write about a month full of words we might want to live into. But on the day I write about adventure, I’m off on one! Today I climb on a bus to New York with about 35 other people to attend a gallery opening.

My sister’s bestie from high school, a woman with whom she got up to all sorts of shennanigans while being 11th grad Girl Scouts traveling across Europe, has her first gallery opening in New York City.

It’s so easy to turn your life into a rut and never climb out. And yet, the trip to school is an adventure if we exhale that breath we are holding. We’re alive. We’re with people we love (even if at the moment we’d like our cheeky child to be kind just for once be pleasant to her sister or brother), and life is therefore grand. What do we notice as we travel the same ground day after day.

I think one of the most important periods of my life was the time I went to feed my mom two times a day for two plus years. Not only did I never exactly know what was going to happen when I got there, I began to pay attention to the landscape. Oh, not always, there was plenty of routine, but there began to be places where I could tell that summer was folding his tents or spring was making her way. Suddenly the everydayness of it became exciting.

But it’s important to take adventures outside our daily lives. Because they teach us so much about not only others but also about ourselves and our ruts. Once we peek our head over the rut, life looks very different. Once we’re outside, we begin to notice that there’s a huge difference between peaceful and Peace. We’re working toward Peace. Being peaceful is helpful but not mandatory. Adventures? I don’t know if they’re mandatory, but they’re a lot of fun! (even if slightly scary in the moment!)

And of course for me, today is sort of a practice adventure for a HUGE adventure. On Friday, Deb and I go to Philly and spend the night. Saturday we get on a plane to Vancouver. Sunday we get on a ship to cruise the Alaska Inner Passage… and then days later a train to Denali National Park. Lots of fun ahead. And no internet. and I’m not sure how much cell phone coverage. Lots of being present to the moment and the beauty and my beloved sisty. Maybe some self-reflection. Definitely some memory-making. Lots of blessing counting for my sweet love and rich life. Oh, Hooray! Oh, Joy! Oh! A two-week Sabbath. Oh, Adventure!

Shared Peace and Success

I’ve been watching my dear friend’s joy in his daughter’s accomplishments. It’s such a joy to see and participate in. It’s struck me that we need to do more of this, more living in our friend’s lives. Opening our hearts to what matters to them… The more we can do this with our friends, the more we can do this with others… Caring about people’s lives is what makes us Peacemakers, I think… Peace is personal… stretching out our hands, opening up our hearts, opening up our eyes… This starts the Peace process. It’s easy with our friends, easy when love is already established… More challenging when we’re asking ourselves to really move beyond our boundaries… but this is what Life and Peace require of us.

It’s been a wonderful celebration of my godchild’s graduation here in NY. A lot of memories catching up with me, about these friendships, this city, education, shared life… Making new and wonderful memories, but always, thinking about Peace and how it makes us richer. Does that sound fatuous? I don’t mean it to. But writing every day about Peace does make me think about Peace.

I certainly wish you all a sip of the heady, mix of love and pride and celebration I’m living in at the moment. as Jim Scott says: And may your life be as a song!

Firecircle Peace

There’s something about sitting around a fire. The silence that descends is companionable. The stories that break out tend to point to life’s sweetness. Songs often find harmony. Laughter is often hearty but gentle. We don’t do this enough to give our hearts Peace; we don’t often consider it as a Peace-making tool… and yet people have gathered around a fire for years, drummed sang, told stories and kept soft silence. Maybe we need to get out there more and invite others to join us. Being present to one another. Making memories together. What’s not to love?

My nephew and wife have built a home with some land around it. Not far from the house is a big fire circle with plenty of room for lots of chairs around and a roaring fire within. Saturday night, the rain cleared and the weather was cool enough to make the fire enjoyable and not too warm to make a fire unbearable. And there we sat, enjoying the night. It was wonderful. And we didn’t even have s’mores!

Inside, someone’s cute baby was making the rounds, as wannabe grandparents reached out arms to cuddle and soothe. Scottlyn was perfectly willing to indulge us with smiles and coos… hunting for parents only when hungry and then moving back to the center of everyone’s attention when needs were assuaged.

More babies. More fires. More Peace and Joy in families and friends. That’ll keep that Peace spreading outward!

Sneaky, Squealing, Silver Peace

There are many things that enable Peace-building. We make it perhaps because of our similarities and across our differences. Both attract, both interest. For me it took going to another culture to realize I came from a culture. At 17, what I experienced in my little world seemed to be the norm. It was shocking to find out that the Swedes, outwardly so similar, had a distinct culture. And I was off…

But I also think it’s the laughter at ourselves and life’s predicaments that can unite us. We all have some equivalent Nature stories. One may come from the desert and one from Pennsylvania’s verdant Spring, but everywhere Nature sneaks up on you. Many of us who live here have brushed against a lilac tree on a day after a rain and had a lovely lavender blossom dump a flower-full of rain on us. I remember a time as a child, all unwary, I pulled a flower to my nose for a sniff of Spring and got a faceful. I squealed and laughed and looked around shamefacedly hoping no one else had noticed. If someone did/does, in that laughing is the rueful acknowledgement that they too have been caught by Nature’s natural sneakiness. We’re always making memories… and if we’re smart, we’re finding ways to take Joy from them. Stories like this are great to tell and open to all sorts of sly embellishment.

And so, my friends, I wish you the Peace of rueful self-laughter while caught in Nature’s embrace. Laugh kindly when you notice someone else’s predicament and share your story. That’s one simple form of Peace-building. There are many more.

A Cool Spring Sabbath

On the one hand, it’s 27˚ this morning. Brrr. Have spent some frantic searching for clothes that are warm enough but still Springlike. Even I am tired of black for the moment!

On the other hand, the violets are out. I love violets. Love them. And the cool weather seems to be their friend. They riot across lawns, and because it’s cool, don’t wilt in the heat. They linger longer. And anything that keeps them filling my eyes and my nose with beauty gets a whoo-hoo from me!

The Sabbath… it’s a great day to take some time and go violet hunting. The payoff is both subtle and exquisite. Count your blessings as you count the violets. That’s a pleasant way to be present to a Sabbath afternoon and to store up memories so you have something to look for next year. Peace and quiet be with you. Enjoy!

Stretching Peace

Right. So yesterday you say stay in the present and today you say stretch? Yep.

Oh, you wanted a bit more commentary? Stretching just means expanding the experience. Learning new ways to overcome your obstacles. Trying new ways to open your heart and extend your hands. Finding new ways to be delighted and thus attract wonderful people to your side (both physical and philosophical.)

You may know who you are, but you can’t necessarily imagine all you can be. Stretch. You are one of Creations extraordinary wonders. Make some fabulous memories to encourage you on the Peace journey!

The Peace of Funeral Food

While I knew I had more poetry to write about this subject, I thought, can I really write a blog post about it? Well, of course I can. augmented, of course by the good work of dear friends. Doug Donley sent me Kate Campbell’s song, Funeral Food.

But I think Funeral Food is an odd mix of what we make best and cherish and become known for, what heals us, and what foods we want folks to associate with us later. Wakes and Shiva are about making memories and building traditions. That way you’ll know what to do when you’re the one in charge.

Funeral food
It’s so good
For the soul
Funeral food
Fills you up
Down to your toes
Funeral food
Funeral food

Peace on the boil!

Well, it’s nice to be back. Life has been so hectic recently that I haven’t had the time to sit down and write. Good things happening, so I”l tell you more, in another post.

The sugaring image has been tugging at me recently. Lots of effort and lots of ingredients and lots of time required, but oh what sweetness at the end. Peace is a lot like that, while it may be as simple as a smile, there are always logistics to be worked out. But, as with anything worth having, you have to take the time and make the effort to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You work hard, and then you wait. You have to keep the fire banked and burning steadily so you don’t burn the sugar or fail to chase the moisture. If you’re smart, you’ll glory in the process as well. We might as well let go of the notion of simply getting things done, getting past this or that to the sugar at the end. The process makes the sugar sweet, but you can allow the process to be sweet as well. Make some memories to store up for the year ahead. Reflect on your life and the beauty of nature. Have a good time and enjoy your solitude and your company. Live in the time you have.

Not the one tending the fires? You have to invest to enjoy the fruits of other people’s labor. We each add our own piece to the process. Our Passion can help keep the Peace fire steadily burning. Maple sugar is a little delight. Peace is a grand one. Maple sugar isn’t good for everyone. Peace is good for everyone. Enjoy your Maple sugar judiciously. Spread Peace on everything. Peace awaits our hands to do the work and our hearts to take the time.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

Tag Archives: making memories