A Gift From The Sea

Channelled Whelk

"But I want first of all - in fact, as an end to these other desires - to be at peace with myself. I want a singleness of eye, a purity of intention, a central core to my life that will enable me to carry out these obligations and activities as well as I can. I want, in fact - to borrow from the language of the saints - to live 'in grace' as much of the time as possible. I am not using this term in a strictly theological sense. By grace, I mean an inner harmony, essentially spiritual, which can be translated into outward harmony. I am seeking perhaps what Socrates asked for in the prayer from Phaedrus when he said 'May the outward and inward man be at one.' I would like to achieve a state of inner spiritual grace which I could function and give as I was meant to in the eye of God."

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Simple Steps

I have talked a lot this week. I'm tired of talking. What else could I possibly find to say?

Moving on, oh my, time for another jump. I'm getting too good at this.

8 Things..

1) I was 11 during the New Kids on the Block hysteria. My friends were entrenched in the cult of it all but I stood on the fringes, enjoying it all but hiding my participation. A girl gave me a tape of Step by Step and I spent a few weeks falling asleep with my cassette player under my pillow and rewinding the title song to hear Joey McIntyre do his bit in the 'step' section of the song. I also had one picture of him taped inside my closet. Was never one for tear stained posters.

2) My first concert was Pink Floyd. Senior year of High School, 1994. A friend invited me the day of, during photography class. I called and asked if I could go and even though I had been denied the opportunity to see Amy Grant five years earlier, Mom said yes. Carter-Finely Stadium, on the grass.

3) My Dad took for my first movie in a theater when I was 4. "The Fox and the Hound", I fell asleep mid-way through and my Dad and sat through to the end just in case I woke up and wanted to keep watching. I love that.

4) Tomatoes. It's been a life long battle. My family LOVES them. My brother used to eat them like apples just to gross me out. It was always a rule that we had to eat what was served at dinner. "This isn't a restaurant, I don't provide a menu." So, I've lived through salads and salsas. I just don't like them uncooked and glaring at me with their seeds and bitter meat. Just thinking about it is making me sick. Ketchup, Spaghetti Sauce, even Sun Dried, I'm all for 'em.

5) I hate wearing shoes. I've been wearing flip flops long before the fad that had people wearing them to the White House. From the moment Spring gets warm enough to the minute Winter starts to numb my toes, I am donning my $4 flops from Target. Oh and the toes get a new color probably twice a month.

6) 42 out of 50 - Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Wisconsin. I've been to every state, but these. It's gonna happen one day. But, I can only bring myself to get excited about two of them. Ok, maybe three.

7) When I walk through my neighborhood, and others, I scrutinize each yard and decide what I would change about each one. Hmmm, maybe I should put that on my list for when I change my mind about work, again.

8) I get bored easily, I can't believe I made it to number 8. Blah.

Musings

• I just realized only one state I have ever lived is landlocked. Further evidence that 1) For my own sanity, I must always live near the water and 2) I must never live in Utah, again.
• I usually love a song for it's lyrics. While I don't connect with these, I can't escape this song right now (it doesn't hurt the songs beauty that I have a crush on Mraz):

• These, I do.

She loves her mama's lemonade,
Hates the sound that goodbyes make.
She prays one day she'll find someone to need her.
She swears that there's no difference,
Between the lies and compliments.
It's all the same if everybody leaves her.
"Beautiful Disaster" John McLaughlin

• She is my best friend. My first true friend. Thank you , G.
  

Do No Harm

Healing wounds does not come so easily. Once broken, skin and bones can mend in time but, our emotions do not find such solace.

Be peaceful and kind. Be patient and open minded. Be forgiving and honest.

Willingness to overcome is the beginning of hope.