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ONE WITH THE WORLD

5/5/2015

 
Finally, somebody who understands “the outer spatters of the emotional palette;” those feelings for which there is no word in the English language to capture the wild sorrows, exquisite joys, and confusing thoughts that seep into my head from time to time.  

Yes, we all know I'm 'out there.'  But I'm not alone!

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THE GIZA SPHINX: HUMANITY'S EXISTENTIAL CRISIS?

3/4/2015

 
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Life is a mystery. Why should the Sphinx be any different.
As if finding meaning in my own little life isn’t enough of a challenge!   Why must the Sphinx come with so many questions rather than answers? 

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INTO EVERY LIFE A LITTLE RAIN MUST FALL

2/26/2015

 
I thought it somewhat odd we were the only people on the water.  Then again, what do I know when it comes to boating aside from my armchair philosophy, ‘whatever floats your boat.’   We’d devoted the better half of a day coaxing this moment.  We were not to be denied, come hell or high water; or torrential rain.   
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Lake Delavan, Wisconsin, on a wet, summer day.

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A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH 

10/22/2014

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PictureI'll be back soon.

This is my third attempt at writing today’s post.  You’d think with the world stripped down to a small piece of truth, that simplicity would be the order of the day.    

For now, five months into the storm, life is chaotic for two very dear and beloved extended family members, one of whom was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May.  Jimmy and I have stepped into the eye of that storm for the next six weeks, until Thanksgiving.  To quote Santosh Kalwar, “If life is a journey then let my soul travel to share your pain.” 

The pain is palpable, at times both beautiful and gut-wrenching; quite often regret fills the void left by broken dreams. The color of sadness often seeps into the day, and into the conversation.  I wake at night feeling I might drown, the cracks in my heart filling with sorrow.   

I am happiest while doing, caring and sharing. Busy brings me comfort.  I am not alone in my approach to this new reality. We are all very busy; with doctors and denial, with appointments and disappointments, with collaboration and chaos. There is grace in the giving, and in the receiving; and so much beauty with all the clutter of life stripped away. 

Each fragile new day feels so exquisite.  The truth of the matter - the moments shared honoring the life that hangs in the balance is truly a precious gift.

In all honesty, I don't know how often I’ll be able to post over the next six weeks. I'm aware there is much I don't know. I hope you'll understand and keep us all in your prayers.   
   


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SIT STILL AND PUT SOME GOLD IN YOUR POCKET

10/14/2014

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A gentle rain greets the day in the wake of last night’s storm.  I’m feeling nostalgic under the gray canopy of sky that hangs so close I can feel the damp in these old bones.  Fall’s colorful attire glistens with intensity as the sun plays cat and mouse with another autumn morn.

Change is in the air, leaves on the ground.  A harvest of thoughts collects in the blink of an eye.   I welcome the change, knowing I cannot sustain the heady, dizzy, dazzling speed of summer with life at full throttle.  I understand to every thing there is a season.

It’s a beautiful season, indeed.  Sit still and put some gold in your pocket with a few nuggets of truth and my own splash of fall color.         


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MOONSTRUCK WHILE MOONLIGHTING

10/10/2014

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I’ve been over the moon all week since witnessing Wednesday’s blood moon first hand.   I mean, really, total lunar eclipses only happen once in a blue moon; of course, if memory serves me, there was a blood moon earlier this year.  And two more will occur in 2015.  Whatever! 

Okay, so I’m not exactly mooning my life away waiting to see a blood moon.  Did you get to see the blood moon?  It was quite spectacular.  I have pictures I’ve dying to share!  


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DEATH VALLEY'S BADWATER BASIN: THE SALT OF THE EARTH

9/18/2014

 
I hit an all-time low two weeks ago while visiting the salt flats of California's Death Valley; sodium chloride will do that for you, particularly in the heat of the moment.
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The heat of the moment was officially 116 F degrees. Wowza!

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STAYING CONNECTED, ONE SELFIE AT A TIME

7/30/2014

 
I’m living proof you can teach an old dog new tricks!  I took my first official selfie (there were a few self portraits over the years, long, long, ago, in a far away galaxy) two years ago, a staple in the world of travel blogs; says yours truly.  
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Do you remember your very first selfie?
It was a pivotal moment.  Never mind the earliest usage of the term selfie can be traced as far back as 2002.  The term was defined in UrbanDictionary.com in 2005. I’m always slightly (okay, massively) behind the curve.      

There was a time when I thought the entire social phenomenon a bit self-absorbed, the purview of teens and techies willing to jeopardize real communication for a frivolous social connection. That was before . . . 


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THE SEA OF GALILEE'S JESUS BOAT

4/23/2014

 
I love a good mystery with my history. 

I think that’s what was missing back in the day when memorizing all those dates and dynasties, bastions and battles made history feel as dead as the civilizations that had come and gone.  The only mystery at the time was how I managed a passing grade in World History. 

On the other hand, the Sea of Galilee's “The Jesus Boat" has been and will always be, shrouded in as much mystery as history.   

Did this boat witness the events sweeping over the Sea of Galilee in Jesus’ time? 

Was this the boat that bore the Nazarene and his disciples to the surrounding villages to preach the gospel to the people?
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Finding and preserving this fragile and now famous boat was truly a miracle.

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PERPETUATING URBAN MYTHS AT CHICAGO'S MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY

3/13/2014

 
He looked good, all things considered.  I felt a momentary twinge of nostalgia. 

We’d lost touch after college; separate paths, new interests, different lifestyles; marriage, kids, commitments. 

I’d heard he’d nearly died back in 2012.  His status as an urban legend would have simply faded away.

No way!  Some might say he’s just a cream puff, but most know him to be made of much sturdier stuff.  Stuff like . . .

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