Sunday’s Seven 4/24/22

Greetings, dear reader,

Seven goodnesses from the past week:

A student who I previously taught came by to see me this week. He wants to write…and in his words for real this time, and I think he really might. We can hope. We can offer hope to those among us who are brave enough to share their desires with us. We can encourage and picture them doing what they hope to accomplish. 🌟

My two youngest grandchildren spent the night this weekend, and for the first time, the youngest let me trace his hand in one of my journals. Little milestones. His sister assisted, and clapped for him in encouragement. Sweet little moments. 🌟

I witnessed a beautiful memorial ceremony this week for a cousin who died after a full and vibrant and long life. It really is a beautiful thing to honor the memory of good people. A tree was planted in her honor—something bright and beautiful to remind us she lived. Traditions like these are important. I was glad to be a witness. 🌟

The irises are still busy under the oak tree in the front yard. Some years, they barely bloom at all. One day, one purple bud opened. The next morning: seven or more. This struck me as a reminder that things really do change so fast, but those changes can be good. Sometimes they really are good. I’ll post a pic or two at the end. 🌟

Fish fries. It’s been a long time since I attended one, but my workplace held one this week and it was nice to congregate on a beautiful day, listening to live music and enjoying good conversation. 🌟

Timers for prayers. I’ve done this for years now: set random alarms to remind me throughout the day to pray for specific people and their needs. A dear friend requested that this week—not the alarm (but she is getting one 🙏🏼)—but the request…it is a holy and precious thing to stop for just a moment to think of another…I believe the power in it is stronger than we might realize. 🌟

Free pass givers. Sometimes we are not at our best. Maybe we are tired, maybe we are anxious, maybe we have no reason except that our best behavior was not available. But even so, we see people letting it go. I saw that this past week. It makes me want to be that free pass giver in this new week. I’ll be trying. 🌟

One auditioner before the big blooming 🧚🏼‍♀️

What a difference a day makes. 💐🧚🏼‍♀️🌟

Sunday’s Seven: 4/17/2022

Happy Easter Day to my readers who celebrate. 💐

I’m in a different routine this particular Sunday, so my greeting to you is coming earlier than usual. As I was journaling early this morning, I started thinking about surprises…and that will be the focus of this list today. 🧚🏼‍♀️

When was your last real surprise? Did it rely on someone else’s actions, or was it more internal…a real knowing of sorts?

The natural world is filled with surprises…

A bird’s intricate nest

The hole that the honeybees return to each year

The iris about to burst out of their bud-rooms

Not surprises to them, of course. They know what they’re doing 😉…but sometimes we are caught by surprise when we dedicate time to look, to watch, to savor.

Sometimes the surprise isn’t of the natural world…it is that simple amazement when things line up for us:

the random text

the unexpected note of appreciation

The lives we live unfolding in chaos or flurry or wonderment (or all)

Sometimes I say Well, I guess I’m doing this now and that can apply to the salad that falls from its precarious angle in the refrigerator to a messy heap onto the floor,

or to the prolific (for me) amount of large canvases lined up in my hallway awaiting a new art show,

or like yesterday when I hit “submit” on a computer keyboard and a rush of deer walked out in unison and I knew, I knew they, too, were witnesses to the good in life.

Sometimes surprises are not as obvious as a crowd of deer coming to greet us, but they are there…simple decisions that turn out to be moments of wonder and simple joy:

This day I’m not celebrating the same way as I have some bigger Easters in the past, and the gift and surprise of the holiness in that is its own surprise:

A long burning candle is lit for all of us today, and as I see it throughout the day I’ll utter these simple words and hope they land for whoever is reading this:

I wish you well.

Happy Easter. Pray for peace. 🧚🏼‍♀️

Sunday’s Seven 4/10/22

I’ll start us off today with this beautiful poem by Jonathan Wells entitled

April Morning:

You are living the life

you wanted as if you’d known

what that was but of course

you didn’t so you’d groped

toward it feeling for what

you couldn’t imagine, what

your hands couldn’t tell you,

for what that shape could be.

This Sunday the rain turns cold

again and steady but the window

is slightly open and there is the vaguest

sense of bird song somewhere in the gaps

between the buildings because it’s spring

the calendar says and the room where

you are reading is empty yet full

of what loves you and this is the day

that you were born.

Grateful for poetry every day, but since this is National Poetry Month, even more so.

Spring is in full gear here, and March winds remain a constant companion. The screen is open, and the breeze has come through all day, and it blows the wisteria down the driveway path like confetti. A celebration of sorts, I guess.

And why shouldn’t we celebrate? The mom and pop geese are still here, evidently guarding a nest. The dewberries are blooming in white stars on the vines. There is rainwater in the creek. Enormous butterflies flitter by, and I spotted the first hummingbird of the year yesterday. So much life. So much to behold.

That’s likely more than seven good things, but here’s one extra:

The new album “We Are” is out by Jon Batiste and is a winner. Give it a listen when you can. It came to me by accident, like so many good things often do. I am glad I followed up, checked it out, and can listen to it as I go about the day.

It’s been a full and fast week, but there was work to do, people to help, babies to hold, students to teach, art to make. Everything didn’t get marked off the list, but I can hope for tomorrow.

Take good care, dear readers. Thank you for walking along April’s path with me. 💐

Sunday’s Seven: 3 April 2022

1–Hello, April.

It tops my list tonight. Glad to see another one.

2–Poetry. It is National Poetry Month. If you read poetry, keep reading. If you’re not so sure, I’ll start you off with one at the end of this post. Maybe you’ll change your mind.

3–Surprises. I received several big and small ones this week, and I was able to participate in giving, too. There is a lot to be said for those who carry out thoughts to improve another’s life.

4–Tonight’s sliver of a moon. It was resting above my house tonight, and I’m glad I never tire of watching its shapeshifting magic.

5–Quilts. One of my students brought two to class this week to show us after we’d discussed a story where quilts were symbolic. To make that effort…to see the hand stitching, colorful arrangements of random fabrics…beauty.

6–First hour of day: no tech use. I try and abandon this process. For now, I’m back to trying again.

7–Dragonflies. They are out among us once more.

As promised, a poem. Well, an excerpt. This one is by Terri Erickson. It is titled “What Matters” and here are two lines:

The present has arrived and you are in it.

You are loved.

(I hope you’ll read it in its entirety. And then another… and another…)

Be well, dear reader. Look for light and kindness and peace.