Beneath My Feet

Sand toys on the beach in Bucerias, Mexico. Dec. 25, 2021.  Playa is Spanish for beach. Curious that it has our word 'play' in it, as we see many Mexican families gather to frolic on the sand and in the waves. I love to watch children and animals play; they can be the greatest teachers. Babies find endless joy in silly peekaboo. Play, for mammals, is essential to survival by learning bodily movement and interacting with the environment. It seems rooted in exploration and sparks creativity -- even breakthrough thinking. Play is easily neglected as we get older. Without play our brains and overall health are affected, and stressed. Play is anything we do simply for the joy of doing it, rather than as a means to an end -- whether listening to music, dancing or tickling your cat, it keeps us in the moment.  I hesitated to post about "play"  during these serious times as it may seem a trivial topic. However, play might be just the antidote for all the stress-filled news...

Handrumming on djembes with our son Julian. Nov. 2021 There is music wherever there is rhythm, as there is life wherever there beats a pulse. ~ Igor Stravinsky The rhythm of the heart beats, the breath cycles as do the seasons and the tides. The metronome of time ticks the moon into showing its face and the sun to shine again. Rhythm is universal; it doesn't belong to any particular culture. I love drumming and everything about feeling rhythm. For me drumming is both energizing and relaxing at the same time. There are so many benefits to music and drumming; I'll plan to include more on them in an upcoming post. For now, I'll share my Christmas drumming story.  At 5 years old, I proudly played the triangle in the Southey band. Several years later my cousin Kenny's snare drum (may he rest in rhythm) was passed along to me, as I think he moved on to trumpet. Our grade 4 class was singing  Little Drummer Boy  for the Christmas concert. Knowing I played drum, my teacher aske...

Southey, SK. July 2021 My dad passed away at this time 9 years ago. I've stood by my parent's grave site several times over the years. This past summer at the homestead, the siblings decided to walk the 'mile' to the country cemetery. The eight of us+ paraded along the highway and earned a semi-truck salute! Unlike the movies, cemeteries aren't morbid or spooky, at least not during the day. They are calm places that hold an amazing history of our relatives, community and predecessors.  Travels have brought us to beautiful, unusual cemeteries with ornate or raised tombstones like the Père Lachaise in Paris. It is the final resting place of Jim Morrison of the Doors , celebrity artists and authors, to name a few. In its park-like setting many go to have their lunch or to meditate. Traditionally in Mexico, ancestors are celebrated with colour, music and laughter at least once a year... I think you know the day! Many Asian cultures share daily rituals and offerings at s...