Beneath My Feet

Ceramic Studio Floor, Saskatoon, Nov. 2022 Sm#@SH! I could sense the moment it would fall.  It was swift and met its end. C eramic mass plus gravity was no match for the concrete floor. As I picked up the pieces, I couldn't help myself from carefully fitting them back together. With only a few chips revealed, I momentarily considered gluing the shards in a rescue attempt. But no. It made me think of the ancient Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold filler in the cracks. It is called Kintsugi. A   friend introduced me to it a few years back.  It is built on the idea that by embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. It invites us to repair a broken object by emphasizing its cracks with gold, instead of hiding them.  The breakage and repair become a part of the object's story and its identity -- part of what makes it special, interesting and valuable.  A similar example is mosai...

  Cyclo - a traditional type of pedi-cab in Vietnam. (2016) It came as part of a tour package. We indulged our weary feet with the slow "cyclo" ride around the historic old quarter of Hanoi, and to provide our driver the employment. The  narrow,  bustling streets were crowded with motor bikes, almost non-existent side walks, people selling their wares or engaged in conversation around tiny plastic table sets while having Vietnamese coffee or tea.  It was curious how the streets were still organized -- named by product. One street might sell different types of string and yarn (Yarn Street), another street sells only picture frames, another books, another spices, and so on. If one shop didn't carry what you needed, they directed you to one down their street that might have it. This ancient system was efficient for someone in the market for a specific item. But, it also seemed in the spirit of cooperation rather than competition -- to help the client and to help each bu...

"When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate.  When life is bitter say thank you and grow." ~ Shauna Niequist Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. There is so much in this universe to be thankful for. Share gratitude with those we love and appreciate in our lives -- especially for the everyday things we take for granted. To my sweet hubby, happy soon birthday and muchas gracias  for...  ... making me coffee in the morning. I know! (But, he says he's got to make it for himself anyway, and he is picky about his coffee.) ... remembering to start the dishwasher, almost always. ... going along with 90% of my hair-brained ideas. (Trust me, there are lots of them.) ... coming to my rescue when I mess up the TV with the various remote controls. ... letting me win sometimes at tennis. ... taking the time to proof-read my blog posts (surprise!) and telling me honestly if they don't make any sense!   "We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a differenc...

Wish-filled coins in a stream. Butchart (Japanese) Garden, Victoria, BC. 2022 Seeing these coins in the stream reminded me of a koan... "The coin lost in the river is found in the river." Koans are a zen study tradition where a puzzling phrase repeats in your head -- an ear worm that seizes you and won't go away. According to John Tarant, "A koan is poetic and personal. Let it be your friend, like a dog that follows you. Koans don't explain things, but may change you by showing you something... by opening a gate to walk through. Enjoy your koan. Relish it." Try wondering about the koan above. It may not be what you expect. Experiment... is it a coin? Is it really lost? Your mind presents all sorts of meanings... money, something lost and recovered, hidden treasure, a flowing river. Maybe it was never lost. Ah, the coin!

Thank you to my friend Kim Orynik for sending this fabulous photo of her hike to "the dome" with her son Jared. Overlooking the Yukon River above Dawson, Yukon. Sept 2022. Kim titled her photo "Top of the World" and asked that I write. I've always loved the lyrics of this uplifting song by Imagine Dragons which seemed appropriate. Certain life moments are filled with joy and that special feeling of accomplishment or possibly arriving, especially after a challenging journey! On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons - Listen here   If you love somebody Better tell them while they're here 'cause They just may run away from you You'll never know what went well Then again it just depends on How long of time is left for you I've had the highest mountains I've had the deepest rivers You can have it all but not til you move it Now take it in but don't look down Chorus: 'Cause I'm on top of the world, 'ey I'm on top of the world, ...

My friend and I laughed as we spotted this 'fork in the road' (parking lot). A decision to be made? A fork suggests paths from which to choose. Those 'light' decisions like what to eat, wear or watch on TV are relatively easy to make. With curiosity, dive in and see where things lead. And, don't underestimate the power of flipping a coin!* Other decisions are time-driven. We may be faced with 'heavy' choices involving career, relationships, health, large purchases or a relocation. Many choices are better than none, but fewer options can be less overwhelming. We become frozen with a paradox of choice. No matter the significance, it is our nature to want to make the 'right' choice – which may not exist. Ruminating over decision-making carries a mental weight, often cloaked in fear, and hazes over joys of the present. While indecision  provides a sense of comfort in keeping options alive, it is a decision in itself. The heart might be a better gui...

Cobblestone of Avignon Bridge, Avignon, France, 2018 The peculiar bridge stopped in its tracks and only spanned halfway across the river. I remember singing the children's song "Sur La Pont d'Avignon, On y danse, On y danse" in French class. I had no idea what it meant other than it was a happy song, and folks were dancing on a bridge (pont) for some reason. A few years ago, we were in Southern France in the city of Avignon. I stood on that beloved bridge and did a little dance. Originally completed in Gothic times of 1185 -- so long ago; it was a feat of engineering stretching a kilometer across the Rhone river. But, unfortunately it was washed away several times by flood waters and rebuilt. It was continually being worked on and repaired for hundreds of years until it was eventually abandoned in the 17th century. Perhaps sad to leave it that way, but it is also what makes it unique and the stuff of legends. Makes me think of the continual project we can make of ours...