Beauty found in the broken hearts of a couple who are holding on for life. Beauty found in the eyes of my beloved-Linda. And the eyes of my beloved 4 legged best friend-Bear. Beauty found in my old 1999 Dodge pick up that keeps on firing when I need her. Beauty found in listening to John Denver's Christmas album-and Emmylou's as well. And beauty found here with this community and our precious muse-Carrie.
Enjoyed local church Messiah concert with wonderful singing and small orchestra, generously offered to public at no charge. Started working with two non-profits not aware of each other to better help young mothers in crisis with mutual aid referrals, regardless of politics. Also planning to organize fundraising to build reasonably priced small apartments for new and young mothers, as local housing shortages are our greatest unmet need.
I work in a psychiatric hospital, mostly on the unit with schizophrenic, psychotic, and manic patients. Every day I experience something beautiful. I had a patient recently who handed me a rumpled up, very handled piece of paper with their favorite hymn on it. They asked me if I knew that song. I said no. So they sang it for me. It was so beautiful. Then they asked me what my name was, and when I told them, they handed me back the paper with the hymn. “Here,” they said, “write your name on this.” I said, “Oh no, not on there, I know that’s important to you.” They looked at me and said, “Well, you are important too.”
This week I had the honor of spending two days with my autistic and physically challenged friend Sarah and her parents. Some would look at Sarah and think she is broken, but Sarah is a beautiful mosaic of light and sparkle. She helps me be a more thoughtful, grateful person.
Yes, sometimes it takes looking closer and being relationship to see what might be missed from afar. “A beautiful mosaic of light and sparkle”. Amen my friend.
I find beauty and mending in your questions Carrie. I’ve learned that sometimes question asking can feel as big and beautiful as the answer. And these questions give back answers so beautifully, dropping through whispers, leading to more journeys, more wonders, and more questions.. You and Diane Sawyer have given me this gift of question asking. Thank you.
Recently one of my my questions involved asking, “What birds sing at night in the winter?”, when thinking about your Gethsemane night singing and trying to feel for my own soul chord. While looking at the beginnings of the full moon; aka “The Cold Moon, looking for light in the darkness, this also led me to ask through the internet, “Do birds travel by the stars?”, and to my utter astonishment, indeed they do! Isn’t that so beautiful.
There are studies to support the theory that birds are genetically encoded for celestial navigation among other wondrous things. Other creatures like whales, salmon, seals, dung beetles, and moths might be too. Imagine seeing stars through the eyes of a bird or whale. Another question I recently asked, was, “Can animals express appreciation for beauty?”, and what I found are bower bird nests!
Please do yourself a favor and look up Bower bird nests on the internet. These nests are amazing and what I find interesting is that the bower birds seem like the people who are the glass finding mosaic making artists in your writing. The bower birds find things that have been thrown away too, to make something beautiful out of it all. There is so much beauty in these discoveries that I don’t know where the metaphors begin and end..Everywhere connection and beauty..
This morning as I sat in the silence of my Quaker meeting, I looked out the window at the trees in the woods behind and saw something sparkling. Curious, I thought but as I looked long and at the surrounding tress and bushes all the leave were sparkling. The sun was catching small drops of rain that lingered on the leaves. The whole wood twinkled.
I was in North Carolina for a few days this week (I live in IN). We walked early every morning and on one chilly day there was a heavy frost on everything! I was thinking of Carrie's writing of things that show up in our lives that are luminous! And indeed, the sun on the frost on the limbs of trees and on the grass was truly luminous, and beautiful!
Blooms of bright yellow and warm burgundy chyrsanthamums on December 15 in as we approach the longest night. We live in Northwestern Michigan where the days are short and the weather has been seriously cold and windy yet they continue their cheery blooming since I gathered them and he first weekend of November! Joy, Hope, Peace the seem to be saying.
Attended a writing retreat (virtual) this weekend- a dubious time commitment in December, but one that has been incredibly (and unexpectedly) uplifting. Sharing writing from prompts from our presenter, unedited and with strangers/new friends in breakout rooms. The content ranged from planned to whatever happened to flow- but all contained moments of wisdom, transcendance or grace. The experience itself was one of grace and beauty- bringing together pieces in lives of those previously unknown to each other and finding wholeness and light.
It’s been a long week, spending much time at the hospital with my elderly mother-in-law. I’ve been searching for beauty, but in the form of kindness from the staff. And while driving today, I stopped to retrieve a clunky metal object from the roadway. It’s been a practice of mine for several years to (safely) collect objects from the road that might puncture a tire or be thrown by a tire onto another car’s window. Among my collection are a knife, 2 screwdrivers, several locks, dozens of nails, and numerous unidentifiable objects. Someday I will use them to create a piece of art. In the meantime, when I collect one, I send a blessing to an unknown, and unknowable, person who might otherwise have been injured by the object.
Oh my yes, these items might have caused great harm or injury. What a kind thing to do my friend - and an act of care that the next person that drove down that road may never know was given. It makes me bow my head in gratitude for a the kindnesses sent my way. I have a practice of saying a prayer every time I see the lights of an ambulance. The love and care we send matters. It would be an interesting and powerful sculpture.
Today I heard beautiful handbells being played. I was sitting with a man who brings his service dog with him. My friend has PTSD. As soon as the bells started the dog moved to the aisle and sat up on his hind legs and enjoyed the music. Not only was I hearing and seeing the lovely sound and sight of the handbells but I saw the lovely face of a precious dog enjoy the music too. It made tears come to my eyes.
It wasn't beautiful, exactly, but it resonates with that idea: I held in my hand half of a broken brick. It was made from clay dug, they think, from a hillside that rises about two miles from where I was. It was made in 1840 by an enslaved person. Long story how I came to be there doing that. Still, without any backstory beyond those facts, it does connect with what you have said here, Carrie.
Nicely woven from well used words.peace—bill
Wow! Your voice is a healing balm for the world!
🤗
Paper scraps can be reassembled into beautiful little junk journals or cards.
Beauty found in the broken hearts of a couple who are holding on for life. Beauty found in the eyes of my beloved-Linda. And the eyes of my beloved 4 legged best friend-Bear. Beauty found in my old 1999 Dodge pick up that keeps on firing when I need her. Beauty found in listening to John Denver's Christmas album-and Emmylou's as well. And beauty found here with this community and our precious muse-Carrie.
Gorgeous post, words, pictures and song 💜
Enjoyed local church Messiah concert with wonderful singing and small orchestra, generously offered to public at no charge. Started working with two non-profits not aware of each other to better help young mothers in crisis with mutual aid referrals, regardless of politics. Also planning to organize fundraising to build reasonably priced small apartments for new and young mothers, as local housing shortages are our greatest unmet need.
Yes. So beautiful !
I work in a psychiatric hospital, mostly on the unit with schizophrenic, psychotic, and manic patients. Every day I experience something beautiful. I had a patient recently who handed me a rumpled up, very handled piece of paper with their favorite hymn on it. They asked me if I knew that song. I said no. So they sang it for me. It was so beautiful. Then they asked me what my name was, and when I told them, they handed me back the paper with the hymn. “Here,” they said, “write your name on this.” I said, “Oh no, not on there, I know that’s important to you.” They looked at me and said, “Well, you are important too.”
Oh Sara, what a beautiful story….thank you so much for sharing.
This week I had the honor of spending two days with my autistic and physically challenged friend Sarah and her parents. Some would look at Sarah and think she is broken, but Sarah is a beautiful mosaic of light and sparkle. She helps me be a more thoughtful, grateful person.
Yes, sometimes it takes looking closer and being relationship to see what might be missed from afar. “A beautiful mosaic of light and sparkle”. Amen my friend.
I find beauty and mending in your questions Carrie. I’ve learned that sometimes question asking can feel as big and beautiful as the answer. And these questions give back answers so beautifully, dropping through whispers, leading to more journeys, more wonders, and more questions.. You and Diane Sawyer have given me this gift of question asking. Thank you.
Recently one of my my questions involved asking, “What birds sing at night in the winter?”, when thinking about your Gethsemane night singing and trying to feel for my own soul chord. While looking at the beginnings of the full moon; aka “The Cold Moon, looking for light in the darkness, this also led me to ask through the internet, “Do birds travel by the stars?”, and to my utter astonishment, indeed they do! Isn’t that so beautiful.
There are studies to support the theory that birds are genetically encoded for celestial navigation among other wondrous things. Other creatures like whales, salmon, seals, dung beetles, and moths might be too. Imagine seeing stars through the eyes of a bird or whale. Another question I recently asked, was, “Can animals express appreciation for beauty?”, and what I found are bower bird nests!
Please do yourself a favor and look up Bower bird nests on the internet. These nests are amazing and what I find interesting is that the bower birds seem like the people who are the glass finding mosaic making artists in your writing. The bower birds find things that have been thrown away too, to make something beautiful out of it all. There is so much beauty in these discoveries that I don’t know where the metaphors begin and end..Everywhere connection and beauty..
I have heard of bower birds. How wonderful to think of them in this context. Thank you Lindy.
This morning as I sat in the silence of my Quaker meeting, I looked out the window at the trees in the woods behind and saw something sparkling. Curious, I thought but as I looked long and at the surrounding tress and bushes all the leave were sparkling. The sun was catching small drops of rain that lingered on the leaves. The whole wood twinkled.
Ahhh, I can see it through your description. Thank you Gracia.
I was in North Carolina for a few days this week (I live in IN). We walked early every morning and on one chilly day there was a heavy frost on everything! I was thinking of Carrie's writing of things that show up in our lives that are luminous! And indeed, the sun on the frost on the limbs of trees and on the grass was truly luminous, and beautiful!
Blooms of bright yellow and warm burgundy chyrsanthamums on December 15 in as we approach the longest night. We live in Northwestern Michigan where the days are short and the weather has been seriously cold and windy yet they continue their cheery blooming since I gathered them and he first weekend of November! Joy, Hope, Peace the seem to be saying.
Attended a writing retreat (virtual) this weekend- a dubious time commitment in December, but one that has been incredibly (and unexpectedly) uplifting. Sharing writing from prompts from our presenter, unedited and with strangers/new friends in breakout rooms. The content ranged from planned to whatever happened to flow- but all contained moments of wisdom, transcendance or grace. The experience itself was one of grace and beauty- bringing together pieces in lives of those previously unknown to each other and finding wholeness and light.
Your writing retreat sounds lovely…truly wonderful. How wonderful you listened to your heart took the time to do this.
It’s been a long week, spending much time at the hospital with my elderly mother-in-law. I’ve been searching for beauty, but in the form of kindness from the staff. And while driving today, I stopped to retrieve a clunky metal object from the roadway. It’s been a practice of mine for several years to (safely) collect objects from the road that might puncture a tire or be thrown by a tire onto another car’s window. Among my collection are a knife, 2 screwdrivers, several locks, dozens of nails, and numerous unidentifiable objects. Someday I will use them to create a piece of art. In the meantime, when I collect one, I send a blessing to an unknown, and unknowable, person who might otherwise have been injured by the object.
Oh my yes, these items might have caused great harm or injury. What a kind thing to do my friend - and an act of care that the next person that drove down that road may never know was given. It makes me bow my head in gratitude for a the kindnesses sent my way. I have a practice of saying a prayer every time I see the lights of an ambulance. The love and care we send matters. It would be an interesting and powerful sculpture.
Today I heard beautiful handbells being played. I was sitting with a man who brings his service dog with him. My friend has PTSD. As soon as the bells started the dog moved to the aisle and sat up on his hind legs and enjoyed the music. Not only was I hearing and seeing the lovely sound and sight of the handbells but I saw the lovely face of a precious dog enjoy the music too. It made tears come to my eyes.
It wasn't beautiful, exactly, but it resonates with that idea: I held in my hand half of a broken brick. It was made from clay dug, they think, from a hillside that rises about two miles from where I was. It was made in 1840 by an enslaved person. Long story how I came to be there doing that. Still, without any backstory beyond those facts, it does connect with what you have said here, Carrie.