Many thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday with birthday greetings-much appreciated and enjoyed. We did indeed have a lovely meal at a local hostelry-the perfect end to what had been a wonderful day. I have been surfing a wave of optimism lately-mostly brought about by an outbreak of creative energy. I think it has been due in part to the energy of summer, despite the lack of much of a summer here-and partly by all those other factors that shape our lives, the conscious and the unconscious ones.
Like several people whose blogs I enjoy, I am always amazed at the warmth and generosity and “sameness” of people around the world in their responses to the good ,the bad and the ugly in life. I know the web has many unpleasant, violent, horrible things on it, but it seems to have its share of the opposite too. And although I am only too well aware that many users belong to the rich, the privileged, the cushioned world, and humanity’s majority does not have easy or any access to these toys, I am warmed by how those of us who can find a voice here are levelled by this medium.
In this corner of the Internet, we seem less ready to make judgments of each other on the basis of wealth or race or disabilty, location or religion or lack of it, or beauty or glamour or possessions. It’s freeing and exciting to make contact with another person through their voice and how they use it. Through the stories they tell in their words and in their works. It is such a gift to find common humanity in those things. And despite much evidence to the contrary, I have to believe that knowing our neighbours better can only be a good thing for all of our futures. Naive I am. Hopeful always. Sermon over.
And on the subject of gifts, one of mine was this delightful and inspiring book-The Art of Embroidery, by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne. One of the illustrations reminded me very much of what is happening here.
well said. I was reading Organic Gardener magazine yesterday and this quote struck me. By the late NZ permaculturalist Joe Polaisher when he as writing about people rallying around when he was diagnised with a brain tumour: ‘I had forgotten about one resource that is sustainable, renewable, abundant and is not peaking – love and compassion’.
very nicely said about individual voice in a sea of common-thread warmth, reception, and support. we can’t be reminded of that often enough. thank you for the mention, too. would write more, but i’m off to the book store . . .
I got this book as a birthday gift a bit earlier this summer. Have been keeping it right on my work table and love dreaming over the wealth of beautiful & inspiring pictures.
hey, happy belated birthday. I also have this book, it is so beautiful, proper eye candy!