I choose to type in ‘green’ this morning because green is a colour of hope and rebirth and wishful thinking! I think that I’m more optimistic this morning. This is a good thing. My children are growing weary of my emotional and physical engagement with this fractured finger. I am growing weary too!
Some different bits of news and events to celebrate (a new focus) and some so simple that it makes me smile. I can now wrap my hand around and hold a half-filled cup of coffee and sustain this for a period of time. I can rest my hand on my leg and feel all four of my fingers curled around that contour. I can flip through my files at school without big tears coming to the surface. I can stick four fingers inside a glass to rinse it out at the sink. ALL good stuff.
I began to teach from The Chapel again…a class titled Making Faces. I have seven students…all very keen and excited. I only wish I could take pictures and archive the experience. (I’m really missing my camera!) It feels so good to be back out there working with the young ones and with absolutely no concerns about assessment! I’m going to be teaching a second neighbourhood class as well beginning next Saturday morning…this one titled Bowls and Balls.
Next, last evening three of us attended the open house for the Bee Kingdom, a studio/gallery/residence (glassblowers collective) shared by three amazing glass artists. I loved seeing Tim again and enjoyed seeing the progress he is making in his life as an artist. I am very proud of his accomplishments, but most of all, by the person he has become. He is filled with stories and mythology and art to overflowing. He is extremely generous and articulate. When we arrived, the house was vibrating with dance and laughter. But Tim took pause and showed us around the studio and the gallery and engaged us in wonderful conversation. A very fun event….and again, so pleasant because I DIDN’T have to drive!!
Tim shared that his sister Elisabeth (one of my original Grade Nine art students at this particular school….15 years back) has just published her second book.
Her first book venture…something to pet the cat about. Elisabeth inspires me with her exploration of issues around interconnectedness…people…animals…environment. Her latest projects investigate animation in various forms.
Something else!!
I moved into the University of Lethbridge residence in August of 1973. It seemed as though the relatively new building was abandoned at the time…I still remember the sound of the wind through the stairwells and the hot-coulee-sun that poured over me as I wandered the river valley. The first person I met and really chatted with was a young man named Richard Nerysoo. I was sitting on the front steps of the University…Richard sitting at my side. He had a gentle voice and we spoke about all sorts of things. I felt so much better and ‘connected’ as we shared that time…I was only mildly aware of the sun changing in the sky….time was so ‘magical’ with Richard.
Just last evening I typed Richard’s name into the GOOGLE-MONSTER and look at what wonderful things I discovered! Congratulations Richard, in having given voice to people and in speaking out on matters that so strongly affect our environment and all of us. I ended up staying up late into the night catching up with Richard’s accomplishments through various articles and interviews…and feel very fortunate that I shared such an amazing conversation with him so many years ago! I am learning more and more that a single conversation…a moment of magic between two people is sometimes pivotal and life-giving!