THE
BEAST INTO BEAUTY (Winter into Spring)
(After the longest winter in history...at least in my history book...)
May 12, 2009
Since I will largely speak symbolically in this writing/pictorial, I'll simply
clarify that this was one heck of a winter!
As I've heard Garrison Keillor say before, it was so true for us, "Nature
made a serious attempt to kill us."
There
were so many times my soul felt just like this leaf, on frozen snow, holes and
all...
The end of
winter became a time to rid myself of Dead Wood. I had the support and help
of trusted friends:
Having rid
myself of Dead Wood, time to simply accept the past events as water under the
bridge...(this is symbolic on two different levels, as on one level, we had
FIVE basement floods this winter...this has not been the case in my part of
Michigan since 1997, as I am told...)
Just in time,
and not a moment too soon, Spring sprung, and I have lived to tell about it!
Early morning mist in our field outside my music studio. I think my husband Lee and I can be seen out there deep in that mist, dancing with joy!
Lilacs---the most extraordinary scent and sight of spring. They will forever be my favorite. For me, they symbolize new life (they are usually spring's first flower), they have an other-worldly, heavenly scent, stunning beauty to the eye, and healing to the heart! This year, they are in bloom at the same time as EVERYTHING bloomable is bloomed! (Only a flute player who double tongues quickly can say that sentence....).
Even Montana,
our Border Collie, loves lilacs! At least that is what she told me!
(That is my music studio in the far background).
The happy time of now is looking out across new horizons.
How would we ever live, if spring was not part of our season? As impossible as winter can be, I could not live in a two-season location, ever. I somehow need the inward call of that cold and frigid season, that hibernation of spirit. However, I have to learn to do it better, without kicking and screaming for the symbolic green grass, birdsong, and heavenly fragrances---fighting 'for' all things VIBRANT....But perhaps this is what we are supposed to do, 'fight' for aliveness. (?) A+ for me, then...ha.
It is so difficult for me to accept that which is NOT vibrant or 'alive', whether it be nature, people, or activities... What I have learned is that gratitude really means accepting what IS, no matter what 'is' is... It means saying, "what I have at this moment in my life, in totality, is enough." I suddenly have aliveness upon that acceptance, that positive "yes" stance toward everything, as opposed to that negative "no!" that robs us of all life.... Having said, "yes" to what is, I'm alive again for the first time, for the thousandth time....as I am quite sure I have returned again and again to this very lesson/theme in my life...I'm just happy to be alive to return to that lesson, then...
Italy, here we come! My upcoming Masterclass, great people, great food, and, oh, pretty-good wine...
Wishing you
all the happiest of Springtime, with all the vibrancy life has to offer!
....Rhonda
May 12, 2009