When we are young, we remember with our senses. We remember what color our grandfather’s favorite chair was, and the peculiar texture of our kindergarten teachers wild curly hair. In particular, I remember the very first book that I ever read on my own, and how powerful that was. My first taste of independence.
It is much more to me now, to look back on it with the ability to name that moment, to define what exactly made it special. The experience, however nameless, was absolutely delicious.
I knew that something marvelous must be happening. When does all that independence become so daunting?
When I look at my godson, and my nieces and nephews, as they run wild around me, I can spot the flash of those experiences in their eyes. It has been taking me back, and making me more thoughtful.
It has also made me grateful.
It could have been the holidays too, and what a friend of mine calls the ‘hurricane of love’ that I was met with, in these first difficult months of this year.
So it is with my senses that I have been approaching things. Trying to get back to those experiences. I will call them simple pleasures for sake of your time, and my tendency to ramble on, but in truth they are anything but Simple. Pleasures for certain, they are my particular way of remembering the people that I am longing for. That part, I suppose, is what makes it simple. Childish too, but maybe the two are somewhat linked.
Childishness and simplicity. The muckity muck has been removed. There is nothing left but the shoe shine.
Within my memory, I am cataloging those wonderful things that I can remember about my mother, and looking forward to all of the things that I will share with my love when he finally returns.
In the mean time, I am enjoying all the flashes, in all of these eyes. The people that I love and that have been my hurricane.
Thank you.
I have been looking at the blinking cursor that is flashing and prompting me to give you words describing how I feel after reading this blog. While I appreciate the constant enthusiastic reminders, I cannot possibly put into words the way your poetry allbiet photos or letters encapsulate pure visions and emotions for me. I feel the same way when I look at the lavender mountains. You are so talented; I have told you this again and again and I am sure my voice will crack with effort. I don’t tell you because you don’t know it, but because I am fanatic about you. I am privileged to have been a portion of your artistic experiences, and yet, those that I am not a part of I feel like I know too because you speak to me. It is not because we love one another, but because of your ‘spirit’. I am and will forever be, tear streaked and impatiently waiting for your next thoughts and your newest perspective. All I can think of to summerize is thank you and know you will always have a very endearing vote of confidence from a girl who’s name is rain. (And as a post script, I may beg that you give me a copy of the photo you took of my beautiful daughter peeking out behind that ladybug – which means good luck and she certainly is always that to me)
Hey Regan! Your blog looks GREAT! Love the Dr. Seuss quote, it’s one of my all-time favorites. Sending hugs! x