Goddess ArtMuse

My recent trip to California yielded a delightful surprise.  The neighbour's daughters were watching the dog-GOD during the pre-wedding festivities.  One night, I was asked to bring the dog-GOD home.   I walked over and as I got to the door, I stepped onto this beautiful mosaic creation.  I was so enthralled, I took off my shoes and let my toesies feel the energy of the shells and stones in this artistic creation. 

I had an opportunity to meet Goddess Cheryl and her lovely family at my cousin's wedding.  Her daughters walked down the aisle and helped the bride with her lovely train.  Her Goddesses In Real Life were also the dog-GOD's official wedding escorts.

The day before I left California, I went to snap the picture above and Goddess Cheryl opened the door and told me the story of its creation.  She then opened the door to her home and art studio and shared with me her divine creations.  I post her busy-ness cards below because they contain two of her artistic renditions.

Besides being a mother of two lovely Goddesses in Real Life, Goddess Cheryl is also an Artist ExtraOrdinary, a fabulous Designer and an awesome Illustrator.  She might be blessing women and GIRLs of this world by opening up her space and teaching art classes.  Yay!!!

I was so inspired by this Goddess, I created a video of a sampling of her ART with music on Animoto.  These videos are my gift of love to you, my Goddess.  

Thank you for your inspiration, your grace, your SPIRIT.

I am so grateful!!! I am so blessed!!!

El Sistema - Children and Music

Telephone - Sunday Scribblings #110

The telephone was always such a curious and mysterious instrument to me.

My earliest memories was of a box that you spoke into to share secrets with others.  I would hear all these mysterious clicks only to discover what I thought was secret could be regurgitated right back at me at any time.

It was also a little box that brought bad news.  People from other countries would call in the middle of the night - someone is sick, someone has died.  And the person receiving the message on our end would start crying or moaning.

And telephone calls with family members overseas were very brief and non-satisfying and very scratchy.  "Is everything OK?  Yes.  Here too.  Speak to you next week."  In fact, this was my way of communicating with my parents once I was on my own.  "How is everything?  Okay?  All is well.  Speak to you next Friday"

Nowadays, with the cell phone, telephone calls have become impersonal - some thing to be done to pass time while doing other things such as driving vehicles or waiting for something else to happen.

For me communication is difficult enough between two people who are truly connected.  Add a phone and wires in between connecting one box to another and a lot of meaning is lost in translation.  Communication is only 30% about what is said.  The rest is conveyed by body language.  Alas, with a telephone - you are left to decipher the meaning of what you hear.

Over the years, I have become a better listener.  I pick up tone and nuance in a person's voice.  I listen for the pauses and silences and can better interpret what they represent.

And when speaking with older members of the family, it is amazing how much joy and solace a telephone call can create.  Calling my grandmother in Romania out of the blue can make her day!!!  And hearing her voice light up makes mine.

Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day!!!

The Sea and Me

Went to the ocean this morning - really needed to detox and immerse myself  & change my body's chemistry.  And today's waters were such a treat - the surf was so calm and clear.  WSM Noah and I walked out quite a distance from the shore and yet the water barely went up our thighs.  

So many things going on in my life lately - and when I feel insecure or afraid, I shut down.  The little girl inside clams up.  She puts up walls.  The writing and releasing and sharing of feelings and insights and observation stops.   I haven't posted in over a month.  

So many wonderful, terrible, beautiful, emotional things are occuring in my life.  And just as the momentum builds and things are feeling better, something comes and knocks the wind right out of me.  And the little soul inside runs and hides to the deepest recesses of my heart where I have not yet gained access.

Today my experience at the ocean gave new meaning to my life.  In the shallow clear water as I am looking at the patterns of sand on the ocean floor and releasing feelings about our most recent encounter with family members , I see a blackish fin right over WSM Noah's shoulder.  And I felt myself begin to panic.  

"Honey, oh my goddess, there's a fish in the water with us."  He swiveled and saw a dark mass in the clear waters just beyond his arm's reach.  And then a fin came out of the water again.   He told me to stay calm and stop moving.  And so we stood there, in awe and with hearts pounding as the fish(es?) swam by, hooked a right turn and went on its merry way.  That moment felt like a very very long time as the adrenaline in the body kicked in and the movies in the mind starting playing scenes from Jaws.  And yet, a little voice within said: "What a blessing.  We are swimming with the dolphins"

WSM Noah said nothing.  He kept on looking at the dark mass in the water as it got further and further away.  And then he said.  "Out of the water - now - slowly".  We made our way back to shore and marveled at the opportunity we had to swim among the true inhabitants of the Ocean.

I came home to assuage my fears and conducted internet research to see which inhabitants of the Ocean had graced us with their presence.  And as I looked at different pictures of dorsal fins and read to see what fish are found in the shallow waters of South Florida's beaches - be it shark or dolphin - I found some pictures on Flicker that most resembled what I saw today.  The first one belongs to Jabzg's photostream while the second one belongs to XoMissi's photostream

WSM Noah reminds me that just recently a young boy got bitten by a shark while playing in shallow waters.  I am grateful that the fish in the water with us was more curious then hungry.  I count my blessings that I can write about this and release any residual stress that came up with this experience.  And I marvel at how the little one inside is so eager to share again.

Yay!!!