A Milestone

Hard to believe it’s here…my 100th post. And, coincidentally(?), the one-year anniversary of the tragedy that inspired the creation of this blog. Mourning and death are important, should not be taboo; they have the power to clarify life. This blog is about life. From Andrea Gibson’s poem, Titanic:

Have you ever had the feeling that you owe somebody somewhere
a really good reason to live?
To grow old?
To be ninety-eight-and-a-half
with a laugh like broken glass
so whenever folks walk barefoot
they’ll get hidden pieces embedded in their souls?

In my grief, I’ve selfishly felt that that owed “somebody somewhere” has been me. While I wanted to share this space in the hopes that maybe once in a while it might inspire or brighten someone’s day, I started it more for myself as a form of grief therapy. As a collection of “really good reason[s],” so that I’d always be focused on and hunting for them, and so that whenever I needed to I could come here and be reminded of them. And because for a very long time I said that before I died I would buy my dream camera to capture and share the reasons to “Why did Rumi dance?”

Here’s to 100 posts.

To every day and life that I am so blessed to experience.

And especially to you, Daryl, for the loving encouragement you always gave me to live, and for the many lives you touched, inspired, and continue to influence with your beautiful soul.

BeforeIDie

Live

What will you do before you die?

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Suggested

Before I Die website

The Wall

TheWall“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”
Maya Angelou

One year ago today was the last time you and I were together here. Since you left, the amount of things I don’t know have only multiplied. I’m ok with that. It makes what is known that much sweeter. One of the few things I do know, is that I can feel your love from the other side of the wall that now separates us.

It’s The Little Things

PollockThe first time I noticed it, I was sitting on the bench in front of the painting, letting myself be hypnotized by the controlled chaos of the large canvas. I was admiring how much depth could be felt by the use of only five colors, when suddenly my gaze drifted across it. I rubbed by eyes thinking that maybe I’d been staring for so long that my eyes were playing tricks on me. But when I got up and walked closer, there it was! A sixth color about the size of the tip of a pinky finger: a single red drip. A hidden gem. I laughed out loud, feeling like in some funny way Pollock was smiling back at me through that little dot.
PollockCr

Deja Entendu

DejaEntendu
“I need the smell of summer, I need its noises in my ears.”

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I was going to put up this post unrelated to the Weekly Photo Challenge, but it seems as though the prompt (“Treasure”) somehow knew…

That winter’s drives to the beaches, frozen fingertips holding cigarettes out cracked windows, music blasting as we sang of youthful heartache and yearning…Memories I will treasure forever.

Momentum

Momentum“The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.”
Frances Willard

Very special credit to Daniel Waters. Danny, without your incredible rock skipping skills this shot would not have been possible. Thank you!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

BurnedDriftwoodBurned driftwood on the shore.
Prompt Post

In The Distance

InTheDistanceBoulders can be overcome. Try not to lose complete focus of what is in the distance.