Sunday, January 15, 2012

Oh Girl

Ah dear Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor,

Universal Mother. I have loved you long time. We had our babies around the same time. I danced my beautiful son around our dark living room to the Lion and the Cobra when he couldn't sleep. I felt you there with us, your magic so real.

I see you tweeting sweet darling girl. I want to reply, to remind you that you wrote the anthem (the one I sang and played over and over to my daughter hoping to immunize her from the dangers of a self-immolating desire):

I never wanna be no man's woman
I only wanna be my own woman
I haven't traveled this far to become
no man's woman

Now, I know for all of us (especially you, me, and my girl) that doesn't mean we don't like blokes. We are more than we seem, like all women. We are glorious. We must remember.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Moonrise Kingdom

This looks amazing.



Thanks sfgirlbybay for the heads up.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Peace is Every Step

My luminous mother and I once did the Portland Marathon together. I know! Can you believe it dear reader? What's more fantastic is that we finished! I do not enjoy trudging uphill. Some might call this laziness. I don't look at it that closely.

The marathon course is pretty hill-avoider friendly except for the approach to the St. Johns' bridge which offers a hill challenge, albeit a minimal, modest, most people wouldn't notice yet present hill challenge. On my way up I alternated between whining at my poor mum ("Are we there yet?"), singing James Brown's "I Feel Good!" breathlessly, and reciting this lovely poem by Thich Nath Hanh, which, along with my glorious madre, was companion to me on almost every step of the 9 months of training we did to prepare:

Peace is Every Step

Peace is every step.
The shining red sun is my heart.
Each flower smiles with me.
How green, how fresh all that grows.
How cool the wind blows.
Peace is every step.
It turns the endless path to joy.

And, today you sent this dear reader, to remind me how much I love the monk and the world:

The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering) from R Smittenaar on Vimeo.


Here is to peace.