"The Wind of My Soul" by Peggy Hill - Click the Pic!

"The Wind of My Soul" by Peggy Hill - Click the Pic!
Click the Pic to get the book!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

simplicity

Many years ago while passing thru Sedona we stopped in Flagstaff for lunch. I walked past a gallery there and my heart and soul dragged my body into a little shop. Thus, a new relationship started. Louis Buchetto entered my life there. Though we have only seen each other a few times his art lives on in my life and in my kitchen and in a number of my friends and family's homes. His message too lives on... Simplicity. My life is very complicated, I have many opinions and a huge network of family and friends. Those who know me, know I am constantly working on a new project. My taste in music ranges from Nightwish to Gordon Lightfoot with a myriad of artists in between. Visual art is the same for me, my taste runs the gamut. I have attention deficit disorder but I like to refer to it as mega vision order. I have a need to see it all. I quickly glean many wonders in nature, in art, music and philosophy, so my mind skips around a lot. My office is not tidy, not because I am lazy or disorganized but because the minute I begin to sort thru papers, one will catch my attention and I will set off in a new direction with a new quest. My thoughts are kind of 'catch me if you can'. But I am ok with me. Simplicity is always a comfort to me. A short explanation, a profound wisdom in 7 words or less, an uncomplicated theme and a straight forward relationship minus the drama. Prayer and Spirit are the same. I speak my need in faith and simply expect. All the bells and whistles just kind of confuse me.
Simplicity, what a wonderful quest for a part time collector of everything interesting. Simplicity, what a gift to a complex part-time chaos sculpture. Thank you to all you KISS advocates, (keep it simple stupid), I appreciate you!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Beauty

With the Arts Eureka Fall Art Show only a few weeks away, I have had art and beauty on my mind. Several years ago, I had a dream. Seamus, Sir Charles and JTH bringing music simply for the pure purpose of creating beauty from the inside out. As most of my dreams go, I am a 'sky's the limit' girl. I found the image by Cynthia De' Robbins at the Art Show and decided this spoke of my vision of beauty. Serene, placid, lightness within darkness and looking upward to the source of beauty. Great! We worked out the art arrangement. Now the music! My three "Mystical Warriors" began to create incredible music. Since Seamus was only here for a short time from Ireland, we knew it would take awhile. We did the incredible photo shoot and planned for an awesome tour of the music. A dream was in the making. All was on track. Then suddenly the current went wild and the tide rose. My sweet Sir Charles Hammer, my friend, confidant, troubadour, trickster, master hugger got very ill and died. How can life be so cruel? I was crushed... not the first time and certainly not the last. Through it all we managed to finish our project. Not as the combined "Warriors" but with compositions from each person. It was not what I dreamed, but it was still "Beauty Music". And if life seems to be raging against you now, it may not be what you dreamed, but remember it is still beautiful. Sir Charles, you have added so much to the beauty in my life....Thank You!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Hands

We were challenged this weekend to look at our hands. I began to think about what miraculous tools God has given us. With hands music is created, babies are brought into the world and gardens are planted. With hands we are able to take love and deliver it to a needy soul. Also with hands we are able to take up a gun in war, abuse a spouse, pick up a bottle of booze. With hands we are able to take destruction into the world.
Disease is passed by hands and cured with hands. What a picture of free will and personal choice. I have used my hands to heal and to harm. As my hands grow older, they do much more healing and much less harming. That is the beauty of aging. Bring on wrinkles and age spots if it means that I will reach out with hands of understanding and forgiveness. I've never had manicured hands soft and silky. Mine have been hands in the kitchen. Burned and scared many times. Those burns are my most precious legacy. Too bad we are not born with wisdom. We have to live a life time to gain some. Hands reveal our story. From the first hand we touch to the last, life is about giving and receiving. Hands to build or to destroy, we decide.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Another door, another layer

After just coming off a retreat weekend I have the feeling that I have stepped thru another door. Of course there are many behind me and many ahead of me, but today I stand in this place. At this moment of great successes and great failures of laughter and tears, I find myself alone. And although I know I am never truly alone I am embracing this feeling of autonomy. I have many choices, however they are mine alone to make. I may choose to forgive or to hold tight to my blessed resentments. I may choose to let you in or wisely keep you out. Love is not for the timid. Love is not for the selfish. Love will tear you up, it is the lions den. But without it you are not fully alive, so choose. I may even choose not to choose as I sip my morning coffee and contemplate a day of television and fructose sugar... it is up to me and I am so grateful for that!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Irish dreams again

Today, I miss Ireland. I would like to just leave all these papers on my desk, my to do lists, my disappointments and ignorant expectations and just fly away. I don't even need to pack a bag because I know a St. Vincent DePaul shop in Wicklow Town that would take care of my wardrobe needs. Perhaps I would not even leave a forwarding address, just become a part of the land a misguided three leaf clover. Since I feel like Ireland must be the closest place to heaven I could just make a hop skip and a jump and be in my forever home. But meanwhile, to have my feet on Irish soil and to look into the eyes of Irish hearts, that is my fantasy get away today. To walk away from this computer and my cell phone and to wake up to brown bread and jam with a hot cup of coffee every morning. Maybe I could even write my thoughts on a piece of paper, and talk to a friend face to face.....oh that would be glory.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wonderful

I had many things to do today... A huge to do list. I had to cast them all aside because there is something way more important than me or the things I think I must do. Today 33 men will be rescued, returned to there love ones. They will be truly born again. As I watched the oldest and wisest man drop to his knees, I was immediately transformed into the arms of a loving and gracious Creator God. For all the war and hatred and darkness in the world, here was piercing light! I so wished I could do something, so in thanksgiving I created 34 prayer ties to hang at the Medicine Wheel Garden. One tie for each life and one for the giver of life. I will go and hang them and pray when I am done writing this blog. I know that each of us lives in some way in that seemingly hopeless darkness, but all around us are angels we do not see and a meriad of helpers and supporters wanting to lift us into the light. We just must wait, pray, trust and humbly be lifted. Today, people all across the globe have formed a Circle of Nations Global Community, rejoicing in the miracles we are seeing in Chile. Today we are all brothers and sisters, life is as it should be, this is peace, this is faith, this is possible! Love!!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

drops of dew


We are all just drops of dew before the morning sun
we are simply nurturing spirits looking for a little fun
I am not better, nor wiser or more important than you
I am simply a tiny water droplet, a refreshing drop of dew
and together we water and comfort the dry and thirsty earth
giving our gifts and dreams in hopes of loves rebirth
And as the warmth of noon day and sun gives off its sweet light
then slowly we each give up our flesh and return to the silent night
next day the others take our place and feed the new born blades
and soon the time of their lives like ours will simply fade
good by to war and hatred, good by to ego too
hello to little water drops and hope of morning dew!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Inspired

When I woke up this morning I read the Circle of Nations newsletter and was very inspired by John Two-Hawks words. I began to consider the concept of strength. I've never had much muscle. I don't recall ever winning an arm wrestling match. Quite honestly I am really quite a wimp. So I began to contemplate what is true strength and in what ways am I strong. Have I faced true adversity. Maybe a little? I look at people like Nancy Cooper Maier and Jean Seifried who courageously face cancer and who bring music, art and beauty to the world in the midst of their own struggle. I look at someone like JTH who sufferered his entire childhood in an abusive and neglectful home and wakes up each day with an attitude of gratitude. And then there is me, wimpy ole me, who cries at a bee sting. I suppose my strength is my vision and my belief. My strength is my faith. And I suppose these strengths were born out of a lot of disappointment. I am thankful for those seeds of disappointment. In our lack is our true abundance. In our doubt is our true faith and in our fear is the hope of overcoming. A little flower may be a strong as a mighty oak, it just depends on what you need. We all have inner strength to give to ourselves and to a world who mistakes might and power for strength.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

signs

The sky in the picture just reminds me of life, of my life. Rich with texture, clouded in mystery and surrounded by darkness that is penetrated with light. I know that many people feel a sence of anxiety now a days. We are surrounded on all sides by fearful media and the internet can be an onslaught of misinformation. Young people are vulnerable to the hateful messages online. I feel so bad for them because they don't have the experience to know that light is forever stronger than darkness. I wish each young person could see the beauty of who they are and the possibility of a fulfilling life. It is with spirit eyes that we see past the dark clouds into the light. And unfortunately our society is becoming a society of eyes wide shut. I have wondered what the fascination is with haters, people bent on spreading negativity. Why so much attention is given to them. Perhaps it has just become a familiar spirit to us, a morbid past time. Maybe it takes too much effort to concentrate on the light. But our young people need some lightness, some laughter, hugs, affirmations, some unconditional love. They are living in a world most of us older folks didn't have to live in, shattered homes and shattered dreams. They need and we need to know that prayer, faith, hope, love can repair shattered dreams. Light will always conquer darkness!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Instant Karma


Instant Karma gonna get you!! Nothing instant about true Spirituality! It is ancient like the earth, the wind, the fire, and the water. It is slow and self effacing. Ever notice everyone is a healer and a "shaman" now a days? You can get your "Shaman's" license online for free, just click www.freeshamanslicense.com Hey that spirituality is as good for your spirit as a big mac and fries is for your body. Lesson one, if someone tells you they are a "shaman", then they are not. Lesson two, if someone tells you they are a healer, then they are not. Lesson three, if a ceremony costs $$ then it is not one. These are three simple lessons and I offer them to you free of charge. You can thank me later. True spirituality is self bought and self taught. The price is more than anyone would want to pay. It comes with sacrifice and suffering. It is paid for with tears and rejection. It is not some pie in the sky feeling like getting high. Use drugs if you want that feeling. True spirituality is born of humility and is silent and does not announce itself. True spiritual leaders live a life of love and they don't have to tell you that, because they will show you that. Follow love, follow practical wisdom, don't follow self proclaimed "shamans". Breathe and wait! It may take 7 or 70 years to have a vision. One true vision is worth 1,000 fake wanna be visions. Oh by the way "shaman" is not a word any American Indian person would use to describe a healer or medicine person (threw that one in for free). You have the eyes and ears to see and hear beauty. Follow your own path and listen to your own spirit. Instant karma not gonna get cha!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Birthday continued

Ok today is the first day of my 5 and 1/2 decades plus 1 year and 1 day. So what have I learned!
Moms rescue
sisters punch
sisters teach
sisters care
brothers make you laugh
dads are fun
most people are nice
some people are not
cake is good
cookies are awesome
sometimes those we love leave us
forever
truth is hard to come by, working hard has rewards, being honest feels good, forgiving is healthy, taking a moment is crucial, Christmas is magic, people will let you down, people will build you up, life is wonderful, life is tragic, gratitude cures fear, Disney World is incredible!, music is essential, art is life, rain on your face feels pure, God is love, love is good, books are food for the soul, prayer is food for the spirit, grandchildren are Gods bouquet to grandmas, children are a burden of joy, soul mates are real, no one makes a peanut butter and jelly like mom, the earth speaks, purpose comes from we not me, life is a mystery! Most important wisdom Have FUN!!