I’m thankful today for music, the universal language with which we can express the unspeakable, give voice to our sufferings, and testify about all the wondrous things that life has to offer.
I’m fairly certain the writing/blogging parallels are obvious, so I won’t belabor them here. I’ll just say that, after walking awhile in silent contemplation, I’m jammin’ again this mornin’. (Hope you’re jammin’, too!)
It’s a good feeling
It’s a happy feeling
It’s such a good feeling
To know you’re in tune.
It’s such a happy feeling to find you’re in bloom
And when you wake up ready to say
I think I’ll make a snappy new day.
It’s such a good feeling,
A very good feeling,
The feeling you know that we’re friends.
And I’ll be back
When the day is new
And I’ll have more ideas for you.
And you’ll have things you’ll want to talk about.
I will too.
I could include a host of Easter symbols here, but here’s a handful that make me hoppy happy.
1. Tatted cross bookmarks
Image credit: eBay.com
My Nana tatted Bible bookmarks for me that looked very similar to this one. They got lost over time (and over the course of several moves). But I found some tatted crosses on eBay, of all places, which I commissioned for myself, my siblings, and a handful of special friends.
2. Peeps
Image Credit: Boston.com
My husband loves Peeps, in all their iterations. (He’s a member of the Peeps fan club; did I already mention that? Silly boy.) I’m not a huge fan of the way they taste, but these colorful chicks take me back to simpler times. Plus! See how they stick together…how they own their uniqueness, their vibrant colors and textures? Yeah, that’s the ticket: they remind me of my peeps.
3. Easter Bonnets
Image Credit: PracticallyAtHome
Aren’t they just the cat’s meow? I don’t own a befeathered, beribonned bonnet, but I sure wish I did! Moreso, I’d like to develop enough "hattitude" to wear a crown, special occasion or no.
4. Foot washing
Image credit: South Wisconsin News
This ritual was typically performed by servants, so in washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus went all rogue (as he was wont to do). Aside from the metaphor about spiritual cleansing, this ritual calls us to our better angels, suggesting a life of humility and service.
5. Spring flowers at sunrise
Image credit: flickr
‘Nuf said.
When I worried aloud that I might lose her special gift, Stacy suggested I keep it in a locket. I liked that idea right away. I could wear it while I’m writing–or whenever I need to bring heaven a little closer. With that in mind, my friend and I poked around the antique shops in Orange yesterday afternoon. And voilá, look what I found!
A heart-shaped locket, engraved with two hummingbirds in flight! Coincidence, serendipity…or something else? I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Here’s the silver nest into which I placed the hummingbird feather. I bent it gently, so as not to break its fragile quill.
Generous souls…friends along the way. I don’t know what to call them, but these traveling companions always seem to appear when I need them most. They’ve appeared out of the blue, oftentimes in unexpected places. And though the timing’s not mine, it always seems perfect. That’s why I welcomed with open arms the "search angel" who showed up for me last week.
This blog post, by genealogy expert Megan Smolenyak, is what drew me to the "search angel" in the first place. As I read this line of hers, especially, I felt like I was hearing an amen chorus for some of the work that I’ve been doing:
Although NBC’s celebrity roots series, Who Do You Think You Are?, is only about to embark on its second season (February 4 , 8/7c), it already has many diehard fans. Imported from the U.K. by executive producer Lisa Kudrow, the show appears to be on the verge of provoking a nationwide epidemic of roots fever.
The underlying question of this series – Who do you think you are? – plays a pivotal role in many of my Nancy Drew adventures. In researching my own family tree, I’ve climbed precarious, sprawling branches. I’ve tunneled my way through lots of tangled roots. It’s not for the faint-hearted or indelicate, that’s for sure. Still, and though I’m not an expert genealogist, I’ve collected a bag of tricks. And side-kicks. Have roadster, will travel!
Even Nancy Drew needs someone to hold the flashlight now and again, which is why this response to Megan’s entry caught my eye:
Feel free to contact me for help in searches. I have completed 200 searches/reunions in the past two years, some without even a family name. www.priscillasharp.org. […] Reuniting the world — one family at a time.
After reviewing her website, I felt compelled to contact Priscilla. We exchanged emails, and then we spoke by phone. To say that our connection was immediate would be an understatement. I explained what I was looking for, and why. And when she said, “I would be delighted to help you,” I cried. It’s so wonderful, not to be going it alone! When we talked a few days later, she ended our phone call by saying, “I’m with you for the long haul.” I leaned into her reassuring words, and the spirit of understanding behind them.
Unlike some genealogists, Patricia does this work for free—a generosity borne of her personal experiences. (It’s not my story to tell, but I encourage you to peruse her website. You’ll come away inspired, I promise you that.) She calls herself a search angel, a name that suits her, I think. Within days, she’s already uncovered new information and artifacts for me—this revival ad, among them. Several people made mention of this line of copy: “See visible miracles…” I believe this new partnership is a miracle in its own right. Can I get a witness?
Thanks to everyone who helped write and illustrate L.K. Madigan’s Book of Love. Photography, poetry, love letters and poignant stories…We haven’t stopped to count all the submissions, but the 120-page album is full! Unfortunately, this photograph doesn’t show the book to full advantage: it’s actually metallic, and light shimmers on the reflective surface. And oh, the beauty it holds between its covers!
If you ever doubted that one person could make a difference, this book might teach you otherwise. We’re an online community, comprised of individuals from many countries. And though we’re far-flung friends, this book symbolizes all the ways we connect…across oceans and continents, across literary genres and cultural divides. When hard news befell one of our own, we came together, in support of our mutual friend.
Each person contributed something highly personal to their relationship with her. Taken as a whole, these submissions speak to common themes: love and light, in all their forms and iterations. And as of this morning, our anthology is winging its way toward Lisa.
On this Thankful Thursday, I’m once again counting my blessings. In creating this Book of Love, it feels as if they’ve increased tenfold! So…
For our mutual friend, L.K. Madigan…
For all those who helped brainstorm this idea in the first place…
And everyone who said “Yes!”
For everybody who helped write and illustrate Lisa’s Book of Love…
And for the ties that bind us all together…
I am deeply grateful.
I believe in magic, in miracles, in dandelion wishes, in prayer and the power of positive thinking. And I believe in the healing balm of friendship.
And so it is that on this Thankful Thursday, I’m grateful for the huge outpouring of love being sent L.K. Madigan’s way. Her Book of Love is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to you! While it’s not possible for her to respond personally to each contributor, our hope is that she’ll find symbols of our friendship in each entry, that she’ll draw comfort and courage from every page.
Quick Reminder: If you haven’t yet submitted your own words and images, we invite you to send yours in today. The deadline’s tomorrow evening (1/ 21, 8:00 p.m. Eastern), and the details/guidelines are here.
If you’re so inclined, you might also light another candle. Or how about entering the Feast of Awesome Giveaway? And if you’ve got a spare moment, please help us spread the word….
Image credit: Friendship Cards
