Listened to Kenny Chesney. No Shoes No Shirt No Problems.... on auto replay. My mind wandered through the ether. Day trippin with the ease of a breath of fresh air and a wing of freedom for not having
to do anything
to feel this way.
Man and that's the good stuff right there.
Best One Step other than
the Boss
his was right to the heart
to the gut
to the groin
Kenny's
I close my eyes like Grandma used to when she was listening
Can't share any more than that. It is just a little bit, a bit of grain in a field of hay
maybe this one
It's a heart breaker so.... there's that... but it's so good.
There were some happy story songs too.
But I have been giving it some thought and wondered
Why did I zero in on these songs?
While I was painting
my mind strayed
and I was at the memorial
where Out of the Ashes went to live some where else
Coco and I were asked to go up front
the line of firemen stood there
so strong and beautiful
and one of the older men looked at me
his face was flush
his eyes were filled with tears
and he silently mouthed
thank you
and that moment has stayed with me today
why
I was painting two birds
why was that coming into my mind
It was a recognition
and then I thought
Had he read my book
or the poem about the painting?
I saw it in his eyes
that he had read me
he felt that way
because I had done the same thing
when I painted that painting
when I wrote those words
It was an understanding however it happened
It was such a raw few seconds
I don't even think I had the presence of mind to
do more than take in his expression
It is a beautiful thing when some one sees you
I think that awareness was with me
when I was painting Two Birds
and again later
when the dogs and I were walking together
we have established our own common language
and we read each other
Its a pretty cool experience
that moment
and man oh man
it is a beautiful thing
a really beautiful thing.
some times I think we spend a lot of time
worrying about whether we are going to be loved
or understood or accepted by one special person
and if we don't
then all is lost
I don't think that is true.
I think when we are understood
it can change everything
and that doesn't necessarily mean all is lost
because it doesn't come from one person in particular
Today first the first time
the little 8 year old dingbat dog I adopted a couple of months ago
didn't get up and leave the room when I vacuumed
He knew I wasn't going to disturb him
and he knew he was safe
And it made me feel good that he understood this by my actions
When it was time for a break
I got ready to take Coco and Rider for a walk
I put their leashes on them and then we went out back
and I opened the gate.
Rider has had a real thing about my two cats.
When he first got here he barked non-stop
Not more than a week ago I was wondering
if I had made a mistake
and then the focus went off of what I wanted him to do
and onto just living and doin' the damn thing
and this is what happened...
Coco, Rider and me were going out the gate and one of the cats was there.
I told Rider, no bark and praised him calmly
good no bark Rider
Left side I said to see if he would go to my left side like Coco
and he did it
And then he barked
I didn't yank at him or yell at him
I just calmly turned around and went back inside the gate and closed it
Then we turned back around and I reminded him
Don't bark Rider
and we went out the gate again
and he barked though it was less
and we went back inside the gate again and I closed it
Then we went back out again and this time he just made a sound and
back again we turned and went back into the yard
and I closed the gate
No additional words were spoken.
Then we went out onto the driveway and Rider did not bark
He was quiet
he saw the cat and we walked right by
and I praised him and told him how good he was
it was a wonderful break through moment
he was walking in perfect sync
in between Coco and me
and then
dududuhhhh
another cat
I reminded him
Rider no bark
and he was once again
perfect
and he stayed on my left side
we walked together for awhile
and in one stretch
where the road narrows I told them to wait
and I stood facing them with my back to the road
so they were safe between a rail and me
Coco is used to this
but this was the first time Rider waited instantly and knew to stay
and of course I praised them both
we continued on and I thought
we are reading each other
I know I'm going to protect them
they know they are safe
and we are all pacing ourselves and walking together
and it is really
nice
It doesn't have to take more than a moment for life to give you
a nice big ol hug
as Grandma would ask me
"Isn't that the berries?"
And we'd say, "It's the strawberries."
When you've got people
or dingbat animals that show you this
its special
Love doesn't always come to us the way we think it will.
It isn't always given to us by the people we think will love us forever.
Those dreams and hopes disintegrated for me, decades ago.
Maybe that is why I so appreciate the love I have in my life
from my family, friends and Coco and the rest of our four legged crew.
I've been giving this more thought because the music feels so intense and heavy which doesn't reflect the frame of mind I am in right now. I'm thinking, because I don't store memories correlated to emotions anymore, maybe that is why I am drawn to certain music when I am working on a painting. I want to feel a certain emotion while I am working on a painting and the music helps me to get there. I think that's it.
Well, today is a new day. There is more to discover, more to forget and more to be grateful for, now.
Oh and I finally have a good picture of Uncharted Waters. My daughter took it with proper lighting and a good wide angle lens.
No comments:
Post a Comment