Wednesday, September 2, 2009

hearts in the sand....

during visits to the Marineland Beach, in Flagler County Florida
i often came upon a heart of natures making....

 a boulder lodged for over eighteen months
waves over time ~ create within rocks of shell


life continues among the tidal pools and moss 

one day this heart was hopeful
~ this time filled with love
coquina formations

air turns into bubbles ~  on the newly washed

sands of time...light and shadow ~ a few chips of glass

horseshoe crab lost in the night ~ finds the surf by morning light....

with the hands of humanity we also create....

i walk sometimes with my head in the clouds ~ but my feet firmly ~ one step and then the next....

Saturday, July 11, 2009

The art of letter writing - forgotten naught...



As my first posting to this newly created Blog, I write about the not so lost art of letter writing and sending post through the now referred to "snail mail." Hand written letters, cards, invitations, and notes are still an endearing part of so many of our lives.... my own for sure. As the children of today, and a still growing number of my own peers; e-mail, txt, twitter, IM, pix and video send messages from hand held devices that are sometimes small enough to fit into a change purse/wallet (something else that is less seen these days--coins) on such a spontaneous and frequent schedule, there is little doubt as to what the people who are dear to us--or not so dear--are doing at any given time.

When I was young, growing up in the sixties, we wrote letters...we wrote to our grandmothers, and our relatives far away; we wrote Thank You notes and cards for each and every gift that was given on birthdays, Christmas (personally speaking), visits or vacation stays, teas, and dinner parties. For me--there were also Pen Pals, specifically two girls I had met on separate summer vacations. It is not difficult to see how children of today are eager to communicate with friends around the globe--even meeting online through interactive games linked by the World Wide Web. We are now able to extend ourselves so far beyond my own childhood notions of communication, that I often wonder when I open my little LG-EnV, how soon before I am able to beam up to somewhere other than where I stand at present?

So, back to the topic at hand.... handwriting--where are those letters in my mailbox? Every now and then I am the fortunate recipient of a hand written letter (although usually a card) from someone special who still practices the art of choosing personal stationary, artistic blank greeting cards, or simply what is available, to write prose, sentiments, thank you, or caring thoughts to me. These are tangible words on paper.... for when certain heartfelt script is dear to me I may keep it safely in a box to bring out and read again when ever I so desire. Love letters throughout history have been passed down from generation to generation, sharing with descendants the makings of family ties (or the breaking of in some cases--none the less passing on the understanding of relationship
).... but then in past they didn't have Internet, the accessibility to keep up as we do today.

You may be asking yourself why go back and promote this not too distant way of connecting? Does it not utilize paper? Are we not on a path of concern for our natural resources? My answer is YES.... we are, and there are so many ways for us to continue this onward direction and still keep the old ways alive. The more we purchase recycled paper and Hemp products, the greater the demand for production of.

There is much to be said in recognition of the importance for hand written letters and or prose.... thoughts may be pondered, sentiments respected, social graces upheld. I have a wonderful friend who sends me e-mail ever so often with the intro beginning, Dear__, old school--yes, and I will say, a joy for me to receive. My friends and I still write cards, I have always been a collector of special blank-inside greeting cards, and also one who made my own from time to time. This new endeavor, Zen Greetings is the extension of my desire to communicate, enlighten, be enlightened, and to share my own thoughts and visions for the now and to come....