So here I am on the third day of my three day Eat, Pray, Love retreat.
LOVE - what a loaded word.
Love really is more of an action than anything else, so how can I contemplate this while alone in retreat from the world? Love implies there being others, implies connections and embraces and sacrifices and more than one alone.
So, my love day is not exactly the same as the lovely episode described in the Eat, Pray, Love book, where the author falls in love in Bali with a wonderful man.
My day of love seems to be about, first of all - self love.
I do what I need to do to love myself, so that I can love others.
I journaled about these ideas, and came up with images that really run the gamut of kinds of love, love for children, animals, art, perhaps even love for ideas.
I know that I love to read.
I love to collage.
I love to meditate and walk in nature.
but love is really more of a verb, not a thought.
"How well did I love?" -- that will be a question all of us ask when we are facing the end of our lives.
Sometimes I love my children so much it hurts, that I feel like I didn't do or say the right things at the right time.
Loving ones' children is like this, and it stretches us beyond what we thought stretchable.
Loving a spouse for 24 years, as well - that is a long long time to pledge love to one single person, and we have had our ups and downs. and after lots of downs this year, we are actually in a very nice place right now - both learning to love and respect the other in new ways.
I also have friends that I love very much, whose friendship I cherish and need.
Friends who hold me together when I am falling apart. . .
There are many kinds of love - too many for one day. I need a week to just journal and think about love.
no, a lifetime.
hopefully, I will have a lifetime of love.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my blog.
I really love your collage work. I am always impressed by the artful things that I just cannot seem to do at all. Collage is certainly one them. I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Ammon - your drawings are awesome and thank you so much for your comment. I wish I had the patience for careful rendering but I am much better at making messes. . . .
ReplyDeleteI look forward to enjoying more of your work, as well.
Your blog has been a delightful "find"...I paln to return again and again! :)
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteWhat dynamic journal pages and thank you for your kind comments on my work. I'll be back soon.
Looks like you've made a couple of familiar connections. I just love our blog world! You've done wonderful entries during your time away. I think it's been good for your soul. And it shows...it shows.
ReplyDeletexo ~L~
Thanks for the comment on my blog. I LOVE your Gaia Relic work. Perhaps it will inspire me to do more actual Goddess art. Loved the piece of the stone circle at Womongathering! I've only been there once, back in '97, but I think of it often with much love and gratitude for being part of such an amazing place. Do you go every year? Looking forward to getting to know you!
ReplyDelete~*~Nan~*~