Big Sister

Childhood's last gasp. This sweet girl is the older sister of the little boy in my last post. I love her unselfconsciously cheerful expression. When I look at her, I am reminded of my own daughter just before she started middle school and everything about her changed so fast it took my breath away. These years when a mother can keep her child close are so special. Soon hanging out with her schoolmates will replace emulating Mom. We all have to let go and allow them to explore the world and discover themselves but the years when they stay close are magic.

This puts me in mind of a poem by Lebanese American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran that I kept on my refrigerator door for years while my children were young. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, 'Speak to us of Children.'
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His
arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Khalil Gibran

Wet Paint

Wet Paint 14X11

She's baack...
After quite a hiatus, know. Unfortunately, I got miserably sick just before I left South Carolina. It was a nasty bug that held on for weeks. Mix in a family crisis and preparations for a trip down under and my work had to go on the back burner for a while.

Luckily for me, my coughing abated just in time for me to depart with my husband for (an uninsured) three week stay in Australia.

Sounds relaxing, no?

Absolutely not! We went careening from one place and activity to the next. I relapsed and had to go to a doctor but I managed to keep up. Climbed the Sydney Harbour bridge, toured the city, met with friends, flew to Ayers Rock, lots of hikes and tours, on to Port Douglass, went spear fishing, stuck my fingers in a sting ray's eye sockets, toured rainforest with locals, developed an appreciation for aboriginal culture, sunset sailing and off to far North Queensland and Lizard Island. Fantastic! Went snorkeling (first time) on the Great Barrier Reef. Back to Port Douglass and on to Melbourne followed by drive to Lorne. Hiking and lots of it, waterfalls, glow worms, tree ferns, koalas, kangaroos, platypus, cockatoos and very charming kukaberra that like to be hand fed "mince". Back to Melbourne, mad dash through Museum to see "Monet's Gardens" exhibit, pick up rental car, fight with husband over sticking to itinerary, prevailed and went to see "Australian Impressionists in France". Fabulous exhibit. Drive Great Ocean Road all the way to Port Fairy, stopping for every well marked photo op. Back to Sydney to finish with "La Traviata" at Opera House.....oh, and I had my nails done.

My husband and I enjoyed three weeks of uninterrupted togetherness in nine different beds, took eight total flights and one really long drive....on the left side of the road. Based on my husband's success at staying in the proper lane I began to wonder if he hadn't recently taken out a very large life insurance policy in the event of my untimely demise. Good stuff.

Seriously, it was the trip of a lifetime, just not restful. Oh, by the way, the food and wine were so wonderful that I grew at least one pants size and blew out my Spanx.

So I'm back in Tucson. Let's just say it took me a while to recuperate. Good news is I am painting again and have the photos to prove it!