navylane :: musings

This is amazing. Stephen Wiltshire is a creative wonder who has the amazing ability of being able to study urban landscapes and sketch them from memory in extraordinary detail.

I cannot help but feel that each of us has such amazing potential, but for reasons unbeknownst to me we are wired so that we do not easily tap into more than just a fraction of our capabilities.

I firmly believe that all human beings have access to extraordinary energies and powers. Judging from accounts of mystical experience, heightened creativity, or exceptional performance by athletes and artists, we harbor a greater life than we know. There we go beyond those limited and limiting patterns of body, emotions, volition, and understanding that have been keeping us in dry-dock. Instead we become available to our capacity for a larger life in body, mind, and spirit. In this state we know great torrents of delight.Jean Houston

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Autumn is here in all her glory (and judging by the first snowfall we had yesterday, old man Winter is well on his way). A favorite time of year for me, as I love the earthy colors… the wonderful smell of leaves and crisp, cool air… pulling on that warm, wooly sweater for the first time… snuggling up on the couch with a hot cup of tea, a cozy blanket and a good book. It has been rather wet and chilly so far this fall, which has left me feeling a bit more isolated and withdrawn than usual lately. Yet I am enjoying the solitude, the time alone to lose myself in my thoughts and get grounded.

So as I raise my cup of tea, I salute the season. Myself. This moment. And you, too. Cheers, my friend.

A journal page inspired by design.

Finding inspiration in a magazine: I was drawn to the spread shown below which I found in a page from a fashion magazine. I was particularly inspired by the red background with pale yellow polka dots which I emulated in the journal page above using paint and stamps.

my inspiration piece

Well, today is the Big Day. The first day of school. I stayed up late last night compulsively going through my list over and over: Lunch packed? Check. Outfit ironed and ready? Check. Bookbag filled with school supplies? Check. House frantically cleaned and void of almost all traces of clutter? Check. (Well, that last one wasn’t necessary for the first day of school, but that’s one of my coping mechanisms for when I am all keyed up with excitement — I go on a cleaning binge.) My husband felt the excitement, too. He woke up early, went to the store to pick up fresh bagels and orange juice, and we all sat and ate breakfast together (something we are rarely able to do except on Sundays).

Then off we went to school where I threw her to the dogs. I know, I am being a bit dramatic, but it was a bit painful to have to walk out of that classroom, waving goodbye to my sweet, innocent first grader sitting at her desk… pushing away thoughts about how vulnerable and impressionable she is at the tender age of six… and how ruthless and eager kids can be to grow up these days. Oh, please, please don’t let her come home today boasting that she knows the truth about Santa Claus and insisting she is ready to wear lipstick!

As for me and my little one, we are aimlessly wandering around the house, not sure what to do with ourselves. I cannot believe how out of sorts I feel. It’s like I am afraid to do too much for fear of getting too involved and losing track of the time (never mind I still have like three hours until it is time to pick her up)… or maybe it’s just that I miss her terribly. I think my life has two modes of time — super warp speed and uber slow speed!

Making the decision to have a child — it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around on the outside of your body.Elizabeth Stone