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Welcome, May!
I love that we've arrived at this month of May! I can feel my spirits lift with longer days of sunshine. I don't even mind the occasional rain shower as it rinses yellow pollen from my car's windshield!
This month, Carol at Beyond Literacy has invited us to respond to the idea of blossoming on our spiritual journey.
My thoughts on blossoming surprised me when writing an etheree during poetry month. Like many friends, I am in an age bracket with beloved elders and youngers. I'm working full time as an educator and don't ever feel that I have enough time to attend to my family as much as I would like. Someday, I'll retire. However, I'm not at that stage yet.
I feel like I am becoming...an elder. I have gained wisdom from years of experience as a human, an educator, a wife, mother, friend, volunteer. But, I'm no longer considered young. It's an interesting layer of life to be in. I find myself turning inward, considering how I want to live in this stage.
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| This embroidery is in the public domain. Smithsonian.org |
Blossoming
here I am becoming this elder who sews time forward and back–stitching old to young, winter and spring – together. I embroider summer roses and autumn leaves on pillow cases with hope to thread the prayers of us all.
Linda Mitchell -draft 5/1/25
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| Horydczak, Theodor, Approximately, photographer. Blossoms. Peach blossoms. ca. 1920-ca. 1950. |
Linda, stitching together young and old is glue solidifying the fact that both are an important part of each other's lives. The young learn from the wisdom of the old. The old learn new ways of doing things from the young. Prayers are the thread that keep us all joined. Bob
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love that you added in stitchery as a way to explain your thoughts on blossoming. Being an elder does give us insight on life. After all, look at the years that have passed. With our wisdom we still dig deep. This line made me pause: "with hope to thread the prayers of us all". Your etheree flows beautifully connecting us deeper to togetherness.
ReplyDeleteLinda, this is lovely. "stitching old to young -- winter and spring" is such a fascinating idea for someone your age. It is not easy being in the sandwich generation, I'm sure. Three of my husband's and my parents died at younger ages, so we never had the pleasure (and responsibility) of watching them grow old. I like your second ending line even better than the first: "with hope to thread the prayers of us all." So beautiful for bringing generations together.
ReplyDeleteI read both posts side by side, Spiritual Thursday and Poetry Friday, and I hear a longing in your voice. The "emotion boat" is very real and I totally feel all the feels of being not quite old, but in that between stage. I got your blossoming stitched card. Thanks for all you do to support this poet/teacher life.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely take on blossoming you've embroidered for us! My mother loved to embroider and I'm still using pillowcases she embroidered 40+ years ago. I love that closing line, with hope to thread the prayers of us all. Thanks for writing.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I am "not there" with retiring either, and appreciate the perspective you have on this stage of life. I welcoming the "blossoming" of wisdom and the status of "elder." It implies having a bit of authority, perhaps, for blessing others around us - becoming a benevolent guide, perhaps, bringing others into the shelter and safety of that blanket.
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