Gratitude

Water is taught by thirst;
Land, by the oceans passed;
Transport, by throe;
Peace, by its battles told;
Love, by memorial mould;
Birds, by the snow.

I read this poem by Emily Dickinson some time back and it reminded me of my lovely mother. Following every experience or challenge in life, my mom has taught me by example to evaluate and be grateful for the lesson learned. I know that it is a western philosophy to attempt to define and give reason; but I'm glad that I have been taught to think this way because this process is also how I paint. I don't really ever define anything but in the process I gain greater understanding. In the above photo, my mom stands in the middle of her family. That is how it is. She is the heart and the center, keeping us all close, and I love her dearly.
I'm also grateful today and everyday that I get to be a mother. I love these little girls. It's a beautiful thing to feel that love that is bigger and greater than I knew I had a capacity for. I've heard some women say that mother's day made then feel guilty because they didn't feel like they've done enough. I just feel grateful.
Dalai Lama's timeless lessons #9. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
I've been learning to cook over the last two years while my husband has been busy with school. I don't have a talent for it so I compensate by entertaining my family with the process. I dress up in heels, a skirt and an apron and carry on as if I were in a cooking show. It doesn't matter really that it's not all that good, what matters is the grins on their faces that have been there many a rainy evening in our home. It's a little thing that is important to me.
So many people have so much talent, but really all of that seems insignificant to the love and kindness a person shares. Our life choices lead us this way and that, not making us better or worse than one another, but what really has value is the way we treat others around us. Love.... that's it.
Happy Mother's Day.
P.S. Thank you Dan for my beautiful gifts, the smell of geranium and facilitating me napping and dinner and thank you girls for breakfast in bed, the coupons, the many, many fantastic cards and sweet cuddles. I'm pretty lucky.