 |
| We build too many walls and not enough bridges Isaac Newton |
If you listen, as I do sometimes, to news as background, you'd think that the whole world is intent on building walls.
When I hear Trump's maniacal dinner guest Nick Fuentes ranting his racist poison, I want to say, "Get a life, man." But he's already found his gaudy costume, his stupid script, his nodding audience and support from the likes of Marjorie. He wants Trump to take his rightful place as president again and "then not have any more elections" ever.
Such a contrast to the news of would-be dictators and king-makers is what happens when creative people get together.
I was in a Zoom class today with 400 women from around the world, all ages, making beautiful handmade books.
A woman named Angela (in her late 80s) is going back to college to get a degree in astronomy and planetary sciences! In the chat, we all gave her kudos. Angela is not hanging out near the end of any bridges; she's starting her own new career and bookmaking as a hobby.
In our grandmothers' day, women had quilting circles. In the movie, How to Make An American Quilt, the older women initiate a younger woman into the community of quilters and the shared wisdom that shows up while pushing needles through fabric.
Wearing the hat of writing group leader for many years was a bridge to friendship and creative expression. I miss it. But my path at the moment is learning about the structure and design of blank books. And making spirit boxes through Lyn's class.
Today I went through a box of letters and cards looking for a letter from my dad. I wanted to incorporate his handwriting in the cover of the book I'm making this week.
Before I found it, I shuffled for hours, stopping to read words written by my family and close friends; from men I've loved, teachers' comments on my elementary school report cards, Betty's entry in my autograph book, love letters from my ex-husband in airmail envelopes, recipes Day wrote as a little girl, artsy handmade cards and envelopes from Nellie, 2004 letters from a writing group on my birthday (written when I thought they were busy writing to the prompt of the night.)
It occurred to me that handwritten messages may be among the best and most treasured bridges between people--and we do too little of that now that we're entrenched in emails and texts. .
The background music looping in my mind as I write this is John Lennon's "Imagine"
alternating with Leonard Cohen's "Democracy is coming--to the USA"
and Keb Mo's "Life is Beautiful"
and Josh Ritter's "All some kind of Dream."
I love to imagine what could happen if millions of men and women, no geographical, national, sexual, racial boundaries, started some clubs and communities, got to know each other, asked more questions, and attended to their passions.
And the world will be as one
No comments:
Post a Comment