Uphill idealist

Friendships that last for over twenty years are rare. My friend Heather and I met while working at a shopping mall when we were just entering our twenties. I worked at the music store and she worked at the book store. One day we sat down and shared a cup of coffee and that was the start of sharing more life transitions than I can count... marriages, children, career changes, returns to higher education, moving from our home state to others, and so much more. We stayed in touch through occasional visits, phone conversations and with the help of Facebook and social media. We somehow, over the last twenty years, have retained the kind of friendship that simple picks up where we left off... The last milestone for one of our kids. The new job. The loss of job. The need of one of our kids. Today after more years than I can recall, we did not have to visit via the internet or phone. Today we had the chance to meet face to face and an amazing thing occurred... We pick...

A woman's prerogative /mixed media by T.L. Eastman  For  Mel - Unexpected ties We try to walk the path alone. The ties that bind us don't always seem to be a blessing. These connections make us vulnerable to all kinds of impact. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in ties that we can't budge. But true ties that bind are not ones that make us captive, but hold us secure. True bonds give a space for new life to be the ground we walk upon. We should not walk the path alone . These ties are life lines - our rescue inhalers - and cool cups of water that make it possible to live. Life-giving ties support and release us to travel to the scary growing edges, and take us to the places we are not sure we can get to. We can’t walk the path alone. Our tapestry of ties is not tidy or exact. There are snags here and knots there. But this tapestry is a blanket that unexpectedly gives warmth to the chill of the autumn night, and just-right coolnes...

It's been a while, but the conversation is one of ease. Not that what is discussed is always easy, but the foundation is secure. This space lets us stand strong - even in hard times. Spoons clink and words swirl to fill the air. Ideas breathe new life into spaces that were dusty and dim. Hands move to punctuate important points. If someone didn't know us, they might think this was an argument. But it's not. This dance of words and movement of hands is how we stay connected. This is how we "talk". Like a pen scratching on paper or nails tapping on a keyboard - we are getting our message across. With coffee in cups in hand, we face life's challenges and hold on to laughter. Our eyes flash with treasure of these memories and all the times we've taken to sit down at the table - face to face - eye to eye together. This is coffee klatch with a good friend. T. Eastman  May 2014 Image found at: Jack and Friends

This yellow leaf,  once was green with promise. It was connected, nourished, and alive. Hints of the fall were all around: Crisp evenings, rushing winds, and shorter days. But this yellow leaf fell in silence.  There was no sound as she surrendered to the swirling water. Her story was not collected, heaped up or leaped into. She twirled,  calmly, quietly and silently; so as not to cause a stir on the surface. But the space she left behind was deep, wide, and shouted of her absence. Yellow leaf had curly raven hair, ice blue eyes, fair skin and freckles - that showed themselves when you stood close. Silence should not claim your life. So today, I shared the story of your death and the dream of our goodbye  that gave me hope to keep on living. Yellow leaf,  no more will you float in silence. You should dance on the wind,  swirl dramatically into your favorite wood, and be swept up over and over again:  for leaping,  laughter...

The week ahead is one I've been excited to arrive for months. My husband and I are heading to Princeton Seminary where he is attending and I will be faculty for the YMI Spring Forum. I'll be facilitating a workshop on Art and Pray and how to integrate arts into church life, mission and worship. It's as if a week of my most favorite things were dropped into 5 days! On a sad note, my dear friend a mission partner Jeanne Thomas passed away this Saturday. She was one of the first people to support me in my starting adventures to Princeton three years ago. As I hit the road I carry memories and joy as well as hope, because That is the way Jeanne would have wanted me to travel. Shalom, T http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/620997/Jeanne-J--Thomas.html?nav=5009 http://www.ptsem.edu/scvm/iym/forums.aspx?hdr=25769804150&nav=25769804149&id=8752