January’s Porch Vacation
The January porch vacation (not a porch at all) is a sandy bayside opening with a gnarly grove of bushes growing on either side. Joe and I settle our chairs in the muddy bay beachfront to get out of the ocean wind and to watch the sunset. A fish jumps, a dolphin snorts by. Pelicans swoop and dive. Joe reads a passage aloud from a Buddhist magazine about how our strong conviction that death comes at the end of life gives us a framework for life that lulls us into thinking that we have control when we don’t. “Life is an expanded day,” he reads. The sun slips down, shining a pathway of gold that cuts through the bay. “This is a life. Watch it,” I answer him, tossing a pebble into the quiet waiting water. In awe we watch the impact ripple wider and wider and then disappear, as though it never happened.
Watch a life unfold in 19 seconds HERE. For more Porch Vacation Reflections click and scroll HERE.
January 19th, 2009 4:42 pm
That is a wonderful way to look at a ‘life’….And I love your 19 second Video of the pebble and the ripples…I’ve always loved the look of what happens when you do exactly what you did….The Ripples—Very Very Beautiful…..But I do wonder about the fact that these ripples, as in ‘a life’ have an effect on other things—sometimes lasting into eternity….So, though the actual “life” may be over, the effects of that person having lived, are not over. Very thought provoking post, Colleen.
And how WONDERFUL that you are in a warm place with Big Screen TV’s for ALL of the activites tomorrow….! Very Very Exciting!
January 19th, 2009 6:19 pm
And the ripples of that one little life expand to ever greater horizons until the waves of the time and place of it’s passing have overtaken it.
January 19th, 2009 6:42 pm
Another thought provoking entry. xo
PS I noticed in most of your porch vacations you have feet in them and they are usually crossed…..is this a sign of comfort?!
January 19th, 2009 9:18 pm
I’m always trying to penetrate the impermanance of life.
You’re right Sherry. I hadn’t noticed the theme of crossed feet. I guess that’s my vacation pose.
January 20th, 2009 4:27 am
Life is an expanded day–beautiful. Sure does make a long deep breath out of any notion of time a a chopped up thing that comes in seconds, minutes, hours.
January 20th, 2009 9:13 am
hey hat girl–you are looking rosy and rested..I live South of Orlando about an hr in the cattle, lakes,oranges country of Highlands–in the country
January 20th, 2009 11:07 am
I’ve been visiting all my liberal friends this morning to see the shout outs to Obama and Coleen I thought even on vacation you’d do one? I’m just teasing you. Great photos and I hope you guys have had a good time.
January 20th, 2009 12:12 pm
I’m watching it now with tears in my eyes. My blog is on lag system and it’s likely a post will be forthcoming! xo
January 21st, 2009 11:20 am
Colleen I’ve been meaning to tell you that the Closet is closing the 26th to restock with new spring things. We may or should re-open my work day the 29th. We always have so many pretty things when we change seasons. Some winter will be out to but a lot of the Spring things will be brand new. Just wanted to mention it. I thought maybe you and Mara could ride down. Get a cup of coffee at the coffee shop next door and shop with me! Great deals and all the money goes back to the food bank, Hospice, the free clinic, etc.
January 21st, 2009 11:28 am
I’m writing the date down. Sounds like fun and right up my thrift shop alley!