of treasure and bells
Yes! I have such a thankful YES to share!
and as I work to tuck Rivergreen in
for her long Winter’s nap
I linger over the treasure chest of living
she has been,
this business we created as a life raft
and the ship she has become these seven years long
and I honor the journey that together we have shared
the way that growing Rivergreen
grew this family,
how we worked and bonded and tumbled and listened
and fought for, cared for, discovered
and needed each other,
for how we learned to really serve
and grew a strong NO
and learned to be true
and not pimp ourselves out because of need,
for all the flowers we got to know
and the dear friends we made along the way,
for those getting free times that broke my heart wide open
like that day in July when,
drenched with heat and grimy work,
I came undone in the chatting
with a lovely lady customer
reclining regal in her marble pool,
frosty pearls collecting cool around her glass,
….oh God, I remember her flawless poise
and polish
as every insecurity I’d ever known as a woman
gnawed through my composure,
teetering there on the edge of tears
and how once she took her perfect tan inside
i let my jealous tears fall hot
and spat through gritted teeth
“what in the hell am I doing down here?”
~my questions tumbled out as seed
and the answers began to grow.
And I learned to look and see my worth,
that i am not the sum of what I do
or what I seem,
to see the enough-ness, the beauty, the treasure
in what the sky speaks,
the wind whispers,
how the earth gives up her secrets
and how trees will hug you back
and how rain is rewarding
and gentleness is strength
and timing is everything
and how earth flings ebullient praise
to her maker
and you can hear it if you listen
and i am a part of that,
my own sound heard,
my own marks in this dirt as valued
as the bells crying out from grand cathedrals.
As Rivergreen slows and sleeps this winter,
we’ll board another vessel,
a new job for hubby will pull the weight awhile
and give this body and soul a rest
and when we wake her in the Spring
we’ll paddle gentle, Rivergreen and I
and let the next chapter unfold
with plenty of space
for nexts to come
and this is a whale of a relief
for me.
I know this was l-o-n-g,
so full up with so much to tell
…thanks for catching the snippets that jump to you
and for sharing my thanks-giving!
“We had to learn to bend without the world caving in,
I had to learn what I’ve got, who I’m not, and who I am.
I won’t give up on us even if the skies get rough,
I’m giving you all of my love
even if the skies get rough.”
-Jason Mraz
Rivergreen. What a perfect name. And what a wonderful image you share with us — and perfect words. Grace IS given and provision comes. How very wise you are.
I’ve missed a great deal in the past few weeks or so. It is good to be back on the blog, visiting and seeing your beautiful images and feeling your grace and loveliness.
the trees DO
hug you back
+ so do i.
xoxox
Well done my friend. Wonderful words for taking a rest in hibernation and be vivid and bright again when spring arrives. Is that peter rabbit in the last work? I’m so in love with that little creature. It was on the wall of my boys baby room….sigh a long time ago.
I enjoyed your pictures as usual and they send only warmth and a good glow to my place where it’s a small world today because of all the fogg.
Happy week my friend and be well.
Hugs Dagmar
Ohh finally some good news, I’m SO happy for you!!
Warm hugs! 🙂
Lindsay
I love this poem Jennifer, I get a sense that life seems unfair as we compare ourselves to others s, it’s when we let go and drink of the essence that is grace, all the beauty and hope of renewal comes flooding in to fill our every needs and all is well again.
When we walk with gratefulness we meet grace and we find our balance.
Have a wonderful grace filled week.
Hugs,
JB
sharing your joy and gratitude gives me hope. thank you.
How beautiful to see and feel your emotion filled journey, then watch it as you nestle it all neatly rolled up in a blanket of thanks, tucked in until the new season awakens it once again.
sharing your joy with you….and the need to settle down and relax. i’m also sharing your love for jason mraz’s lyrics 🙂
the part about worth…i think every woman can relate to that…and you put it so elegantly!!
lovely poem and lovely photos…love that first one…those red leaves!!
Joy. Relief. Aaah. A rest. I am more than excited and thrilled for you, for I can feel it all in every one of your words. Congratulations on a job well done! Blessngs galore to you now as you nurture your Self…in a brand new light. Aaaaah. Love to you, Jennifer, Kath. PS. Thank you SO much for your kindness!
Beautiful. Beautiful words and thoughts. Amazing images of wonder!! Thank you for sharing the beauty!
Rivergreen.
It sounds like a song
water flowing
moving ever more deeply
into that place
where grace
unfolds
dreams.
I did not know your business had been going so long, love the name as well. Enjoy your well deserved winter sabbatical.
I am overwhelmed with your colourful joy.
I love how the trees hug us back… the rain is rewarding… gentleness is strength and timing is everything. Beautifully shared Jennifer. Happy Thanksgiving from a Canadian friend. xo
You are blessed to have such a gift with nature, but I know it’s hard work and you’ll get a chance to rest and renew. I’m glad you realized that woman by the pool has nothing on your beauty, inside and out! Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
So glad your able to get plenty of space for your next creative adventures to come. It has to be like you mentioned a whale of a relief.
Your such a lovely dear lady and I think of you so often. As always honey I loved coming by here tonight and reading your beautiful words and enjoying your art.
Much love
Maggie
Your emotions comes through your pictures Jen. Blessings.