Monday, March 15, 2010

Sassy strawberry plant Soy :)


Bloom where you are planted. But usually only the tough weeds grow between the cracks in the cement. I don't know if I'm a tough weed. In conversation with my friend Ximena, we began talking about what images we find meaningful for understanding and talking about life. One of tough weed or delicate flower does not work for me, but a hearty little plant with flowers and sweet, juicy fruit sounds about right. I like strawberries, a lot. I love them as an image for how I understand my life - strawberry plants need the right soil, need the right amount of water, and the right amount of sunlight; I too need an environment I can thrive in and grow in. Strawberries are notorious for spreading all over the place - they send out runners in all directions and can be hard to keep under control - me too - I tend to send out runners in all directions, whether because of academic ADD or because I feel restless, or because I'm searching for the right soil - I sometimes feel like I am all over the place, but I also know that I need the space to explore, to grow, to spread so that I can bloom and enjoy the fruit of my labor. I feel like I have been looking for the right place to grow wild, but maybe I need to be okay with containment too, to "bloom where I'm planted" so to speak. I'm not sure, but I'll keep sending out runners :)

Sunday, March 7, 2010

the end of winter


ohio is deceptive. i have heard this statement several times this week. we should know better. the sun has peaked from behind the curtain of clouds, but winter is not over...there will be more snow, the sun's warmth is just a ruse to get us to let our guard down. or so they tell me. and yes, this is most likely true, but winter is over. even if the snow falls, even if the days return to grayness, spring is here - the days are becoming longer, the sun more intense, and winter may attempt to raise its defeated head, but it is defeated afterall. and next weekend is time change. i do not enjoy losing an hour of my precious sleep, but the trade off works out nicely, with that extra hour of light at the end of my day (who am i kidding...more like the middle of my day :) so bring on the flip flops and tank tops!!! with a possible trip to the New Mexico on the horizon and ohio's new found affinity for sunshine, things are indeed looking up. new beginnings are bound to come and that is, after all, what spring is all about right? new life, new chances, new beginnings...