(not necessarily in that order)
We spent the morning with our recording tech guys, mixing and mastering the two songs that we’ll be sharing as singles from our soon-to-be-launched Christmas album.
Then I tackled some fairly hefty tasks this afternoon.
And now I really don’t feel like typing another sentence. Yep, I’m truly done for the day!
Yesterday was pedicure time, so I spent about an hour in the chair at Jivani’s (my friend, neighbor, and aesthetician) while she made my toes beautiful.
Although she usually has Ananda Music playing, yesterday she was taking a break from Radio Ananda and listening to an all-classical guitar radio station. I didn’t tune into it so much at first, but bit by bit it grabbed my attention.
I finally made a comment along the lines of, “Wow, this is a really good guitarist!” I might have commented on the intonation, the facility, the expressivity, etc.
Then I was curious to know who this “really good” guitarist was, so I used the Shazam app on my phone and discovered that it was none other than Andrés Segovia, who ranks first on all the lists of “greatest classical guitarists of all time.”
The piece I heard was Castillos de España by Federico Moreno Torroba. All eight movements are delightful but 2. Torija (Elegía) just knocks my socks off. It’s so beautiful I can’t help crying as I listen to it.
When I’m browsing Facebook and come upon a poem so deeply moving that it makes me weep, I feel compelled to share it.
(The poem is below. The above quote was shared in the Facebook comments; it’s so perfect I had to use it here.)
when I am tested by the complexities of
our modern world, I retreat to the simplest truth I have slowly come to understand:
I cannot hush the roar of a hurricane
or persuade an earthquake to spare the walls I’ve built for my home
my influence on this life is small and I control very little
except for:
1) the softness of my voice
when I speak to myself—
and
2) the gentleness of my hands
when I reach for others
my love,
if we hold fast to
these two things,
how can either of us
fail this great exam
we all must take?
~ john roedel
It’s been an extremely slow kind of recovery day — unpacking; watering plants; simple household tasks; some much-needed self-care; and just a little bit of work that couldn’t wait.
But my brain is feeling depleted to the point that I couldn’t focus on a topic for tonight.
Then I saw this photo of the view from Aldesago, where we stayed during our visit to Switzerland two years ago, and felt it was the perfect placeholder.
We had an excellent view of Mount Rainier as we flew away from green, moisture-filled Seattle, on our way home to the parched reality that is California.
It was a great weekend but it’s good (very good) to be home.
A fabulous and full day in the PNW — choir, purification, Sunday service, delicious lunch, talking to lots of new friends, a visit to Heart Song Hermitage, Ananda Washington’s leadership meeting — all culminating in a well-earned and much-appreciated pizza for dinner.
In fact, we were rather surprised at just how good it was.
The perfect end to a fantastic weekend.
We’re so happy to be at Ananda Washington once again. But I’m having a (temporary) zero energy moment. I wanted to write something more substantial, but simply don’t have it in me.
Why?
Well, we led a very successful four-hour choir workshop today. Followed by a brief moment to collapse after getting home, before we started preparing for tomorrow.
What are we doing tomorrow?
Well, at 8:00 we leave for the Temple. At 8:25 we’ll have choir rehearsal (we’re singing with choir plus doing a duet after the talk).
9:00 is the purification ceremony for which we are blessers. A brief break, then at 10:00 we give Sunday service. Lunch after service, then we get to visit Heart Song Hermitage, Ananda Washington’s beautiful new retreat center.
The only thing to do now is get myself to bed.
Our friend, Sita, took us to lunch today at the Rusty Pelican in downtown Edmonds for an absolutely delicious lunch.
This meditating skeleton greeted us while we waited for a table to open up. I think “Sita & the Meditating Skeleton” sounds like the excellent title of a book that’s just waiting to be written! 😂
Feels great to be visiting the Ananda Seattle community again. It’s been something like eight years since we were last here.
Way too long!
This hit home today as we prepare to hit the road tomorrow for Ananda Seattle.
All day I was aware of the many things I needed to do — water the garden; prepare the house; write emails; wrap up loose ends; pack; and get to bed early.
So yeah, stress makes me feel that everything has to get done — like — right now.
Except…it doesn’t really. Inhale. Exhale. Just breathe.