Mesmerizing view
Sunlight glittering water
And now I release
This haiku came to me after sitting in my car, staring at the sun reflecting on the water of the bay. It looked like dancing sparkles – so alive and vibrant. I needed a space to quiet and center after driving in the city, parking hassles, so many people, rushing, my head spinning with thoughts of my to-do list and dreading the thought of having to deal with more rushing people and stores and the noise of industry. Just wanting more time in this beautiful space. So I took it – eventually I climbed out of the warm car and walked in the cold, crisp air, walking in an area I knew, but had not explored thoroughly. Walking out on the levee, I saw a seal playing in the water, diving down and coming up and floating on its back, seemingly happy just frolicking in the water. I want more play and to let go of my to-do list and future focus that is always on doing and possessing. The more I can be, the less I need and the slower I live. I need to continually connect with nature to remember this.
That time off really helped me get through the rest of the day. I had a fabulous evening with a friend at the Napa Lighted Arts Festival. Last year when I went, it was a Saturday night and very crowded. It was great feeling all of the energy of the people, but it was hard to be able to view some of the sculptures and light shows. This year we went on a Tuesday night and it was much quieter, a more relaxing evening and just wonderful. Every work was different and vibrant. We were both drawn to those artworks that were nature related – the campfire, the poppies, the peonies. There were also a couple of interactive pieces, one that reacted to movement and another where people could create lighted art. A fun evening made better by being outdoors in the winter!
I got packed for my trip to Wyoming- sure hope I have enough warm clothes! In the afternoon I worked with mom decluttering the kitchen cabinets. We found all kinds of random stuff – a silver gravy boat, coffee beans that expired in 2017, coffee mugs with monster faces on them. It was satisfying to fill up the garbage can and give away box with things that were no longer needed and create space for what we actually use. Afterwards we walked to the local park that was teeming with kids and caregivers and watched kids playing and dogs chasing balls. It’s great to see a playground get so much use, 50 years after I was one of the kids playing there.
