Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 6
July 15, 2019
Reiki class
Today was Reiki class all day. I got to spend the day with some beautiful souls. We spent the whole morning at the pond because it was such a glorious day. Sunny, breezy, lovely. When we did attunements pond-side, the turtles and frogs came to say hello. It got hotter in the afternoon and we went inside for a potluck and discussions of history, reputable resources, and fun with group Reiki and hospital beds.
July 7, 2019
2019
2019 is testing democracy, climate change is more intense, and there is much hate and fear. These are dark times. I try to stay in the light and I have hope for our future. Be Reiki ~
July 6, 2019
Reiki class
My Reiki class at the university starts next week. The students read current research, learn the principles and basic hand positions, and we do service learning at an oncology infusion center. We do attunements beside a pond, with turtles, frogs, water lilies, and singing birds.
July 5, 2019
FOLLOW, by Roland Flint
I spent the 4th of July with my cousin Pam and her daughter Amelia on an island in Maine. We honored her dad, his poem, and lobster-catchers of Cliff Island.FOLLOWby Roland FlintNow here is this man mending his nets
after a long day, his fingers
nicked, here and there, by ropes and hooks,
pain like tomorrow in the small of his back,
his feet blue with his name, stinking of baits,
his mind on a pint and supper — nothing else —
a man who describes the settled shape
of his life every time his hands
make and snug a perfect knot.I want to understand, if only for the story,
how a man like this,
a man like my father in harvest,
like Bunk MacVane in the stench of lobstering,
or a teamster, a steelworker,
how an ordinary working stiff,
even a high tempered one,
could just be called away.It’s only in one account
he first brings in a netful —
in all the others, he just calls,
they return the look or stare and then
they “straightaway” leave their nets to follow.
That’s all there is. You have to figure
what was in that call, that look.(And I wouldn’t try it on a tired working man
unless I was God’s son —
he’d kick your ass right off the pier.)If they had been vagrants,
poets or minstrels, I’d understand that,
men who would follow a different dog.
But how does a man whose movement,
day after day after day,
absolutely trusts the shape it fills
put everything down and walk away?I’d pass up all the fancy stunting
with Lazarus and the lepers
to see that one.
after a long day, his fingers
nicked, here and there, by ropes and hooks,
pain like tomorrow in the small of his back,
his feet blue with his name, stinking of baits,
his mind on a pint and supper — nothing else —
a man who describes the settled shape
of his life every time his hands
make and snug a perfect knot.I want to understand, if only for the story,
how a man like this,
a man like my father in harvest,
like Bunk MacVane in the stench of lobstering,
or a teamster, a steelworker,
how an ordinary working stiff,
even a high tempered one,
could just be called away.It’s only in one account
he first brings in a netful —
in all the others, he just calls,
they return the look or stare and then
they “straightaway” leave their nets to follow.
That’s all there is. You have to figure
what was in that call, that look.(And I wouldn’t try it on a tired working man
unless I was God’s son —
he’d kick your ass right off the pier.)If they had been vagrants,
poets or minstrels, I’d understand that,
men who would follow a different dog.
But how does a man whose movement,
day after day after day,
absolutely trusts the shape it fills
put everything down and walk away?I’d pass up all the fancy stunting
with Lazarus and the lepers
to see that one.
June 30, 2019
Maine summer
Is it hot where you are? Climate change, global warming, ice caps melting, 110 degrees in Europe.
Here in Maine we had summer. Two days in a row. I took the flannel sheets off my bed and stuck the air conditioner in the window. Didn't use it though, wanted to save on electricity; used a fan instead.
Today it was cold and rainy again. I put all the winter blankets back on my bed and still felt chilled. Missed those flannel sheets.
Out in the garden the tomatoes aren't too happy, but the greens are fine. The raspberries are flowering and making hard little green berries. Something ate half the green bean plants, but the survivors are doing fine. The basil was too delicate, nothing there. Peonies are bursting with fragrant petals and buttercups abound. Peace in the garden.
We are supposed to have more summer days this week. Sunny and 70. Maybe 80.
Here in Maine we had summer. Two days in a row. I took the flannel sheets off my bed and stuck the air conditioner in the window. Didn't use it though, wanted to save on electricity; used a fan instead.
Today it was cold and rainy again. I put all the winter blankets back on my bed and still felt chilled. Missed those flannel sheets.
Out in the garden the tomatoes aren't too happy, but the greens are fine. The raspberries are flowering and making hard little green berries. Something ate half the green bean plants, but the survivors are doing fine. The basil was too delicate, nothing there. Peonies are bursting with fragrant petals and buttercups abound. Peace in the garden.
We are supposed to have more summer days this week. Sunny and 70. Maybe 80.
June 27, 2019
War v Winter
An immigrant from Burundi, when asked how he tolerated a Maine winter, shrugged his shoulders and said, "War."
As in, anything, even a Maine winter, is better than.
As in, anything, even a Maine winter, is better than.
An immigrant from Burundi, when asked about how he tolera...
An immigrant from Burundi, when asked about how he tolerated a Maine winter, shrugged his shoulders and said, "War."
As in, anything, even a Maine winter, is better than.
As in, anything, even a Maine winter, is better than.
June 22, 2019
100 presents
I collect little gifts for him. Lego sets, stuffed animals, stickers. I wrap them up and leave them in the closet or in his toy bag in my car. They must be wrapped, he told me once, otherwise they don't count as presents. Sometimes if I know I'm going to see him, I grab a present from the closet.
Sometimes there is one present, often none. For some silly unknown reason, when I saw him this week there were three. He happily opened them all: some stickers, a stuffed dinosaur, and a Lego set.
Only 3? he asked.
How many should there be? I inquired.
100! he said. 100 presents!
Sometimes there is one present, often none. For some silly unknown reason, when I saw him this week there were three. He happily opened them all: some stickers, a stuffed dinosaur, and a Lego set.
Only 3? he asked.
How many should there be? I inquired.
100! he said. 100 presents!
June 18, 2019
Spring
The time between snow shovels and air conditioners. When the grass grows tall every week, birds are busy, and the lilacs bloom. Also tulips, daffodils, and peonies. Exchange winter jackets for shorts, check the elastic on your swimsuit. Dream of lazy beach days with a good book, sun, sand, and shells.
May 30, 2019
chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream
A cake and ice cream party for a departing co-worker.
Treats to fill a hole, a need, fear, a sense of deprivation.
All the extroverts and kind people were there.
Treats to fill a hole, a need, fear, a sense of deprivation.
All the extroverts and kind people were there.
