well did you ever...?

Every three or four years I rather idly google my name to see what is floating around cyberspace. Occasionally I have been horrified to find things that I thought were quite private rather easily accessed. However, it is the price we pay for using the web.

This evening I rather casually invited someone to google my name to learn a little more about what I do. I didn't want to bore a new friend with too much information that might be of little interest, because I do get on my soap box sometimes. Then I thought "Yikes, I haven't googled for a while. I wonder what is out there now?" I found this, from a trip to Atina. It is something that I remember well but had not seen on the web.

I had not expected to be called to speak, and in sharing the memories of NZ veterans, particularly those talking about the conditions the civilians were living in, is draining, emotionally exhausting. I am happy to be the link between then and now, but it does come at a cost. I go home saddened, and have to remind myself that it was all 70 years ago and this is another life.

But how can one think of this without thinking about what is happening in the world today?

Although not a Catholic I occasionally read in Italian papers what the Pope is saying. I very much like what he is preaching. He said recently that we must work LOUDLY for peace, not quietly. So, because I agree, I am repeating this theme and asking "What am I doing to promote peace? And - are my words idle and empty ones?"

Let there be peace on earth. And if necessary, let us work through the internet to promote it.

What am I doing? Well, after being totally exhausted with the 70th anniversary commemorations and the extra large opening of Legato, I have happily retreated and have been writing children's books with the theme of peace. Any ideas for how I might get these published are most welcome.

Today I am grateful for google. 

muddling along

"The weather is truly frightful... " well, not really, and I don't want to "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow", but it has been stormy enough to blow shut balcony doors open, to have wind howling so loudly I wouldn't have been able to sleep (had I been in bed and not mopping up water that came in from the studio balconies at 1.30 this morning). But it is warm. I'm not even wearing long sleeves. It is only 2.30pm and I am finding it difficult to paint in this dull light.

But paint I must, if this frustrating and difficult commission is to be finished on time.

Five completely disparate scenes united in one painting. It has not been easy.

Here are some little snippets that might give you some idea of what I am dealing with. And for me, the overriding thought is that the unsuspecting recipients of this gift need to like it too.

Here's hoping!

If you would like to read something else try this blog post from another writer. It is interesting. I need to come back and read it again, so I have linked it here so I can find it easily when I am ready to think about it some more.

Today I am grateful for warmth with the storms. 

looking back then looking forward

Today I wrote some notes for a presentation in NZ, not by me but by a wonderful peace worker in Northland. She came to Legato this year, bringing impressive contemporary art work with her, and only two days ago I made time to (finally) look at the books that she had left with me. Coincidentally, this morning I received an email from her asking for my thoughts on Peace, as she wanted to build her presentation around this theme.

This took me back to the "why" of my living here, in a satisfying way. As life gets harder, as I get tired, as I wonder how I will keep going and perhaps begin to doubt my sanity a little, it is good to look back. Some of my blog posts inspire me and remind me of what I am trying to do. I would like to be that candle in the darkness, that calm in a storm. I would like to live the lines of the song that say "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me".

We cannot, as individuals, change the world. We change ourselves, and if we do that in the way we think is best for the whole world, then eventually the world will change.

Here, for those interested, is something I wrote for a global online paper some time ago. I was pleased to find it again this afternoon. It is a link to an older post on this blog.

I called the article "Superheroes and Mere Mortals". 

Today I am grateful for contact with peace workers.