"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." Martin Luther King
This photograph of a quince blossom lying on a mountain of salt sums up how i felt just over a month ago when I found out my dear friend Elsita and her daughter had to cancel their trip to visit me this month for reasons beyond their control. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I felt like the air with all its life sustaining ability had been suddenly squeezed from me. I felt tired, uncreative and more uncommunicative than usual. I felt if I stayed in this place for very long I would soon be become desiccated just like this blossom if it stayed on the bed of salt.
Nature brought me back from this temporary void.
Nature also inspired me to create a special stone, a gift to elsita, to show how we are joined in time and space even though we have never actually met. I know that with the infinite hope spoken of at the beginning of this post , it will happen.
Without Elsita , her encouragement, endless talent and creativity, humour , humility and kindness resurrection fern and all that has unfurled from it would not exist. And if none of this existed it would mean i would never have had the great pleasure of "meeting" so many of you amazing people. Wouldn't it be wonderful for as many of us as possible to meet some day.
I had been planning to write this post for a while now but was really prompted to complete it this evening after picking up a very special parcel from California at the post office today. I will share the contents of that after i have come down from the clouds.
Note to self: shouldn't you actually mail that special stone to your friend now :)
A beautiful stone for a beautiful friendship. Lovely.
Posted by: Geninne | May 21, 2009 at 11:13 PM
That stone has such sweet delicacy about it, Elsita will cherish it. I just shared those same sentiments with Nanou this week, I wish I could "meet" all the wonderful people I've met through this nurturing blog community, people like you Margie! Can't wait to see what your lovely parcel contained. These images are really lovely.
Posted by: joanie | May 22, 2009 at 01:31 AM
Dearest Margie,
I am so deeply touched by the beautiful things you just wrote ...
This kind of friendship is something I always used to read about, BB (before blog), and I always thought that people did exagerate. Or that they musn't have a "meaningful real life", otherwise.
Then, it happened to me.
Through *encore petite* I "met" amazing people that I actually never encoutered "in real life". But I love them, need them. They ARE part of my life.
I just received a parcel from the magnificent, generous and multi-talented Andrea / My little Big Head today. And this was over-filled with love & friendship. So deeply moving.
You, Margie, are a very dear person. And this friendship you have with Elsita seems to be of this unique kind.
I know you'll get lucky enough to meet her soon but I understand the disapointment ... And I love your way to react.
Lots of hugs & kisses to you, dear Margie,
x x x
___mathyld___
PS: Oh ! And this new kind of covered stone is darling : the one on the bottom that looks like a white coral, with its crochet "crown" frilling around !
Posted by: Mathyld / encore petite | May 22, 2009 at 05:23 AM
I so love reading your blog and especially looking at your photos.
Posted by: Linda Wright | May 22, 2009 at 07:12 AM
The work you are creating which is so beautiful is a testament to your friendship with Elsita.
x
Posted by: mary | May 22, 2009 at 07:56 AM
I so sympathize with your disappointment at the missed connection, but it will happen, I'm sure of it.
Your beautiful stone reminds me that true friendship is a flexible thing; it stretches across thousands of miles and it often stretches us to become better versions of our selves.
And I am reminded that another little stone needs to get put into the mail, too! It too contains my feelings of love and appreciation for the great friend I have made through this incredible medium.
Posted by: Patricia | May 22, 2009 at 08:12 AM
love your collections and kind words
Posted by: Jessica Hanscom | May 22, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Indeed we, also, would never have had the great pleasure to touch and be touched by your great crafty spirit.
Posted by: Creative Origins | May 22, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Oh my dear friend,
After what is has been almost one of the most difficult weeks in my life (we had Diego's IEP with the school and the lawyer yesterday for hours and it was intense. we spent so many nights reading, researching and getting ready for that day) I came to your blog to catch up a little bit and I found this beautiful post.
Remember what I wrote you once: "Men plan and God laughs" I learned that from when I was a little girl. I learned that being flexible in life is key. Things happen in the way life decides sometimes and not how we plan them. Natalie and I dreamed with visiting you everyday, we planned every detail and in one second all our plans collapsed and it was out of our control to change anything.
But my friend, that's smaller than you imagine. We have to step back and see the forest not only one tree. We're alive and we are full of time in front of us to make our encounter and many other things happen.
Please, keep a positive mind. I am so sorry to hear that your have been sad lately. Whenever something negative happens to us we immediately fire back with many positive thoughts of celebration for the beautiful things that life has given us.
We had to do that right today. We stepped back from all the stress that has generated going through the process that we're going through with Diego etc. to celebrate the fact the we have him in our lives and Natalie and Miro. Today I am ready to keep going with renewed and positive energy in this loooong and complicated journey that is being the parent of a child with special needs.
I just cannot wait to meet you in person, I am 100% that we will make it happen and I send you LOTS OF LOVE AND GOOD ENERGY!!!
I am so happy to hear that you got the parcel! Yay!!!!!
AND I ADORE THE SPECIAL STONE!!!!
Please smile again!
Elsi :)
Posted by: Elsita :) | May 22, 2009 at 01:38 PM
Oh Margie, what a special stone you covered for Elsita. Your "pattern" just breathe the special bond you have with Elsita. (sorry I think I've not said what I meant in a correct English) I'm sorry life events have made your meeting impossible, but keep the hope of a future union with your special friend & someday, maybe sooner than you think, it will happen.
Sending you my most positive vibrations. Much love xoxo
Posted by: Sonia | May 22, 2009 at 04:12 PM
I feel unnourished, like the flower on the salt. Your blog gives me a little bit of nourishment everyday but, alas, it is not healing me completely. Thank you for your daily thoughts.
Posted by: Jessie | May 23, 2009 at 11:14 AM