Coming home

Apr. 5th, 2004 08:25 pm
vaneramos: (Default)
[personal profile] vaneramos
For years I have had mixed feelings about coming home from Toronto. Home can be lonely, and nowadays I miss Danny between visits. When I feel anxious, it can overwhelm my solitude. But here is also the place where I regenerate, refocus and do creative work that's important to me.

The past couple of weeks were particularly difficult, but perhaps that was inevitable. I have come to a little deeper understanding of myself, who I am and what I need and want. For the first time in a year I have renewed my meditation practice, which both challenges and grounds me. I have been sleeping better than normal. I have had more energy and determination to look for opportunities, which has brought me face to face with my fears. Sometimes things have to get harder before they get better.

It was a bright, cold afternoon. As I prepare to post this image, I realize the bus was about to pass directly under Danny's office when I shot this photo from my seat. I don't know the name of the church. The round building beyond is Roy Thomson Hall, where Toronto Symphony Orchestra holds its concerts.





As we pulled up the ramp onto Gardiner Expressway, a sign informed me the temperature was -1°C (31°F).

Walking up the front stairs and unlocking my apartment door, I felt cautious optimism. I have several important calls to make and evening meetings in the next couple of days. This will be a short week, because I'll be renting a car on Thursday morning to pick up my daughters for Easter weekend.

For years I have recognized the importance of committing quality time to myself. Recent events have reinforced this knowledge. I plan to devote most of Tuesday and Wednesday to some creative work. Tonight I'll make a list of things I want to do.

My Kalanchoe is blooming.





It was one plant in a basket arrangement Les brought me in the hospital in October 2002. In March last year, a few days before I went back for more abdominal surgery, I took them all out and potted them separately. The others were all easy growers. A couple books on houseplants recommended discarding and replacing Kalanchoe after it blooms. I didn't, even though it looked mousy and I have a purple thumb with houseplants. Instead, I abandoned it for a year beside the crown-of-thorns in the hot and cold southwest window. Look what happened.

I start to feel mousy at times, but I'm a stubborn survivor, too.

Date: 2004-04-05 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blue-by-you.livejournal.com
What a beautiful church. I'm very interested in your meditation practice and wonder if you might write a post about it some time? I've never attempted it and have no idea what one does in a meditation practice.

Date: 2004-04-06 10:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaneramos.livejournal.com
Okay, I will. You might enjoy reading Intimacy and Solitude and the accompanying workbook by Stephanie Dowrick, which are briefly reviewed on my website. The workbook includes all kinds of meditations and exercises for the purpose of self-therapy, but they're no different from what one would use in a spiritual practice, and they're enjoyable enough to use for their own sake rather than problem-solving. In any case, we're talking about some kind of journey. I will give some thought to posting a sample meditation sometime soon.
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Re: do you have a nice photo of

Date: 2004-04-06 11:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaneramos.livejournal.com
Oops, I messed up the HTML. Here are the two separate links:

snuggles

Hallowe'en

Date: 2004-04-05 11:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] apel.livejournal.com
I've got nothing special to say, just wanted to say that I enjoyed reading this entry.

Date: 2004-04-06 11:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaneramos.livejournal.com
Thanks, that means a lot!

Date: 2004-04-06 09:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leafshimmer.livejournal.com
Thanks for sharing your beautiful Kalanchoe with us. It makes me think of a 1920s Russian ballet dancer, or a mischievous sprite the cat scampers after around the house with a rushing clatter of busy paws.

I've got quite an imagination, don't I?

I love it that you're meditating again. I'm working on rebuilding my own daily practice, too.

hugs, Shimmer

Date: 2004-04-06 11:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaneramos.livejournal.com
You do. Very vivid. :-)

Hugs.

Date: 2004-04-06 09:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] authenticfake.livejournal.com
Lovely church and flowers.
31F, though? In the daytime?
Brr!
No thanks. ;)

Date: 2004-04-06 11:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaneramos.livejournal.com
I wish I had a choice. ;)

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