Tag: lake

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Water

I had a last minute invitation to spend a night at a friend’s lake house with her and two other dear friends. It’s a beautiful spot and I could not resist.

Water is healing. British novels always have the ailing protagonist traveling to the seaside for rest and rejuvenation. An article by Elizabeth Bernstein in “The Wall Street Journal” touts the power of water to reduce anxiety and relieve stress. Take a look at the photos from that story and feel yourself relaxing.

“Water meditates us by taking away all the noise,” says Wallace J. Nichols, a marine scientist. “All we have to do is show up.” Yes.

So I showed up and I got meditated this weekend.

A lake doesn’t have the same sound factor as ocean waves and waterfalls. No, it produces a quieter soundscape, lapping against the shore, rocking the dock and boats. And whether you’re in the water or not, just gazing at the soft, rippling movement is meditative.

I wish I had photos from the quiet cove I kayaked to this morning. No docks, no houses, just the green growing things, stands of trees, a soft shoreline, and the occasional turtle plopping from a stump into the water. Birdsong and the quiet lapping of water in the early morning ease one into wakefulness.

Without a phone or camera, I followed my sister’s soft practice of taking mental pictures. Looking. Being mindful. Remembering.

One should never refuse the offer of time by the water, I feel (though I have done it before and recently, too). Creek, river, lake, sea, bathtub, swimming pool, rainfall, they’re all water and all healing. We should all partake as often as possible.

“A recent study found that it takes about two hours a week near water to improve our well-being . . . ” – Elizabeth Bernstein

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.” ― Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad

“They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of Being, the voice of perpetual Becoming.” ― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”
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Spelling Bee

Like many, I played Wordle every day. And then suddenly I was bored with it. Too much luck involved. I started playing Spelling Bee, another New York Times word game.

What a colossal waste of time! Oh, sure, I have loved it, loved the challenge. I thought it was probably good for my brain, too. Is it, though? Where’s the research? Does it really behoove me to spend all that time on a word game when I have very many other things I want to do? I have been close to addicted to the game. For a little while I set a 20-minute timer and only allowed myself those few minutes. That did not last long. If you play, you know it is possible to use up a whole hour of your day (life) on the game.

I could be taking another turn around the lake.

See, when I say “life,” that gives you pause, doesn’t it? It does me. This is my life we’re talking about! Do I want to look back and see how many hours I spent playing Spelling Bee? No.

Being a word person, of course I enjoy the challenge. I’m happy to get to Genius, but not Genius without the pangram, which is sometimes possible. I have to get the pangram. There is certainly satisfaction in it. And then a friend told me that she and her husband reach Queen Bee every day. Every single day. So I wanted to do that, too. Aiyiyi!! Thank God I reined that in pretty quickly. But if I’ve already gotten all but 2 or 3 of the possible words, I might carry on far too long trying to get those last ones. Ugh. Not worth it. “You have things to do!” I yell at myself. “YES! I HAVE THINGS TO DO!!” I yell back.

I could be walking on one of our beautiful trails.

People my age are always talking about what’s good for our brains. Well, what about our hearts? This (previously) fun diversion can be a stressor, depending upon the letters of the day. Decidedly NOT good for my heart. Irritating. Bad mood-inducing. I’m not playing today. There might be good letters, though . . . No, I’m not playing. Of course I think about it. But I’m not going to. I’m writing. I’m painting. I went on a brisk walk in the cool, breezy morning, under the shade of many trees on our beautiful trail. Much more rewarding, in every sense.

I have THINGS TO DO. I will not play. They can’t make me.

“It may be that all games are silly. But then, so are humans. ”― Robert Lynd

“This is our purpose: to make as meaningful as possible this life that has been bestowed upon us . . . to live in such a way that we may be proud of ourselves, to act in such a way that some part of us lives on.” ― Oswald Spengler

“Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”

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Lake Life

This weekend I had the complete and utter joy of spending two nights and three days with my dear women friends at Mary Ann’s lovely lake house. It was such a total refresh and reset to be in, on, and around that beautiful lake. As I recently wrote, I had been longing for time by the water. Of course, I’m always keening toward water, it seems, like a shorebird that’s somehow landed very far inland, very confused. But a nice long water sabbatical restores me to myself. I have returned home renewed. Ahh.

On Friday there were hours spent lazing around on floaties in the water. Friday night, after eating, drinking, and playing games, found us lying on the dock, stargazing. The half moon dimmed the stars a bit, but I did see two shoot across the sky. Love. Saturday morning I sat at the end of the dock and meditated, my eyes half open to the gently rocking water. Twice we took kayaks down the cove to a beautiful channel one of the residents had created. It was totally quiet and peaceful there, a green, almost parklike surround, with trees scattered and among them a single picnic table. No houses or docks. Again, ahh.

Two of us had recently spoken about how much we love the ocean, wondering briefly why we live landlocked, as we do. But then she almost immediately said what I was thinking. It’s because of this very group of friends that we are unwilling to move away from here, even to our longed-for ocean.

We have the gift of companionable togetherness and high regard for each other. Each of us commented at one time or another during the weekend how lucky we felt to be there but also to be with each other. We all recognize the greatness of our easy companionship and we speak of it often. I think too that we enjoy the same balance of silliness and depth, while also loving many of the same things. Food and drink; games; laughter; singing; travel; adventure; the great outdoors; hiking; canoeing; books; and meaningful conversation. I’m smiling to myself for listing “food and drink” first. We are very good eaters!

Plans were discussed for a trip to Montana, specifically Glacier National Park next year. Road trip? Or train trip?!? Fly fishing . . . hiking . . . kayaking? Yes, please. Montana will be our oyster. But even if, for some unfathomable reason, that doesn’t happen, this, right here, will still be our oyster.

So today I am filled up with gratitude for my wonderful friends and for the beauty that lives right here where I’ve been planted.

“My mother always wanted to live near the water,” she said. “She said it’s the one thing that brings us all together. That I can have my toe in the ocean off the coast of Maine, and a girl my age can have her toe in the ocean off the coast of Africa, and we would be touching. On opposite sides of the world.” ― Megan Miranda, Vengeance

“Soul friendships are the safety net of the heart.” – Susan Jeffers

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”― Linda Grayson

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. And if you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”