Saturday, October 31, 2015

10/30 Spare Some Change?

Can you spare some change?

I shake my head, "No, sorry," with a weak smile, thinking of the few bills and coins I have stashed in my wallet.  I make it a point to not give money, usually.  When I have the time I offer to buy some food.  I aspire to have something substantial and ready to hand to those who ask - a pair of socks stuffed with some filling snack foods and some personal essentials like a toothbrush or deodorant.

But, like most people I think, when I hear "Spare some change" I think of dollars and cents.

That happened today and I continued on, thinking nothing of it.  Until BAM - a thought that struck to the very core of my heart: What about change?

Do you have something to change my life?
To change my day?
To change my moment?
Can you spare some part of your self to change a part of my own story?

And YES.  YES.

I have so much change within me.  My heart cries out for change in our society - to house the homeless, feed the hungry, to help the hurting.  To give love.

And in that moment, my heart heard the call for that kind of change, layered beneath my own prejudices and expectations brought about by living in a world where I have never truly been in need.

The world needs change.  I have the means to do something about it.

Can you spare some change?

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi

-----

[Side note that the sock idea is one that has come about recently and I really, really want to pursue it.  Shall continue working out the details.]

Friday, October 30, 2015

This Little Light

Let your light shine,
And when the times come where you feel too weak to hold it,
I will lift yours alongside mine,
Until you can carry it again.
And when I begin to weary,
You, my friend, shall do the same for me.
For:
"One candle loses nothing by lighting another."

We all will make it through the darkness with compassion and love to guide our steps.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Bright Heart

Bright heart
Shining in the dark places
Seeking out the shadows
To banish them with hope

Leading down the dreampath
Up to the upside 
Around the agony
Towards togetherness

Beating hard
Bearing hurt
Bringing heaven
Bright heart




Tuesday, October 27, 2015

25 Little Love Stories

1) That time you weren't mad at me when my alarm didn't go off and you came to my apartment and we practiced and we still made it to the gig.
2) Coming up with our version of Til There was You.
3) Sitting under the tree at Alamo Square Park and watching the dogs play.
4) The sunset at Ocean Beach.
5) Getting through that crazy gig where the piano didn't work.
5) Riding the Great Wheel in Seattle.
6) Trying two other restaurants before finally going to the Java Cafe for sandwiches that were extra-tasty because we were so hungry.
7) Laughing at the ridiculous moment of CGI for Legolas in The Hobbit.
8) Laughing at all of the disaster movies featuring San Francisco in the previews before The Hobbit.
9) The bus ride back from our first gig when we got to talking about Hitchcock.
10) That time a little old woman asked if you were my husband at one of our gigs.
11) Hiking up to Corona Heights park.
12) Finding you in the audience at my recital.
13) That little blue note you play in your intro for Fly Me to the Moon.
14) Holding your hand.
15) The flowers that arrived at the perfect time on my birthday.
16) Exploring Deception Pass on Whidbey Island.
17) Goofing around on the piano in the GGH practice room.
18) Talking the whole time on our long walk on Ocean Beach after Corona Heights.
19) Watching The Grand Budapest Hotel at the Castro Theater.
20) That one rainy day in the fall when I fell for you.
21) Grabbing drinks at The Grove and then complaining about The Grove.
22) Finding the Hayes Valley Inn.
23) Cheesecake.
24) The awe of watching and hearing you play.
25) Finally finding you at the SFO Bart Station.  :P

<3

Monday, October 26, 2015

26

Twenty-six days.
Vingt-six jours.
Sechsundzwanzig Tage.
Ventisei giorni.

:)

Inspiration

Inhalation
Elation
Intoxication
Motivation
Inspiration
Exhalation.

Breathing in
The sweet music
Of inspiration.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

10/24 - Happiness Limbo

It's not unhappiness.  So it must be happiness?  Somehow it cannot be neither.  So, simply, I come to the thought that it is merely a dissatisfaction with the way things are.  Though, really, things are fine.  Good, even! Blessings!  But I'm not where I want to end up being.  I'm not doing what I want to end up doing.  I take now as it is, because it is so much better than whatever else I could have (or could not have) been doing, but that doesn't mean I have to stay here.

So I won't.  

Friday, October 23, 2015

Deep Food for Profound Thought

It's funny how the light of life together
Now seems reflected in all things,
Scattering like autumn leaves
Through these days that are the pages of our lives.

It's funny - joyous, and wonderful -
So much so that it tickles the very soul
Until the laughter overflows from
Cheeks that ache from smiling.

I write almost nothing besides love poems,
Love thoughts, love reflections,
And you are writing love songs --
And I love to sing along.

10/21 - Resting

Ah, a day of rest.
Exhausted mid-week but time,
Time rests for no one.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Love Never Ends

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.  But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.  For we know only in part, and we prophecy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.  Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.  And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (NRSVCE)

We are two, partial,
Separate, mirrors...

It is not knowledge
Nor speech
Nor fortune
That brings us together.

It is love.

Endless love
Brings us face to face,
Made full - complete -
In the presence of the other.

Trust, rejoice in its truth,
in its strength,
in its endurance.

Have and hold faith;
have and hold hope;
have and give love.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Rest

Rest in my arms;
Breathe easy, soul of my own;
Let the worries of the day
Be at peace.

Here, in this sacred space,
Where two hearts meet,
You shall find
Rest.

Monday, October 19, 2015

As Breath

As breath,
Sustaining,
As tides,
Pulling, 
As light,
Piercing,
As warmth,
Soothing,
As music,
Enveloping...

Your soul,
And mine.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

10/16 - I Stand in Awe

I stand in awe and I marvel
At the infinite depth and breadth
Of this creation surrounding us.

I stand in awe and I wonder
At the Divine Love, unending,
That breathes life into all things.

I stand in awe and I give thanks
For knowing the truest beauty of creation
Through the love of another soul.

10/15 - Do What You Love

Do what you love and follow your heart.  It will lead to memorable moments, doing things you never thought you'd do, even on a very simple and small kind of scale.  When we come to the end of life, it will consist of what we did or did not do - I hope to look back on a life of choices guided by my truest self.

Friday, October 16, 2015

10/14 This Love

This love
Lifts me higher
Than I knew
I could reach.

This love 
Gives me strength
When I think
I can't continue.

This love
Sees my heart
Knows my mind
Feels my spirit.

This love
Is your love
Is my love
Is our love.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Gratefulness

My miracle,
My light,
My truth,
My joy,
My blessing,
My one,
My only,
My love:
Thank you for all that you are
And for all that you give me.
Thank you for being
The answer to my prayers of deepest longing.
Thank you for your love.

Monday, October 12, 2015

The Weight of Days

I feel the weight of days.

Sometimes they are pearls,
Treasures, pure and light.

Sometimes they are stones,
Too heavy, burdens on the heart.

Only time shall shift stone into pearl.
So I shall let it pass, joyously.

I shall assemble a string of pearls,
Strung on memories and invaluable,

Heavy with the weight of days.

10/11 Child of Time and Eternity

Every person is a child of time and eternity,
At once in the here and now,
But also living for
What is to come.
May the Love that is longing for us
Be the One to show us
The glories of eternity,
And guide our hearts
To make the joys of eternity
Reach every moment
Of the here and now.

10/10 H

Happy birthday, H!

I wanted to, on this very special day, just celebrate the fact that we have at least 15 years of friendship to look back on and smile about.  No matter the distance between us in time or space, we pick up right where we last left off and begin the chorus of laughter all over again.  You have always stood by my side, encouraging my dreams, celebrating my happiness, and listening to my heart.  I can only hope that I have done the same for you.  Thank you for your amazing friendship.  Here's to the next 15 years as we take this world by storm.  :)

Love you always,
E

10/9 Bright Skies

Bright skies are ahead of us, my dear!
Do you see them?
The rising sun is glowing,
Casting our future in a golden light.
Yes, at times the rain may still fall,
But even then we shall rejoice,
For we need the rain to grow
Just as we need the sunlight.
With your hand in mine
I fear no cloud, no wind, no thunder,
For you will be at my side
To see the sun come out again.


10/8 Was a Thursday

10/8 was a Thursday
In which I got very tired
From a very full day
And therefore did not blog, thinking,
"I'll do it tomorrow."
And then tomorrow came
And I still didn't blog
Because I was very tired.
So then I ended up forgetting
Whatever was significant about 10/8
And thus, the only significant thing
I have to say about 10/8
Is that it was a Thursday.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Monday, October 5, 2015

Getting the Words

Getting the words -
Tongue moves
Millions of miles a minute.
Vowels, plosives, fricatives 
Nasals!
(C'est Français!)
Mais!
Add the notes
And there they go! ... 
All the words
Seem to
Vani.....
Sh!

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Here You Shall Find Peace

Rest in my arms
Child of my heart
Here you shall find peace

Come lay down your head
I'll take away your burdens
Here you shall find peace

This love is bigger
Than any you have known
Here you shall find peace

My child I've led you to the light
There is nothing left to fear
There is no pain any longer
There is only heaven's light
Here you shall find peace.

DIY

Is the opportunity for the roles you want to perform not there?
Then do it yourself!

Gather up some opera folks you know, a good collaborative pianist, the easiest space you can find and perform the role and highlights from the show!

Thank you, Ann Baltz, founder and director of OperaWorks, for your constant inspiration and drive to help all of your program participants find their best selves. 

Friday, October 2, 2015

What to Give This World

Share beauty 
Share hope
Share kindness
Share knowledge
Share time
Share love 

Thursday, October 1, 2015

There Aren't Words

There aren't words for my heart's hurt today, as friends hurt at the loss of an amazing person from my church community and as the nation hurts for the sorrow of another tragic mass shooting.

I found this song and it says all I can think of to say and feel.


"Be Still and Know" from Scripture Lullabies

9/30 - The Fight in Me

The fight in me
Is for your challenges

The sorrow in me
Is for your pain

The love in me
Is from your love
Is for your life
Is with you always.