I knew there was something in me that needed to come out this morning. I wasn’t sure what it was or what it was about, but it came to me piece by piece.
First I saw the girl and the house, obvious after our move, a coming home. But then the dragon appeared behind her. Fears from the past, but if there is only the present, no past no future then truth is in the moment and home is not outside of ourselves, but where we are at the moment. When I tilted the house and sewed the water beneath it, the dragon doubled as Sandy and I knew what I wanted to say.
I thought of our new house and how much Jon and I both love it and how hard we worked to be here. And how I found myself wanting things to be a certain way, wanting it all to be just right, a place for everything, my mind spinning, wanting it all done now. Getting irritable and frustrated because there is always so much more that needs to be done. And then I remembered, It’s a wonderful house and it feels like home, but it’s only a house. And I thought of all the people who lost their houses, their homes this past week, and how awful it must be for them and it helped me remember what’s really important.
We all need shelter and a house is a home, but not without the people who live in it. Without the people and the caring and loving relationships they nurture in it, a house is just a building. And as much as I love our new house, I would rather live in a tent, than be frustrated and irritable all the time about the nasty kitchen counter tops and the mess in the dining room. And I’m grateful to have my house, but even more grateful for the people who make it a home.
Beautiful Maria – both the piece and your sentiments. And it seems like you may be starting another new design/style – I don’t recall seeing the particular use of fabric and stitching quite like this before. It’s lovely – and your creativity is clearly flowing strongly! Thank you for sharing it with us.
love this — you are so wise and so right — a great lesson for all of us
Wow! Maria, this creation is just wonderful! What a great use of color. I totally agree with your idea of what a home needs to be…that it’s an outer expression of what we love. Love is the key!
There’s a lot to ponder in this – thanks, Maria
And the potholder is gorgeous!
Maria,
I think wanting things to be a certain way is about nesting, an instinct in women. And about enjoying beauty, espcially because you are so artistic and creative.
Mike and I bought a HUD house that was a wreck and even after eight years its not completely finished. I know exactly what you mean about finding peace and gratitude instead of seeing the unfinished parts or the things we want to change.
Do you know about wabi-sabi? From wikipedia:
Wabi-sabi (佗寂?) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete”.[1] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印 sanbōin?), specifically impermanence (無常 mujō?), the other two being suffering (苦 ku?) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空 kū?).
Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.
Warmly,
Janet Rock
Oh Thank you Janet, that’s it, that is so it.
Beauitifully written, Maria!
Oh Maria! I just LOVE this!
Maria,
You are so welcome! Once I learned about wabi-sabi I began to look at things differently. And to say, “That’s so wabi-sabi!” about broken and old things instead of just thinking they need to be fixed or replaced. Very unamerican. And anticapitalist!
Janet
Great saying Janet, I’m going to start using it, “That is so wabi-sabi”
Dear Maria, SO BEAUTIFULLY TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!! And many good wishes and God Speed in your “nesting” Annie