Thursday, April 9, 2009

Lesser Celandines and Buddha







This seemed like a good day to walk the labyrinth on the way in to visit HP. Cool but bright weather, spring flowers at peak, and the need for a calm refreshing little while, all propelled me to the labyrinth I've talked about before.

One of the joys of the digi camera when you have a disabled partner is that when you go places he can't get to, you can take instant pictures and he can relive it along with you. It helps that HP is such a generous soul that he loves me to enjoy activities even if he can't be along, and likes very much the instant replay.

So today it's the labyrinth, complete with the little Buddha guarding the entrance, and riots of celandines growing all around. The flags are Tibetan prayer flags, which the squirrels love and haul about, but today they were all neat so someone must have fixed them yet again.

There is simply nothing as calming and helpful as walking the labyrinth. The discipline for me is to keep my eyes only on my toes and what is immediately in view, never to look up, not to plan ahead, just shun all the things that are so anxiety producing in usual life. Just walk, slowly, square breathing, let the labyrinth walk you.

I have never left it without feeling I learned something new. And HP loved the views I'm showing you here. He has been there, one time when he could not walk it, but sat and waited for me, as I walked it for a friend who had died. So that time he walked it virtually in a way, and did again today when he saw the pix.

Neither of us is dwelling on death at this moment, rather we're organizing life.But it seems like a good time and season to say that neither of us ever wants a funeral when we go.

What we will want from our friends is: walk a labyrinth, and plant daffodils in our memory. And tell our survivors that you did it!

3 comments:

  1. Boud

    I'm glad you are able to find some peace in your labyrinth walking and it's so accessible for you. My thoughts are with you and HP.

    Minimiss

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  2. I will do all three of those things -- but I hope I won't be called upon to do them for a long while yet!

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  3. I have a dear friend living in China (teaching) who has shared so much with me about the prayer flags ... I love them.

    Beautiful images, all. I also like the one in my mind's eye of your two heads together as you share with HP.

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