December 4, 2019
Every year Ya Po Ah puts up a 10-foot live Christmas tree in the Lobby and the residents can take part in decorating it. There is so much construction going on that this year they put up an artificial tree in the corner of the second floor, now in the dining area.They normally don’t put the tree up until the second week in December but a fake tree doesn’t shed its needles. A few people showed up and we decorated the tree and had cookies and juice.
Christmas starts earlier every year with stores decorating before Thanksgiving. It is my favorite time of year and I enjoy the longer holiday season. The weather has been cold more like New England weather. I went to Ashland for Thanksgiving where Diane’s brother, sister, mother and daughter live. There was snow going through the passes and snow in the hills around Ashland. It didn’t get above freezing the three days we were there. Christopher cooked the turkey and everyone else brought the trimmings. We had a Wonderful meal, 11 people all together. It is good to have a lot of people for a Thanksgiving dinner. The best meals I have eaten have been made by Chris. There was time to read, take naps, walk and play or watch the two very active boys; now 5 and 7 years old. The older boy Quinlan, played Christmas Carols for us on the piano that was one of his last years’ Christmas presents. They both also play chess and I watched a few games they played with each other and with Diane and their Dad. Ashland has a beautiful downtown with upscale shops and it is fun to window shop. I went into some of the antique shops and the ones that have more crafts and art-related goods. I spent a good two hours poking around the shops and Christopher got worried about me and drove up to get me and take me back to the house. I grew up with downtowns, where everything you needed could be bought. I have never shopped in a mall, never walked around one. I have been to the movies in one, that’s it.
December 18th
My studio is decorated… a live 7-foot tree, lights and greens and every flat space covered with all my favorite things. I miss the comfort of the wood stove I had in Maine and snow for the Christmas season. I will be at Christopher’s house Christmas Day. It will be quiet, Chris, Diane, me and Haley, Diane’s daughter and RB, Haley’s partner. The solstice was a Roman Holiday celebrating the return of light going back in time which the church turned into Christ’s birthday on December 25th. It is good to have traditions and celebrations and times to be together in love and friendship. Small children have such faith in Santa, a being who truly is magical and represents goodness and joy and giving. The whole of the holidays is about birth, miracles, angels, stories, mythical beings, animals and music; yes beautiful music. People have faith and hope in a better world and everyone prays for peace. Christmas is a time to be thankful, and show gratitude for all of our blessings.
Another year around the sun, another year older. Construction continues here at Ya Po Ah and will be ongoing for another year. Starting at the top 18th floor they worked down, floor by floor and my good fortune was I had to move out the end of July, summer and two Months in Maine. Doug has completely remodeled the house and the yard is groomed and garden space organized. When I lived there the yard and gardens were a little wild looking. I am a person that gets attached to a place and I am so thankful that Doug and Christina live there now. It is so beautiful there on Back Cove. It is my heaven on earth. There are grants for artists that give them a place to stay all expenses paid and all they have to do is work on their art. Well it is like that when I am in Maine in my old home. Doug made breakfast and Christina dinner, and I washed the dishes. I really appreciate them cooking the meals. I did all the things I love to do, paint, swim, walk, go to galleries, meet with my old friends, potlucks with the reading group that has been together for 10 years or more now. Thank you Doug and Christina.
The coast of Maine is made up of small towns of a few thousand people each. There might be a downtown or just a post office and a fire station. There are many artists that live in these towns and villages and often there is an art gallery. In Maine I was saturated in art, the artists and their work were everywhere. I lived near Rockland a town of seven thousand that has a museum and 20 art galleries in the downtown area. The Farnsworth has a thousand paintings by the Wyeth family. Andrew was a realist during the time most of the New York artists were painting abstracts. I don’t think he was appreciated then. Yes a realist but with compositions that are very abstract, great technique and the ability to be loose and free. He had great feelings for his subjects. I am always moved when I see his original work.
My friend Alice and her friend Virginia rented a space in a house in Rockport, MA in the downtown area near Front Beach. Three wonderful days there. Doug drove me to Portland to meet Alice and from there Alice and I drove to Rockport. We lived in Rockport as children. Alice’s Mom was my best friend when we lived in Newburyport and we had some great times together. I am so glad Alice has kept the friendship going. Alice is about the age of Doug my oldest son. When one gets older, age does not matter. Here at Ya Po Ah I have friends in their 60s up to their 90s. What goes is the energy and strength not the mind although that too goes blank from time-to-time. So back to Rockport MA. My father built a house near Old Garden beach in 1938. I don’t know how or why he chose that location, he had no idea that I had artistic ability. I do not know if he knew Rockport was an Artist colony and that many well known artists lived there. As I grew up my parents realized my talent and took notice that I spent a lot of time drawing and being creative. When I was about 12 I had drawing lessons and then watercolor lessons. The teacher took the group of students, all of whom I thought were old people, to places around town to paint. I never had an art book but I saw the paintings of the artists in Rockport. I also love water and being near to Old Garden Beach I was there every day, in the cold Atlantic water and climbing the rocks like a goat. Most of my father’s family lived in Haverhill MA , the city I was born in. He moved us back to Haverhill, when I was about 6 and sold the Rockport house, but my parents rented a cottage every summer near Old Garden Beach and I had those summers until I graduated from high school. Those were happy times and I have wonderful memories from my time living in Rockport. It was also a time when I realized how beautiful nature is and being an only child I spent a lot of time by myself observing my surroundings. I am blessed to have life unfold as it did, like a written script to experience, and the play has not ended, but continues to give me what I need to experience and to know.
It is a big change to move from a rural area to a big city. This too, seems to be in the playbook because I live in a contained community like a little village. I don’t think there are many places like this. I assumed, which may not be true, that most people living in large apartment buildings don’t know each other. However here at Ya Po Ah many friendships are formed. There is a board made up of residents and there is a general meeting once a month. Anyone can attend and the different events that Ya Po Ah puts on are discussed and planned out. I am on the Activities committee, and now the Recycling committee. I go on all the Ya Po Ah day trips on the bus, to the coast and other interesting places. There are bus trips for grocery shopping, and once a week eating out. The dining area is open every day for those that don’t cook for themselves, a good place to meet people, but mostly we meet people in the elevators. Every other month there is a birthday party that everyone can attend, which happened last week featuring in-house musicians to start, ending with the Eugene Gleemen. Pizza and beverages were served. There is a lot going on here, card players, knitting group, bingo night, movie night, exercise, and I am part of the philosophy group. Like minds are attracted to like minds, I have made some interesting friendships. Besides this, the location of Ya Po Ah is perfect for me, being close to the river, Skinner’s Butte and Downtown.
Christopher is working too hard on the farm keeping it running smoothly, being chief engineer and bottle washer. I have not seen him since Thanksgiving when we drove to Ashland. I was coming down with a cold and I gave it to Chris and he got it bad, and is still recovering.
Very rarely do I get my Christmas letter completely written until after Christmas day. Christmas is 12 days long and I enjoy the whole time. I should keep a journal so I can be reminded about all the wonderful events that happen in the year. Time races by and the memories fade. I also have to choose the images of paintings I want on the front of the card and print them out, then go to the printer and get copies of the completed letter. It all takes time. The letter is really a written review of my life in each year. I like to read my old letters to see what I did back in the old days.
What is my outlook of these times and what is on the horizon? First I want to stay healthy. I expect great changes to take place in the next few years. Right now many people all over the world are out protesting. The governments are corrupt, people are starving, no jobs, unless you are in an army. The climate is strange…unpredictable; fires, droughts, floods, heat. People are on the move, fleeing war and natural disasters. Where can they go? I don’t need to say more, you know the circumstances. The news gives you the drama and it makes them money. There are more good things happening on a global scale now, and breakthrough technology is here. It may be a bit rough but the transition will take place. Honesty and integrity are coming back. Answers are already known, fresh water from the oceans, magnetic energy, vibration, understanding of physics…all this stuff is coming. There is instant communication; iPhone, internet, Facebook, Youtube. These are exciting times. OK you say… don’t belief what you read. Well I am an optimist. I feel what is right, and if we make our reality I am helping to make this planet a better place. Believe, have faith, and create the world you want.
I read a book by Robert Schwartz titled: The Life your Soul Planned Before You Were Born. This is a book of Interviews of people who were regressed to the time between lives. I believe in Reincarnation. It is hard to believe what people planned to experience as humans and the lessons, learned from those experiences. Many souls agree to be involved in part of a person’s life, heroes to villains. For me I will try never to judge or criticize another person. When I look back on my life I see the people that were there to guide me along my path. This is a perfect example of how we are connected to those we know and don’t know and the non-physical energies that are our guides and helpers. Even the sun, planets and stars influence life on earth. We know so little.
We live in the present, in the now, and this present state of our bring is a result of experiences of living many years. People are amazing. Listening to their stories, what they lived through for better and worse, situations shaping their lives, changing their lives, I love them all, these people in my life. Humans are complex personalities and my understanding of them is interpreted through my beliefs. Who are we really? How can I know them?… for I have never experienced rejection, or abuse or anything that can cause pain and suffering. I had loving parents, a loving husband and still loving children. I do appreciate all those that have made my life a happy one. I am amazed, thankful and grateful.
This planet is full of amazing creative people, inventors, scientists, healers artists of all kinds. Just listen to a few Tedx talks and feel the good energy. The ones that can, will make a better world.
Rejoice, Christmas is the most wonderful time of year. Let your hearts open with compassion, forgiveness and generosity. Let your hearts vibrate with the sounds of music. Let your eyes be open to the Wonder of Lights in the dark. Be aware of the love in you, with you, and around you. Love is given to all who will accept it! Ya Po Ah, the tallest building in Eugene, has a huge sign across the roof that says PEACE ON EARTH. This sign can be seen from many places in Eugene.
Here is a good Christmas movie: “How About You” from 2007. The movie is about how four angry, irritated, and frustrated senior citizens in a residential home are introduced to another way of being that proves to be transformative. It helps that the Christmas Season envelops them in a warm glow where kindness and group solidarity become more appealing. Every elder has something special to offer the World. It just takes time and patience to uncover these gifts.
I did my best, It wasn’t much
And even though
It all went wrong
I’ll stand before the Lord of song
With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah. From “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
The birds they sang at the break of day
Start again I seem to hear them say
Do not dwell
On what has passed away
Or what is yet to be
Let the bell ring that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering…
There is a crack…
A crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in. From “Anthem” by Leonard Cohen
