Reflection...

Today has been a day full of contemplation, my mind sifting through the last 24 hours, turning many things over.  A lot of reflection...And quilting is probably the best craft for such times.

I've been thinking how fragile life is, how fragile our collected bones, body and spirit.  How delicate, like the gossamer wings of a butterfly.  Each breath we take, how precious it is, that it truly is a reminder that we are alive.  One of my favorite expressions actually is of a title of a book by the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk and teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, called "Breathe! You Are Alive". This book is about the fundamentals of sitting meditation, and a very good guide too.  But it's the title itself which really engages my mind...Breathe! You are alive...Alive...

My grandmother is gravely ill.  My Gram, my father's mother.  She's been unwell for a little while, complications with gout among other things, and now she's been having heart attacks.  My Momma tells me she is not doing so good.  It's very wait-and-see...I feel so sad.  I just hope and pray she turns the corner toward wellness yet.  I think of her long life.  She is 94.  Alive...

I think of Evelyn's friend, Krystal, all that she is going through with her struggle with breast cancer. She is alive...Organizing this auction for her benefit is proving somewhat difficult.  I pray all will go well with that yet.

My mind drifts back many years to the car accident I was in.  It took me some time to recover from it, physically, mentally, spiritually...And in some ways, I still feel the effects of what happened then.  For a long time, while I was recuperating, I pondered all the questions, who am I, why am I here, why are we all here, what's it all about, what is life for....I believe we are here for love.  The Beatles had it right, love is all you need.  I choose to see myself as love in motion.  You are love in motion.  And we have opportunities to spread love every day, wherever we go, to whomever/whatever we meet.

Some great love was once again brought my way in the form of another blog award.  This happened last night, and was a great surprise to wake up to!  It was given to me by the lovely Beverly of Tea Time and Roses.  She so very kindly bestowed upon me the sweet honor of nominating me for the Blogger Reflection Award.  Thank you so much, Beverly!  You sure have surprised me, dear friend, and I am ever so humbled by all the wonderful things you've said!  My heart is feeling so full...

This month marks the one year anniversary of my blog.  August 15th, to be exact. On August 15th, 2006 I wrote my first post.  I was so excited to begin my blog after reading and enjoying so many terrific blogs.  Not just craft blogs, but many blogs on all sorts of topics.  I felt such joy to be a teeny, tiny part of all that.  Much as I enjoyed it, I was missing true connection and shared conversation with other bloggers.  Not so very long ago, in April this year, I was very nearly close to not keeping this blog going, for it seemed not many wanted to share all the joy with me.  But then something like magic happened in that suddenly many were leaving comments, even sending emails, telling me not to stop, to please keep writing, sharing.  And so I did, and I am so glad that I did.  And over the months, so many more have come to visit, and even better, you are still following along with me on the incredible journey.  What began as a simple blog about my love of crafting and creating, organically evolved into a place where all of life's wonders could be shared.  My intention became to create a place where a slice of life could be offered up, and all who wanted to could come with forks to dive in with me and savor the goodness...like a diner, where friends meet!  (Maybe if I makeover the banner here, we ought to call it Pink Purl's Diner?! LOL!)  And I thank you all my friends, for joining me here so often--this place is as much yours as it is mine!  Thank you for this wonderful year...I look forward to sharing more with you!

But this award, this Blogger Reflection award...I'm meant in turn to award this to five others.  I'm finding it so hard today to nominate just five.  For it feels like having to choose among friends--not easy.  So in my heart I award everyone!  I will have to give this a little thought, and will post more on this later.

Thank you for sticking with me...And for sticking with me through this long, unusual post! LOL!   I wish all of you could come join me this evening as I work on this little quilt, bring along your latest project and really meet you all.  But this blog, and this post will have to do for now, for today...And we are ALIVE!  Big HUGS to you all! :o)

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

--Raymond Carver, "Late Fragment"

Comments

[Alison]

What a lovely post...love is definately what keeps me going...It helps pull me through the bad days.
Take care,
Alison x

[Kim]

What a beautiful post. Although I didn't know you a year ago and was unaware that you had considered stopping blogging I am really pleased to have found your blog and delighted that you decided to continue. Many congrats on your award, it's well deserved! I share all your sentiments in this post.
Kim x

[dottycookie]

I send love and best wishes and the hope that your grandmother does well.

It's always a pleasure to read what you write, and your new award is well deserved. I'm glad you didn't stop writing in April, or I'd never have found this wonderful place - and I'm so glad I did!

[ginny]

Hi Tracy,
You have expressed so much of how i feel about blogging and life in general at the moment...love .. the more you give the more you have... There are so many amazing people out here on the ether that i have been privaledged to observe,share and commmunicate with. Thank you so much for your comment tonight...May the Summer sun continue.. enjoy.
love
ginny
x

[Cathi]

I'm glad I found you by accident, lol, when looking for info on Tilde craft books!

I hope continue to get to know each other through our posts. Many you have many more years of blogging!

[Tatania]

Congratulations on the Blogger Reflection award. I love the Raymond Carver quote. It says a lot. I will put your Grandmother in my prayers, I hope she feels better soon. Great post.
Hugs

[kathryn]

I'm so glad you stayed with this lovely blog Tracy! This has really turned into one of my favorite visits--I'm so glad I found your wonderful "slice of life."

I am sorry to hear of your Grandmother's illness. My Grandmothers had such a special place in my life--what unconditional love they gave to me! So I will certainly send up my heartfelt prayers for her!

[tea time and roses]

Tracy...

What a most beautiful post... Congratulations on one year of blogging. Your beautiful blog has truly made a difference..

Hugs...

Beverly

[Maureen]

Congrats on your blogging anniversary as well as your Blogger Reflection Award!

I also noted the lovely block that you are working on! Keep quilting!

[Laney]

Tracy,

What a beautiful post. I'm so glad, like the others that you continued to blog so that I have the chance to get to know you. All that energy and love you have. I'm sure is meant to be shared. What lucky recipients we are!
I hope your Grandmother gets better. How wonderful that she has had 94 years filled with love and be surrounded by family that love her....wow a whole family of people as positive as Tracy! Everybody levitates at those family reunions! ;) I'm only half kidding...
The quote is beautiful. Thank you for the reminder to savor the moment. I just watched "Peaceful Warrior" and the same message was there....I think SOMEBODY is speaking to me......
Congratulations on the award, your blog is one of the most genuine, deeply good and true blogs I have ever come across. Thank you for being such a wonderful example of "love in motion".

[Marie]

Tracy, this is a beautiful post. Congratulations on yor one year blogging and the Blogger Reflection Award!!! What a lovely award to get, and so well deserved! I fell in love with your words at first "byte". I have always loved coming here and seeing what you are up to, reading your many profound thoughts. You always make me think. You always make me smile. I always come away having felt like I have had a lovely warm visit with a close friend. You touch my heart and you touch my soul, as always. My life would be empty without my visits to Pink Purl and with you. Sending out positive thoughts for your lovely gran. Thanks so much for sharing this little piece of you and your love with us each and every time you post!

[Alice C]

Tracy,
What a beautiful and gentle post. I think that your blog is like the ripples created when a pebble drops into water - the ripples spread and reach much further than you could ever imagine. You touch so many people with your generous comments.
Wishing you a happy day

[Tips Of All Sorts]

Happy for you on your 1st blogging anniversary! Keep on going!

[jessica daisy]

Hi Tracy, nice of you to stop by my blog, congratulations on your first anniversary!
I just read your post from April, I'm two months in to my first blog, and my comments are just starting to pick up a bit after a slow start, I suppose as I leave more comments on other's blogs, and other bloggers start to link to me the network starts to grow!
It's lovely to find your blog, and I will popping back to read more about you soon and I hope your grandmother gets better,
Jessx

[LillySmuul]

So hearthful post!
Congratulations on the Blogger Reflection Award!!
best wishes to your grandma and you as well!
I love the piece of quilt you working!

[Hege]

Congrats on your award!
Hope you grandmother is getting well soon. I have a grandmother who is 84 and I hope she will live for a long, long time. She knit and crochet all day long, so she is a big inspiration!

[Evelyn Lum]

Dear Tracy,
It is all grey and raining heavily outside but I refuse to let that get me down and I read your post ... Breathe! You are Alive! ... Alive!! This world is such a lovely place ... because of people like you. Congratulations on your Reflection Award! Congratulations on your blog anniversary! Congratulations on that BIG heart of yours!
I will pray for your Gram, I will pray for those people in Minneapolis, I will breathe.

[Isabelle]

Dear Tracy, I just stole 5 minutes from the last-minute preparations to read your blog, thinking, I won't have time to comment but at least I can read it... Well, I *had* to comment. Thank you for this wonderful post. Praying that your Gram gets better.
We seem to be sharing the exact views on life - on love.

Sending big hugs to you Tracy. Thank you for giving me this wonderful break in the preparations. I couldn't have wished for a better one.
Thanks to you, I shall be breathing deeply while making another cake tonight.

((((Tracy))))
You are such a special, precious person, and that award is completely deserved!

[Britt-Arnhild]

Your writing today is so beautiful.
I am sorry to hear about your grandmother.

[Merisi's Vienna]

Congratulations on your blogging anniversary as well as your Blogger Reflection Award!

Life is full of joy, and sad moments too, like your grandmother's illness. May she feel better soon, and a hug to you.

Raymond Carver's poem has long been a favorite of mine (I spent a little fortune to buy a first edition of his "A New Path to the Waterfall" collection, of which this is the last poem.

[Teresa]

Congratulations. I am so glad you continued blogging because I would not have had the opportunity to "meet" you if not. Continue on.

[Tiffany]

Tracy, I am so sorry to hear about your grandma! Please keep us up to date. Your post was very thoughtful, I sort of have to let it sink in before I comment.

HUGS!

PS. Glad you are still here, a year later.

[Natalie]

Tracy you are such a bright spot in my life. I am one, among many, who is glad that you blog, that you share bits of your life and thoughts. Prayers and comfort for your grandmother, and for the family that loves her.
It's such a pleasure getting to know you.

[Felicia]

Tracy, I'm sending positive thoughts your way! And I'm thinking too of your grandmother.

Congratulations on one year of blogging. I'm so glad all the lurkers came forward to let you know how much your words mean to them. :)

[Lemon Tree Tales]

Tracy I'm sorry to hear that your grandmother is doing poorly. But I was so heartened to read about "Breathe! You're alive!" quote because that seems to sum up everything that deserves to bring us daily joy. When I was in high school, on Wednesdays during our lunch hour a local chaplain would drop by. He was a very old gentleman who would announce to the student body "It's great to be alive!" and we would all yell back "Joy, joy, joy!". Funny how such a simple reminder would color our day. Congrats on one year of blogging!

--Tami