Sometimes Perfectly Timed

https://youtu.be/IkxLTZm-6OE

Word Porn - Baby I'm A Fool

Gold To Me

Bravado.
It is not becoming.
Sometimes, though, a little bravado is a lot needed when one is required to be selfless.
Or, at least, that is the thinking of this writer, tonight - on a night where I wanted to be less bravado - and more selfish.
Reflecting upon this - it's okay to wound quietly.  It's okay to project the swagger necessary for a bigger and better goal.
It's okay.
Because that's really the only option.
To be okay.
And right is right. And heart is heart. 

Kintsugi (金継ぎ^?, きんつぎ, "golden joinery"), also known as Kintsukuroi (金繕い^?, きんつくろい, "golden repair"),^[1] is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, a method similar to the maki-e technique.^[2][3][4] As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.

And just like that Ben Harper enters the blog singing my soul swaying song - "Gold to Me"...

Tonight I restored the bravado wall - only to fill the broken and fractured pieces of my heart with gold.
You look like gold to me
You make me wanna sing
Like the rays down from the sun
And I'm not too blind to see
You look like gold
With all the joy you bring
You look like gold
When a new day has just begun
You look like gold

Go forth and be.  Just fill the spots that are cracked and make yourself stronger.

Blessed.

- Simone

"10 Years From Now" - 6 Years Later.

Reading old blogs - seeing photos I posted sometime ago - ... I ran across this old blog:

http://sim1says.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-ten-years.html

In October 2010, I wrote my "ten-year" blog.  Let's cover the highlights:

• In 2020, I will be mom (and step-mom) to 28, 27, 25, and 24 year old children who will not so much be children anymore.  I'll be 44.

• I'm quite sure I will have traveled east.  I seem to travel west a lot.  I will (hopefully) have finished my book and I will spend much debate on whether anyone will read it. 

•  I will have that convertible.

• I may - maybe - might - be a grandma by then and I have decided that I don't want to be called "Grandma" or "Memaw" or "Nana" - I want to be "Bootsie."  Yes - you read that right and if it makes you giggle or 'pshaw' just a little then you get the point.  I like it.  "Bootsie"

• I am quite sure that I will have traveled to Germany to see my German Cookie and her parents.  Maybe I'll have learned a little bit more German - maybe not. 

• I will not give one flying flip about the dust.

• I will paint more.  

• I'll listen to all of the music that I want, not worrying that someone asks to change the song AND I will attend many more a concert.

It's day one of 2017.  I am 40.  2016 brought me opportunities beyond anything I ever imagined possible.  Standing in front of real (and many) Klimt creations.  Feeling the ache of so many Van Goghs.  Embracing the Alster with sparkles in my eyes - they were tears, but the very best kind.

I'm amazed at the kids - all of them.  They are the biggest reminder of humility and humanity.  They're all just so good.  I'm so proud of them.

I still haven't made it to the Eastern US (did go to Chicago though - the year that they became World Series Champs) - but I sure did make it over the pond to beautiful parts of Europe.  I'll work on the Eastern part of the US over the next four years.

I have a jeep (that counts as a convertible in the summer) - that I drive in National Parks, over mountain passes and through tall trees that embrace me with presence.

THANK YOU, MEREDITH, CHRISTOPHER, AMANDA, ROB and MELANIE for not making me a grandma before I was 40.  But I still like the idea of "Bootsie"

I have traveled to Germany - I have fostered every bit of love possible for this family that never knew we were supposed to be family until a fateful August 2007 day.  I'm going back this year to see Melanie married... and my soul smiles.  (and I know A LITTLE more German)

I don't care about the dust.  I'd rather spend my time learning, reading, walking the lanes of beautiful Helena, Montana... dust is character.

I do paint more - I need to paint more still.  I LISTEN TO ALL THE MUSIC THAT MY HEART DESIRES!  I dance wildly when no one is looking - and sometimes they are looking... and I really don't care if they are....

.... I haven't worked on my "book" since 2010.  For some reason, I just felt like I didn't need to tell the story anymore.  I want to live it.

Ever one to try to sum up the whole - 2017 is my continued effort to foster my simple goal... "... she lived..."

There's no resolution.

Just life.

My wish for you is every moment lived, every possibility to love - and don't forget to pepper your life with every opportunity to create random acts of kindness.  You will change this world.  (It's true.  I promise.)

Much love.
- Simone