Saturday, December 01, 2007
In Orlando
I'm in Orlando, sitting in a bookstore, amazed yet again at how much things change around here. I grew up in these parts, so its weird to pass once familiar places and see them transformed into slick, commercial outposts. I passed our old house and was surprised to see a new building in its place. I was instantly reminded of afternoons spent up trees and in the rafters of ancient barns, investigating the nest of a speckled owl. I'm reminded of what little it took to entertain me, to make me happy. I didn't need much, a good book, a shady place to rest and maybe a few tangerines from our grove. Its easy to forget how beautiful it is to live simply, to be grateful for small blessings. I think of myself as a kid and remember its ok to play, to make things, to enjoy this life. Interestly, these small shifts in thinking have lifted the fog that has settled around me. So, with my new clarity, I'm off to spend some time with my sketchbook.
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5 comments:
"Make me sweet again,
fragrant and fresh and wild,
and thankful for any small event."
-rumi
I feel the same way every time I visit Florida. I used to spend hours in the branches of of our grapefruit tree with books and oranges.
It makes me a little sad to think that the old house isn't there anymore. It outlasted hurricanes, hail storms, and the Thornton family... only to be made into a shiny new building. I feel like a piece of our childhood has entered truly into mythology now. We can't say, "If you want to see the old house we grew up in, go to 4595 Howell Branch Road..." It just isn't there anymore. The record is left with us. It's so curious to think how fragile things are like that. Touchstones to the past that can so easily be erased, like dust in the wind.
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