Happy Mother’s Day!

My mother is a particularly amazing woman. She is generous and thoughtful, artistic and musical. She has always loved to paint and is quite good. She is also rather prolific. Our home is filled with her paintings, as she keeps few for herself. She feels that by the time she gets done with a painting, she’s tired of it and doesn’t want to look at it, anymore. We love it, though, as her diversity and changes in style make each one unique and special. Though she has worked with different mediums, her choice is oil. She paints anything, standing still or not. Landscapes, flowers, seascapes, people, animals, whatever looks interesting and will help her work on her technique.

Her first love, though, has always been music. All genre’s, though she has a softness in her heart for jazz and the classics. Although, she started taking piano lessons while still in high school, and played some on her own as I was growing up, she really didn’t begin her “music career” until she was nearing retirement. She decided to learn to play the violin, again. She met another person learning who was playing with a local Old Time Fiddler’s group. Mom joined and was soon entering competitions and “fiddling” up a storm! Soon after, she decided to pick up the viola, started taking lessons and then played with the local orchestra. Once she retired, she then had the time to really devote to lessons and playing.

She has learned to play numerous instruments, but focused on the piano, violin, viola, and cello. She has become particularly adept at the piano and violin, playing anything from classical to jazz, individually or in a group. She plays in public, doing gigs all over, from coffee houses to concert halls, nursing homes to weddings. This Mother’s Day, she will bring her jazz band to play at a local nursery called the Thyme Gardens, which hosts an annual arts and cuisine event. Mom’s music group is the headliner! Not bad, when you’re an energetic and youthful 72!

Impressions

My mother and I were watching an interview on the Turner Classic Movie channel this last Saturday evening. It was an interview between the host Robert Osborn and actor Ernest Borgnine on his life and acting career. It was quite fascinating. My mother had seen a great number of his movies over the many years that he has been acting, as have I. Often, his character in many of his movies were that of a hard-mannered man facing difficulties. Though he also played men with an enormous amount of character and even humor, my mother’s impression of him was that he must be similar to the bulk of the characters he portrayed in the movies. She was quite amazed while watching the interview, that he was quite the opposite. He never criticized people or spoke negatively of anyone, instead, focused on the positive. If there was anything contrary, he only would cite situations as possibly being problematic. It was very interesting, and my mother came away from watching this interview with a whole new impression of a very talented and kind man.

How often do we believe something based on one dimension? People we see on the screen or even in our own community are often judged by what we perceive without seeing the whole person. Often, we don’t have all the information, but make assumptions based on incomplete information. I am just as guilty of jumping to conclusions, believing that I have what I need to make an informed decision. Yet, all too often, that judgment or viewpoint is based more on emotion than good sense. Alas, I need more improvement.

Springtime In Oregon

It is a typical spring day in Oregon. A little liquid sunshine mixed with the real thing. But, that is what makes our state so green and beautiful. Spring is actually my favorite season of the year, as it is so full of new beginnings. Everywhere you look, trees and early plants are flowering and a sense of expectancy is in the air.

There is an elk herd that graces us with their presence from time to time. They are phenomenal creatures, large and majestic. Though we lost many members of the herd this last fall, there are several young ones to take their place and it is a pleasure to see them eat in the field behind our house. Our dog is totally unimpressed by them, not even deigning to acknowledge their very existence. Not a woof, a growl, or even a snort is emitted from her furry lips. Such is our watchdog.

I often find, with the advent of spring, that my pace through life quickens. Whether at work or home, I feel this inexpressible need to accomplish more than usual. Yet, instead, this is a perfect time to slow my pace and look at the world around me.

In the constant rush to accomplish everything we can, every minute of every day, do you stop to take advantage of special moments or enjoy the beauty of your surroundings? The adage “Stop and smell the roses” is not so far from the mark. The rush of “doing” can cause us to miss the moments of “being”. Before we know it, we have truly missed special moments that we might not experience again. Sometimes, things that are so simple can be what is most precious and will last in our memories for a lifetime. The smell of my Grandmother’s hand lotion or the beauty of a clear blue sky against an evergreen mountain ridge comes immediately to my recollection. What memories come to mind for you? I would love to see your comments.