Sweat and Tears

Well, not tears. But a good deal of sweat and hard work has been poured into the creation of my new photography blog! I'm super excited to have a little functioning business happening now but I can always use an addition to my cheering section, so please stop by my photography site and say hello!

Hello Friends

In these last few months I've stepped away from this blog in order to concentrate fully on 1) my photography and 2) my growing, energetic and active five-year old (Who needs something to do every minute!) I've missed this space in my life however, a little pocket of space which allows me to in some way organize my creativity that gets mushed up with the rest of busy life and often gets lost or forgotten. That's what this blog is about for me, and I've missed it!

So my big comeback post is about Richard, the self-described "Real Rasta Man." We met him under a shade tree at the Round Hill Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, weaving baskets. He supports his children by selling his baskets to the guests of the resort. He always smiles and laughs, and after talking to him on our first day he waved and greeted us each time we passed. He was gentle and kind to all the children--teaching a little basket making class in which they got to make a sweet little basket (much loved in our house), and he was always happy to allow me to join him for a chat under his tree.

Maybe it was the fact that this vacation was for me, a truly soulful experience. I had been running on empty for a while and I truly needed a break. Unwinding, being still and quiet and enjoying my family was healing, as it should be. And Jamaica ain't so bad a spot to do just that, let me tell ya. It was the first time in months that I actually felt inspired and thought about writing the blog again. The ocean, the air, the rain forest, the food. . . all of these things added up to "soul food" for me, and cleared a little space in my mind. 

Sitting under his tree with him, I asked Richard how he defined the Rasta Spirit, since he spoke of it so freely. He waved his hand around to indicate everything around us, including his pile of palm leaves to be woven into baskets. "We are all a part of this, of nature. Rasta accepts all that nature gives us. We take life from the trees and the plants and all the gifts the earth has to give us, and we take care of the earth, we give life back. We are all a part of the earth and we all bleed the same blood, we are the same. We respect everything and everyone  in nature." I quoted him on that, but I admit I didn't write it down.  I think I got it about right. In any case, it was a beautiful reminder to me about the specialness of our earth and the preciousness of life and those around us. I don't think I had forgotten, but that's just the sort of thing that often gets pushed to the back of my mind when I am racing around town with the pressures of the world upon me. 

And here is Richard posing with my Meg with his hair down ("Mommy, his hair is longer than your hair!")