Rescue me.

 

This is a photograph I took of Papa Callan in 2006 at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. I recommend a visit if you're ever in the area, or have extra time while waiting for the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. 

During our tour, Papa Callan found this giant life ring. It was there for visitors to try on for size, and so of course, Papa Callan put it on and I photographed him. It was a funny and frivolous thing at the time, but now, my heart breaks a little when I look at the image.  

 I suppose this is how grief creeps up on a person. 

But, I have been fine. Fine. Fine!

Perhaps it's the fact that March brings his birthday (he would have been 99 years old.) And then there's St. Patrick's Day on the horizon and the two dates are very close together which seems very appropriate since he was 100% Irish. 

We used to go to the Clancy Brothers concerts at Southern Connecticut State University for his brithday celebrations. That was fun. And Papa Callan believed in having fun. I try to follow his example, but sometimes it's not easy. Sometimes, I bristle. Fun?! Phooey!

And yet, I have found a portal into the land of fun, which is creativity. We can't always have fun, we can be creative and this often leads to something akin to fun.

Creative Friends--there's a lot of scary things going on in the world right now. And there's good reason to feel sad or angry and anxious. My assignment for you this week is to take those feelings and be creative with them. Transform them into something tangible. This can mean writing or singing or dancing or painting. 

It can even involve baking a cake, starting your seedlings for the spring planting. Creatively cleaning your home. Slowly, but surely you'll feel better and stronger. Certainly, the world needs you to stay strong right now. By staying creative you will be ready for whatever it is the universe will demand of you. 

And yes, have fun.

Love, 

Jamie