Thursday, March 12, 2009

Cheerful Creation 3/12/09

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.

Albert Camus
**************
Greetings invisible friend.
----------------------------
I used to live in the up country of northern New England. The summers there were hot and filled with foliage of all kinds. The mountains.were wrapped in green forests and up above the bright sun would light up the summits. Down below the grass, the bushes, wild things, fields of vegetables and fruits, back yards of flowers were all, humbly or grandly reaching for the sky.

But the winter is an entirely different matter. People who live there know that in the summer and autumn they have to prepare for the winter. Have you got the wood in and the hay, is your furnace working properly, are the car and truck in good shape, is there a shovel in the back just in case, do you have the proper coats, boots, scarves, hats and mittens for your kids? Because when the winter comes, it comes in fierce and it doesn't go away. The snow piles up. Driving is treacherous. Everything freezes. Low lying unoccupied buildings simply disappear. Every day is cold. The evergreen branches are embraced by ice. It seems like the grand forests, the singing fields of corn and the joyous gardens were never there. As though it was all a dream.

But the people know it will be back and that you have to prepare for summer also. Leon Bibb has a song: "one day another spring." It sings about ancient fingers poking seeds into the earth. The "invincible summer" is coming, because it's always there in the hearts of us. The time always comes when the fields are once again filled with life.

There are winters everywhere. They may not last half a year as they do in some places, They may not be outside the door. They may be in the cold of grief and despair, poverty, confusion, disappointment, failure, fear, gloom and doubt. Those are winter winds that blow an angry message to the heart, ice storms we weren't prepared for.

I know what I'm writing about. And as impossible as it may seem, in the midst of winter, "in the depth of winter," caught in a storm of sorrow. is the time to start preparing for joy. Get the seeds ready because "one day another spring" and then "invincible summer," with forests of green, rivers fast and robust with the melting mountain snow, brave, small green things taking the place of the fields of ice, the reappearing happiness that was buried for a while and rejoicing, rejoicing, because that is what we are supposed to do.

DB - Vagabond Journeys
-------------------------
Now repeat after me:
Happy Birthday Vagabond

23 comments:

Beth said...

Proper birthday wishes are currently winging their way to you, my friend!

I think I would have a hard time living in a place without a significant change of seasons. Just as the bad makes us appreciate the good in life, the long cold winter makes us anticipate spring and summer, and cherish it all the more when we have it. It's a strange dynamic that I'm not sure everyone can understand.

Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment...!

Love, Beth

Joann said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Hope you had a wonderful day!!! Many more happy years ahead!!

Wes said...

DB:

Happy Birthday!

I wish you a kind day to reflect on your wonderful life.

Thanks for your entry.

Peace&Love
Wes&Family

Gerry said...

Well you were born with spring on its way and that seems like a good time to be born. My son Gary was born March 31, and I know that was a wonderful day for me. May you start to respond to the nurturing of spring.

Hollie said...

I came over from Beth's blog to wish you a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" I hope you have a very good one.

Donna. W said...

Happy, happy birthday. Now where's my piece of cake?

I came here from Linda's World.

Linda :) said...

Bringing Happy Birthday wishes... :)

nancy said...

came over from LInda's world.Wishing a a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! NANCY

Anonymous said...

Have the happiest of Birthdays to you. Hope you treat yourself very well.
I love the snow piling up, but certainly not accompanied by the treacherous driving. I very much love all the different seasons, but not the extra harsh versions of. ~Mary

Trees said...

May I wish you a very happy birthday DB, I have not been able to get into any blogs lately or even into my own, when I get into aol under TreesRGreen78 an error message comes on and i cant do anything, not even get back out and have to shut the computer down. Think it is a present from this awful Bebo. I am indeed glad that I was able to get in today so I can wish you a very happy birthday, may you have a wonderful day filled with much joy, happiness and good friends and family, my dear friend. God bless.

Now I can go back and read all your wonderful entries, will catch up soon.

Trees said...

This entry is absolutely filled with such a message. I loved it. As I feel you were not just talking about our winters, but the winter storms that touch our hearts and spirit. If we believe, the storms leave us and we as you say can see the spring come back to our souls and once again our heart soars and our spirit grows just as the trees bud again and the plants come up through the earth and become so beautiful, such do our hearts and spirit. Thank you for this entry again you write superbly, one of my favorite blogs is Vagabond Journeys.

betty said...

Happy Birthday DB! May it be a very nice day for you!!!

I enjoyed today's entry about preparing for winter, as well as in reality, preparing for all seasons of our lives; all of them are good for one thing or another; sometimes happiness, sometimes sadness, sometimes joy, sometimes pain and suffering, but they all make up who we are

enjoy the day!

betty

Linda's World said...

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear DB, happy birthday to you!
Don't forget to stop by my entry today.....Linda in below freezing Washington

Judith Ellis said...

Beautiful! I loved the Albert Camus quote too! I served as a reader for an excellent book on Camus and Sartre by Ronald Aronson, "Camus and Sartre: The Story of a Frienship and the Quarrel that Ended It."

Having read Camus in English and French, the sentiments here are in alignment with his, namely his keen perception of the existential element of life and the desire to live in it despite it.

By the way, I am a trained opera singer who love many of the composers you list in your profile. Classical music, I love! I am also terribly fond of other genres too.

Happy Birthday!

Ally Lifewithally said...

Popping in from Lindas world to wish you a very Happy Birthday ~ Ally x

Arlene (AJ) said...

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DB, YOU'RE A SPECIAL GUY WHO HAS TOUCHED ALL OF OUR HEARTS WHO READ YOUR SITE. HOPE YOU FEEL THE INTERNET HUG, JERR AND I ARE SENDING YOUR WAY. BLESS YOU DEAR.

Anonymous said...

DB, we will celebrate your birthday next after Spring get here or maybe even Summer.
Nice wrte up today.
I can't believe you were so crass to bolg about your birthday. What an egotist your are to even think we care it is your birthday. Bill

Anonymous said...

You have reminded me of the two years I spent in Wisconsin. One of those winters with temperatures of 30 below zero. But it was worth it just to see the magic of spring. Thanks for the memories DB.

Ken Riches said...

Hope you had a great day today, Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday :o)

Maire said...

May you have a wonderful Birthday! If you were near us, I would happily cook one of my famous celebration dinners for you!!
Having been going to the Catskill mountains for many years now, the joy of the seasons and their many changes, lifts my soul.
I have always been impressed by the warmth of the people of New England; on our trips to Vermont, and my first trip to Maine, it has become some of my favorite places to be.
Again, a Happy Birthday! hugs, Maire

Joyce said...

Had to take the time to wish you a Happy Birthday DB. I hope you had a wonderful day. Now party all weekend.
Hugs, Joyce

Linda S. Socha said...

DB
Happy Birthday dear new friend.You have now reached the age of liberation..or so I understand from my spiritual advisor. He is now 84. I am not there yet but I keep on trucking.

I looked up 3-12-39 for the most popular song the day you were born . It was "Penny Serenade" by Guy Lombardo. Apparently later made into a movie? I would be willing to bet that you know more about this than I do...Check out the U Tube link?
Linda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUrYte8txR0

Anonymous said...

I have been reading your post for
some time now, but I could not pass
up the chance to wish you a belated
Happy Birthday. I hope you are still celebrating. True to my usual, I am "a day late and a dollar short"!! Thus, no present,
just a world of warm wishes. Pat