Even out here, in the wild, wild west, in the upscale development of suburbia, on the outskirts of Portlandia’s eclectic, bustling city scene, where there are far too many SUVs and tightly manicured lawns, I’ll occasionally find what I call suburbian love notes. Those would be unexpected little creations from the cultural creatives who show their artistic flare now and then, from stacked odds and ends made of bricks, sticks and random rocks, to poetry hidden behind rain-drop covered display boxes. The latest creation was the little painted pole, which I imagined sometimes dreams of being a giant totem pole. That latter love note was decorated with images of happy flowers, birds, hearts and the tender message, “Do small things with great love.”
This terran (inhabitant of planet Earth) was duly impressed with today’s findings, as was my delightful walking companion, Bodhi. Doesn’t she look happy too?
What creative, little love notes have you left in your neighborhood lately?
Here we sit at the midway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Many folks around the globe celebrate this time of year, from Europe to Asia. Having not grown up with any set cultural, ethnic or religious traditions, outside of the standard commercialized holidays, I’ve found myself more at home just tuning into the Earth, the smell of the air, the sounds of the birds, the position of the stars, and honoring the natural calendar. This helps me feel more grounded and at ease in a world that is following so many unnatural rhythms, the most glaring one being the Gregorian calendar. Remember the poem they taught in elementary school to remember the length of each month?
Regina Chante 