Category: - A Cottage by the Sea

Follow your bliss~

11/28/2018

“If you follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.” This wisdom of Joseph Campbell’s rests deep within me. Preparations for my trip to Florence on Friday are in good order as I get ready to follow my bliss and live the life I want to live once again.
     Packing is completed. Library books returned. My Kindle is ready. Visits to church friends are scheduled or completed. Fourteen meals for my husband sit in the freezer. Friends and family are doing well.
     When I first read these words of Campbell, I embraced the idea of following one’s bliss as something everyone ‘should’ do. But times have changed, and so have I; his words feel more nuanced and complex. What about the families tracking across Mexico to enter our country? Perhaps they are following their bliss, but it surely isn’t the same bliss as the border crossing I will experience upon entering Italy.
     I could go on and on, except I think these few words are enough to continue my thinking, and to get you pondering your bliss as well.

Want equals freedom~

5/13/2016

   I’m still feeling freedom from the writing project I released. I may end up writing the article, but it will happen without internal stress.
   I wonder how many pressure projects we put upon ourselves. Pressure to do something we don’t have to do nor want to do. Maybe the key is the ‘want’ part. For example, I’m about to go for a walk (before it rains). I don’t have to, but, and this is a big but, I want to keep this commitment I made to myself.
      What equals freedom. Off I go.

Keep stepping out of the box~

4/2/2016

     It’s the day before I depart for my eleven day retreat to Florence. Packing, finishing a jigsaw puzzle, watching the last episode of Season Five of Downton Abbey; maybe a walk in the rain. I’m always a little restless on the day before I leave, even as I enjoy the final getting ready. I fly to Frankfurt at 5PM, and arrive in Florence at 9AM Monday morning (six hour time difference), in time for a second cappuccino. I’ll check into my apartment and then wander down to the Arno and just stand there on the Ponte Trinita and gaze at the Ponte Vecchio. Then pizza on the Piazza della Signoria, followed by a little nap. On it goes, or shall I say on I go, following my bliss.
     This week I’ve been mapping out the article I’m planning to write while there: ‘Seven Days Walking in Florence’. So far I’m considering ten different themes, but as I walk and wander I’ll settle into the perfect seven.
     I don’t know why, but more than usual I’ve heard a longing from those I’ve told about my trip. Oh, I wish I could do something like that… I wish I were you…I wish I had been more adventuresome.
Undoubtedly each comment is particular to the individual. I don’t know what they specifically had in mind, nor perhaps did they, but they definitely weren’t throwaway comments. In fact, there was a common theme: a deep desire to tap into something essential, to express their authentic self, which they knew they could only access by stepping ‘out of the box’.
     Perhaps this is why I continue to take my solitary trips—to keep my authentic self alive and developing. In many respects I don’t feel like I’m stepping out of the box anymore, but I know I am. Not everyone started practicing as early as me with parental encouragement to be a decision-maker and risk-taker. For that I am very grateful. But I believe that our deepest longings are not fulfilled with by a one-time event. We have to keep at it, keep finding out what we need to do to keep developing. And so I will keep at it tomorrow and for as long as I can.

Getting through March~

3/29/2016

We’re getting through March. Not that it’s been a brutal one weather-wise, but as is its nature, it has been a long one. No out-like-a-lion in the forecast, which bodes well for an in-like-a-lamb. However, it looks like I’ll be experiencing rain during my first days in Florence, with temperatures in the low 70s. I’ll plan my time accordingly. In general, rain means museums, sun equals walks. But I can be flexible, singing in the rain and looking in the sun.
As you might gather, the week leading up to my trip is almost as good as being there. Whatever your bliss might be at the moment, I encourage you to seize it and starting living into it.

Following my bliss, sinus infection and all~

4/28/2015

I’m back home from Italy after a week of solitude followed by a week of camaraderie and companionship with family. Both were wonderful, both necessary for balance in life, although the amounts that each of us needs varies. Because I had both solitude and community on this trip, I had a new opportunity to examine the benefits of both, not as separate entities but as companions.

Clearly I need both, but since I’ve always taken my communities for granted, I may have focused my life (and this blog) on solitude, which is harder to obtain. Many of us feel that we have too many people in our lives, so the challenge is to craft out meaningful chunks of time alone. How many? For how long? How to do it? When?

Another topic. I have a sinus infection, which includes headache, dehydration, lack of energy... That’s the downside. After all, who would want to feel rotten? And yet, I am rather enjoying talking naps, sitting in the silence, and have an acceptable excuse not to do much. Um, interesting that I wanted to write this blog. Must be some version of following my bliss.

Experiencing the divine with Tom Soma~

6/6/2014

I want to introduce you to Tom Soma and his blog http://www.lookingforgodinamerica.com/.

     After 15 years as Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Oregon and Southwest Washington, I left my job and sold my home. On April 20, I hit the road to look for God in America. During the next year, I'll be posing two questions: 1. How do you experience God? 2. How does that encounter color your life?
     By journey’s end, I hope to answer a third question: Can the ways we connect with God help us recognize and appreciate what’s truly important—and perhaps transform how we engage with each other and the Earth?

     Although I try to keep away from specific religious talk on this blog, I don’t shy away from God talk as it relates to the search for silence, solitude and simplicity. As human beings we all long for some connection with the ineffable, we all find ourselves sitting in the mystery of life. And that is what Tom is looking for in America.

      Tom has me thinking about how people experience solitude. I write about my own yearnings but what about others? What about those of you reading this blog? What about the people I meet? I feel that my understandings have reached a plateau, that my thoughts are redundant, that I’m treading water, that I need to learn from others.

     I’d love your comments, either on this blog or to me personally over email bobbifisher.mac@mac.com. I’ll also be asking people as I travel about either at around home or on my solitary travel. In fact on Sunday I’m off to Scotland and seven nights on Iona. No question I’ll meet people who are longing for silence, solitude and simplicity and who sometimes like to be alone.

    What questions to ask? How about Tom’s, substituting solitude for God?

   “How do you experience solitude? How does it color your life?”

Keep following your bliss

3/6/2014

Here I am, once again sitting on the deck watching the snow fall, once again considering Joseph Campbell’s follow your bliss-- so fundamental to leading a consequential life. It pertains to our hobbies and jobs—teaching, writing, playing the drums or clarinet, golfing, skiing, painting, sculpting, creating cards, you name your own. Behind these tangible expressions of personal bliss, is the larger satisfaction that our life is meaningful and purposeful. In following our bliss we can tell ourselves, ‘Yes, life is worth living.’

“If you follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say follow your bliss and don’t be afraid and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

Joseph Campbell

Aldingerstudio

3/2/2014

I’m very excited to introduce to you my daughter’s hand-designed, hand-made cards. Emily has been making cards for years, and has now decided to follow her bliss by selling her creations on line.

Those of you who have followed my blog for any length of time are probably aware that I usually don’t write personally about family and friends. Of course, there always are exceptions to the rule, and I’m sure you will understand this one. I’ve always believed in advocating for my own near and dear, and a daughter is definitely in that category.

Emily's cards are appealing, imaginative and professionally crafted. She continually adds to her repertoire of designs for all occasions and holidays, and will create announcement cards and invitations to meet your particular specifications. You can find her cards on

http://www.etsy.com/shop/aldingerstudio

Morning walk in late October

10/24/2013

What a way to start the day.

A special tour of the Palazzo di Parte Guelfa~

9/12/2013

Today my plan was to visit the church of Santa Maria Novella, but along the way I made a few unexpected stops, which is particularly easy to do when traveling alone. You want to stop at the exhibit of the Parte Guelfa? Go right ahead. A merry-go-round ride? Sure. Join the crowds at Orsanmichele? Why not? Antipasto at Ciro’s? By all means.

The Palazzo di Parte Guelfa, usually not open to the public, was completing a month-long exhibit of contemporary paintings and today was the last day. I entered with some trepidation because the reception room looked rather disorganized and the director appeared surprised to see me. But, once again Boston seemed to be the ticket. He had visited there twenty-five years ago!

With that began a private tour of the headquarters of this important political party in 12th,13th and 14th century Italy: the public hall designed by Brunelleschi (1377-1446), with ceiling and side paneling by Vasari (1511-1574) a hundred or so years later: the secret door in the paneling leading to a little terrace over looking the piazza below: and finally the private rooms of the party, with a little medallion of the head of Christ sculpted by Donatello above the door.

My advice: wherever you go, enter with or without trepidation; just be sure to enter.