Thelonious Monk, Silence, Glass

"You know what's the loudest noise in the world, man? The loudest noise in the world is silence."

Thelonious Monk

Play Yourself: Bonaventure meets Thelonious Monk

Between work and meeting up with folk at Holy Trinity in Lansdale last night, maybe it would have been better to do what I did when I got home from the church. I finished Robin D. G. Kelley's biography of Monk.

Saturday night I took a break from that book to read the next chapter in Bonaventure, and as often has been the case, I am initially at a loss at where Bonaventure is taking me and why I wanted to travel with him. But now I think I know.

Monday driving home from work... "don't worry about where it took Bonaventure, be concerned with where it will take you." The message to me was what Thelonious Monk told musicians who asked to see the music. "Play yourself"

God doesn't want us to make Bonaventure's journey, but just may want us to play ourselves to the melody that took Bonaventure to God. So I plan to sit and contemplate the words we have come to associate with God...

When Bonaventure played...

within all things, but not enclosed
outside all things, but not excluded
above all things, but not aloof
below all things, but not debased...

as was said to Moses:
I will show you all good.

and when Monk played a beautiful melody by himself...

a deal on classic jazz

Well the heat has kept me away from my garden, for now. But Margaret faced the studio to do some grouting. I was working on a final exam for my physics students, when she called down... "Can you put on some music?"

Like she would have to twist my arm.

Earlier in the morning, we had stumbled into watching The Memorial Day Parade in Lansdale. We had walked to Not Just Sandwiches in Lansdale for pancakes (if you dig nutmeg...) and some coffee. After the parade, I expressed my desire to check out the LP's inside of The Attic on Main Street.

For $6.36:

1.

taste it...

2.

3.

taste it...

4.

taste it...

like I said... she didn't have to twist my arm.

uncertainty

It was nearly four years ago, I came home from a haircut and took a shower. It was so easy to wash my hair that I was quite sure that I would not grow my hair out again.

Today I came home with a sour cherry pie, a loaf of bread and in a separate bag...

Thursday night I picked up a book and read an essay about autism. I knew, as I turned the reading lamp off, that I would be looking up a video. What I didn't know was that there is some major doubt about the story and I gave it 15 minutes of research and came out of it with uncertainty.

Friday night I was quite certain I was going to donate my hair to Locks Of Love and mentioned it on Facebook. This morning I woke up with one friend's concern about the charity. Turns out they are not perfect, but who is? But the thing is, my hair came home with me so I could spend time researching the "best" place to send my hair, or I can look up the address of Locks of Love.

For now, I am certain that I have the flexibility and the spatial skills to reach behind my head to take a photo of the hair that remains... style is due to my cousin, who cut my hair, and humidity.

and, I am not sure if my hair will ever be so long again, or if God exists, or if I will be kind to strangers, or if I will be as foolish as I was last night when I stuck my hand into some sheets of stained glass until the pain drew my hand back out.

I am sure that I am grateful for bandages, anti-bacteria ointment, and the love of a good woman who digs my hair.

Oh yeah... that book. I left it at home. So I am going to rise early and go bird watching tomorrow then drop it off at the book bin. Life can be uncertain which is why I just may never use a daily planner or maybe it is why I may start using one.

???

and then there is this classic rock tune that came on as I drove home today...

"well you walk into a restaurant..."

The PA Guild of Craftsmen are still hosting a party

The Garden Party is almost over in Lancaster, PA. When Mosaic Woman got her craft accepted into the show, we decided to do a new collaboration. The only thing blooming were crocuses, so for one of the two we chose orange and violet for the letters:

We decided to make another, so last night I placed 24 pieces of glass into her studio...

as for my own garden, I have high hopes of eliminating some weeds this weekend, but first comes a hair cut, first in nearly 4 years

Bonaventure, more after Monday thoughts

From what I read out loud to my friends on Monday, what lingers the most is the voice inside of me that lets me know when I could have handled a situation better.

today at work I sent an e-mail expressing some thoughts, I could have conversed, but it seemed best to... How do we know what is best? How do we know anything for certain? How do we decide if our actions are good?

So I left Monday night with some things to think about, but I also have wondered if I led the group in the direction to avoid a deep darkness.

Two Mondays ago I spoke of trying to imagine the pain of others as a way to help us respond to it. I spoke of an example of stretching myself into a place that is far from my own life and experiences.

However, a friend is in pain, and I don't have to imagine as hard this time. I have been there, and maybe I was not wanting to feel that pain again. Sunday night's read of Bonaventure had one sentence jump out at me and made me think of my friend's pain ...

Bonaventure says,

When one has fallen down.

he must lie there

unless someone lend a helping hand for him to rise.

Do I know for sure that I went the wrong direction Monday night... No, but it kind of feels that way. Am I moving in the right direction now... possibly.

camp men-o-lan, a peaceful place

I thought of momentum on Friday. Our arrival at home from work found three bits of good crafting news...

an ETSY order for four of M's mosaics.

an acceptance into a craft show in our home town of Lansdale

and another acceptance into a holiday show in Bethlehem... Pennsylvania

so we headed out this morning to do our first outdoor show with that momentum. Set up went well, the pancakes were tasty, the neighboring booths were filled with handmade gems.

Sales were a bit slow, but word has it the crowds were low this year (weather?). However, it was peaceful.

Friday afternoon with five minutes to go in my work week, I walked into a friends office. She greeted me with a hug and a chair to sit down. I spoke of how it had been a rough time of late.

And there I was, not worried about sales, or this or that or the other thing. Just sitting and enjoying the peaceful place we had been invited to sell our craft. I walked around a lake and faced a marvelous forest.

The pancakes proved to be the motivation to get us into the outdoors. And there I found peace. How peaceful was it?

When the 20% chance of showers became 3+ hours of rain, I didn't curse the weather. I sat back and stayed dried and ate a crepe. And after every other booth had started packing up, we moved in that direction.