This is how the wind shifts:
Democracy seems to be dying in your country. A menacing monster is obliterating democracy by invading a sovereign country 5,705 miles away and murdering innocent citizens. Climate change is killing and displacing thousands and it’s too late to avoid or limit some of its worst effects.
This is how the wind shifts:
Books that changed your life are being banned in public schools. Government officials are legislating how teachers and school staff can discuss gender and sexual orientation in the classroom. A state’s child welfare agency announces that it will investigate instances of transgender youth receiving gender-affirming health care as possible child abuse.
This is how the wind shifts:
Your most intelligent and literate friend is diagnosed with oral cancer and dies nine months later of a malignant and demonic pregnancy. The life of your father slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, ekes away. You undergo a left knee upgrade and learn that you may need a right hip upgrade. The arthritis in your right hand makes writing onerous. You are buying more sympathy cards than birthday cards. You learn that Zayn Malik and Dua Lipa are among the Top Ten Singers in the world and you have no idea who they are.
THE WIND SHIFTS by Wallace Stevens
This is how the wind shifts:
Like the thoughts of an old human,
Who still thinks eagerly
And despairingly.
The wind shifts like this:
Like a human without illusions,
Who still feels irrational things within her.
The wind shifts like this:
Like humans approaching proudly,
Like humans approaching angrily.
This is how the wind shifts:
Like a human, heavy and heavy,
Who does not care.
All photos taken by Sharon J. Anderson the morning of February 18, 2022 through 30-40 mph sustained surface winds.
Today is Ash Wednesday, a day that marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season for Christians. It is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God.
I don’t think we need much reminding of human mortality. We need reminding of human decency and kindness.
A month ago today, Jan — a beloved friend to both Adrienne and me — died of advanced oral cancer after nine months of aggressive treatments. She suffered profoundly. I will honor her in a Spark and Spitfire post sometime soon. I’m still too heartbroken and pissed. I am so very, very pissed.
Because I met Jan on the Facebook platform, I attempted to post something on my Facebook page about her two weeks ago. I deleted that post 13 minutes later when someone responded with a comment about my perceived moral grandstanding (I asked that readers not respond with emojis) without once acknowledging Jan’s suffering or my grief. It was a self-involved reprimand.
I still have a Facebook page but will no longer post on it.
Sharon – In Buddhism, there is traditionally a 49th Day Ceremony after a person’s death. I remember you mentioned either that Jan practiced Buddhism or had an affinity for it. Maybe the 49th day would be an auspicious time for you to do a post to honor Jan’s life and continuation. Of course, any other time is fine, too.
Beth— great minds (and hearts). This is precisely what I decided to do. Look for a post on March 22, Jan’s 49th day in the bardo.🙏💕
Thank you for continuing to share your words with us. And thank you for making me giggle at the end. Oh so Sharon.
You’re very welcome, Kelly. And thank you for reminding me of something that I recently realized about the tone of the present draft of my story. It lacks humor! You’re right, humor is so me.
The crack about the Top Ten Singers is related to the fact that there was a time in my life when I KNEW who the Top Ten Singers were. That was back in the day when I measured my vinyl albums in feet (more than 10 feet), and later, had 54 days of music in my iTunes Library. I deleted some of that music a while back so now have only 45 days. I’ll survive.
In case any of you are wondering what it’s like to be out in a field in the middle of nowhere in 30-40 mph winds . . . I twice lost hold of my Contigo metal coffee container. It literally blew out of my hands and rolled away like a piece of paper. Picture me running after it and just as I bend to pick it up, it rolls further away.
Yes, I was laughing.
I know this type of wind. We celebrate the days like today where it is NOT blowing a 30 – 40+ mph. Thank you for the gorgeous photos.
In the yogic tradition they say that this era we are in is the Kali Yuga. Your can look it up, but it is a time of breakdown and destruction (which feels about right.) Unfortunately, it will last thousands more years. Somehow knowing this has helped me to take a long view on what it will take to heal and renew the current situation. I do what I can.
Yes, Kali Yuga feels more than right. Thank you for appreciating my photos. I’m really getting into stormy sunrises, and not just gorgeous ones, though, like you, I am finding stormy and windy sunrises as beautiful as the calm and luminous ones I have witnessed and photographed over the last 3 years.
I’ve always loved the wind. I ought to have been photographing it before this. Dark and tumultuous times help me to better see the storms of Mother Nature. I remain grateful.
Such a solemn and turbulent time for individuals, the United States, and abroad. The photos match the sentiments of the post.