Friday, September 14, 2007

Dreich (My Sacred Life, day 21)


Thanks to Claire's friend, Jane, I learned a new word this morning. Just as the teacher appears when the student is ready, this new word arrived just in time for this morning's weather.

It's quite the dreich day so far. For those of you unfamiliar (as I was an hour ago), here is the definition:

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Dreich (Old Scots origin)

A combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather. At least 4 of the above adjectives must apply before the weather is truly dreich.
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This morning where I am, we have dull, overcast, cold and miserable weather, although the clouds are holding the moisture inside themselves for now. We got rain earlier in the pre-dawn hours.

I took a pretty awful shot toward the lighthouse, but I am using it because I happened to trip the shutter just as the light from atop the lighthouse was pointing this direction. It may be only one pixel, but if you expand the photo by clicking on it, you will see the lighthouse doing its duty to light the way home.

Home...where else is there with such a strong pull and powerful, deep, visceral meaning in all of us? Home...it is where we seek to find ourselves, and when we are not there, we strive to return. Home...not really a place, is it? It's our hearts yearning to be connected to the hearts we left to have this human experience, and the ones we left, later, to become adults.

I had not spent one night in this place where Julia and I are now, prior to our arrival Friday night. Yet, there is so much that feels like home here. You know, home can be as simple as getting quiet so that you feel those other hearts in the warmth within your heart of being. It can be as huge as a family reunion for your closest 300 relatives, although I have to honestly admit that reunions don't do it for me.

For us, this time is a time to connect with each other, and to rejuvenate the connection we each have with our own greater Selves. That finest of threads, the one which is always there between our earthbound, pick-up-the-kids-from-school, get-dinner-ready, remember-to-call-about-the-leak, face-the-jerks-at-work selves and our Spirit-filled, higher and powerfully wise Selves, is one that can stand lots of communications traffic. Yet, we too often forget to check in with ourSelves.

This trip was one made with the conscious intent to heal/nurture/enjoy our connection to Spirit. Even on dreich days like today, there is no diminishing of that intent.

6 comments:

Delia said...

sounds like a beautiful time for both of you...

Julie said...

I love days like that near the water, the smells are even different when it is ready to rain I think. Also, I believe 100% that naps and food are better during this time.
Have you ever heard the song "One Safe Place" by Mark Cohn (I think)? It echos your words about home.

Rick Hamrick said...

Julie--it is Marc Cohn! I have managed never to hear any of his music (apart from the commercial hit he had some years ago, "Walking in Memphis"), although I became aware of him when he was almost killed in Denver a couple of years ago--attempted car jacking of the van he and his band were in after a Denver appearance, of all things. His wife is a really great television journalist (as opposed to your normal "news reader").

I found the lyrics, and I see what you mean. It's a marvelously rich word and concept. Rather than do 500 words on "home" in my own comments area--that would be silly--I'll let those words flow out and show up at ezinearticles.

Thanks for your regular comments. It's fun to have that connection, as I really enjoy reading and chiming in on your blog!

Angela said...

What a beautiful post. It sounds like you and Julie have a wonderful relationship, one you're willing to take the time to nurture so that it will continue to grow. Have a blessed time.

Julie said...

I feel the same way, and thanks to you and your photos I managed to book tickets for Victor and I to get out of Atlanta...that last little kick in the pants of inspiration I needed!
Still working on the best way to respond to comments, I read them but then forget to go back and respond.

Yolanda said...

I really enjoyted this post and loved learning a new word.