What do two necklaces and a digital camera have in common?The intersection of three gifts stirs memories
This is a lazy day accident of coincidences piece of writing.
A few days ago, I received a used, digital camera as a gift from a friend. I will not mention some of the places this camera has been. It might stretch the limit of my credibility beyond the breaking point among some readers.
In any case, it is a very well-traveled camera, and it came without an instruction booklet. So, I was practicing with it while trying to learn a bit about its operation. One of my practice shots turned out to be of two other gifts. This was not intentional. Just happened.
During one of my never-ending, altogether too short conversations, also a few days ago, I had mentioned how Native Americans are great gift givers. I have received a few over the years, and my practice shot with my gifted camera turned out to be two necklaces given to me by Native American young ladies a few years back.
Shown on the left is a necklace made by and given to me by a young lady of the Assiniboine tribe as a farewell gift when I left Montana. The Assiniboine are "cousins" of the Sioux, thought to have parted company from the Yanktonai Nakota Sioux about 500 years ago.
The necklace on the right was made by and given to me as a gift by a direct descendant of one of Sitting Bull's sisters, a Hunkpappa Lakota Sioux, after I had interviewed her for a newspaper feature article. She carried within her the oral traditions of her family. Both these necklaces are suspended from a floor lamp in my computer/gun/book room.
And, yes, that is the barrel of a shotgun in the background, leaning against the wall. Some things are completely predictable, are they not?
A gift revealing other gifts, all revealing memories = pleasant experience.
My mind seems to reside in my fingers ....
Some time ago, possibly as long as a month ago, I closed my eyes and allowed my fingers to think. Some of you might recall I have done this before. When my fingers stopped typing, the end results did not seem complete to me, so I never posted them, thinking I would rework them. This never happened, so the "product" remains unfinished. Since I doubt I ever will return to rework these end results, today, I decided, what heck, to post them anyway. It is the thought that counts, right?
Her lasting smile
A woman is she who fears not the woodlands
In the dark of night
And who knows magic there exists, and spirits.
A woman is she who fears not the river waters
In the midst of rapids
And who knows there is danger and thrill alike.
A woman is she who fears not the man she loves
In the face of his anger
And who knows her kiss will conquer his spirit.
A woman is she who fears not to learn from before
In the depths of craft and tales
And who knows everlasting truth from the guile.
A woman is she who fears not to dwell with a man
While she lies in his bed
Until they live as friends as well as lovers.
A woman is she who fears not worldly life
While her children rage
Until they, too, understand their own presence.
A woman is she who fears not to be the catalyst
While all others falter
Until threat has passed and life thrives again.
A woman is she who fears not to seek the light
While her earth-time ends
Until she sees him clearly, as he awaits her.
10 comments:
Fram, you have four gifts here, the camera, your two necklaces and your words. It is beautiful :)
I love them all :)
Have a Happy Day!
Friend Fram, your words always seem to speak directly to me.
Thank you.... your thinking fingertips have created something beautiful.
Thank you, Kelly. What else can I say? Thank you, so much. You just made my day happy.
If the words fit anyone, Rachael, possibly it is a mystery solved. Thank you, too, for your kind words.
Thank you for posting another of your wonderful 'stories in column form'. Excellent. Maybe if you feel your piece is unfinished, perhaps that is because you have not quite finished your own story?
Was today the last in your current job Fram? I hope you don't mind me asking - I was thinking about it on my way home from work tonight.
That probably is a good way to think of it, Katy. Maybe I will rework it when more is known and speculation is less.
Ask anything, anytime. This, originally, was to have been my last day. Sometime back, I agreed to stay an extra week. Do not be surprised if I agree to stay still another week after that, but mid-May will be the absolute end of it, for sure. This seems to be my departure pattern. One time, I ended up staying two and one-half months beyond my original "goodbye" date.
I look forward to reading more contributions by your fingers (no offense to the blog owner).
And the image is perfect. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
Very special necklaces. I'm imressed about your Native American friends, I am so in love with their traditional wisdom, I hope I will met such a people one day too. And I'm glad that you've got new camera, now we can know you much better by seeing things which are so precious to you. And your poem is very beautiful :-) Sending beautiful bright light from Poland today :-) Bye, bye Fram :-)
I started "experimenting" with this a number of years ago, CiL. There were times I could not remember how to spell a word, so I just typed the first letter and my fingers kept on going. Usually the word was spelled correctly.
The next phase seemed natural: Type the first few words of a thought and see where the fingers went with it. Sounds goofy, but it is entertaining for me. Sort of an extension of "free writing."
Thanks, for the visit.
Thank you, Magdalena, for all the good words, happy thoughts and bright sunshine you bring with you.
I have had more than a few interesting experiences among Native Americans. I once witnessed a warrior initiation ceremony, which was fascinating, and really enjoy attending traditional "pow-wows" and watching the dancers. The dancers' costumes often are elaborate and beautiful.
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