Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Thoughts From A Kitchen Sink

You know how it can be...you come home from a long day and you realize, "Crap, I have to make dinner! What the hell can I make?!" So, you start the pantry shuffle dance. You open a door and look in...you go to the fridge and stare at the blinding light and the shelves of non-inspirational stuff...so much....NOTHING TO EAT!

You move on next to your canned goods cupboard...and you crack open the doors...

...hoping that Rachel Ray will fall out onto the floor with your 30 minute meal of three ingredients. Bringing her own can opener with her so you don't have to do a thing. But, no, the bitch isn't in there. So you stare and stare as though inspiration will just jump off the shelf at you. Which of course can't happen as Inspiration went to Red Lobster for a nice sit-down meal; you're on your own.

So, a tad frustrated, you start throwing random things into a pot, everything you can put your hands on...everything but the kitchen sink. And, you hope that something edible will emerge.

Writing a blog can be the same. Especially if you write to keep on top of your creative A-Game. If you write to make yourself think in a cohesive manner, especially on days when you can't even recall the correct spelling of your own name. Especially on the days when you've got absolutely nothing... When the ghost of E.B. White leans on the office door jam and smiles with a knowing smile saying, "I know, it's not easy...really sucks to be you at the moment." Well, perhaps E.B. didn't say that last part...but sometimes ghosts aren't very clear when they speak.

Perhaps what he is saying is, "...really start with what's there; the ingredients of your day. Work with what you've got." Thanks, E.B. I think I will. I'll start creating some thoughts around the random things that sit, parked in my camera.

I'll begin by reminding myself that I must always search for the real in the artificial. Even when the real is fooled by the artificial. The difference is, the trick is, can I tell them apart?

And, on days when things just don't want to cooperate. When it all feels like a weight on my shoulders and nothing wants to come together to amuse me or insight me or to inspire me...

Can I take a lesson from my dog to just sit in peace with what it is at the moment? Just accept it and not fight so hard against things I can't name, can't define, can't control, can't, can't, can't? It seems to be so much easier to just let it go. Stop picking at it; picking at me...

Because it will change again if I take a deep breath. Just breathe in and out till it changes again. The sun returns, the rain abates. The day becomes less stressing and things return more to what I understand and can relate to, if I stop trying to force it and accept it instead.

Which isn't to say that there aren't hard, rough, uncomfortable moments because there sure the hell are. But, the magick is, can I put on my big girl pants and work to find the rightness in the hard spots? Even more, can I find a spec of beauty in them so they aren't just hard but, at a bare minimum, add character? At least add some strength to my emotional spine?

Can I find the luscious in the prickly? Can I find the, "Ah, now I get it?!" Can I realize that even the most harsh of things have their intrinsic beauty? And, use them to remind myself that the part I focus on depends on my vision, alone. I get to decide...

As I concoct an emotional meal from these random thoughts and images, can I remember the key ingredient? The necessary salt and savor of my life-the one who makes so much possible and brings such depth of flavor to my life? Because, when I remember to put the divine spice back in my life meal...when I add this guy to my thinking...

The truth becomes so very obvious. That in everything that comes my way, EVERYTHING, it's so much more wondrous when you live it and love it and worship it and like it and want it and eat it all up because you made it from scratch. Even though you were fairly certain at the start there was nothing there worth eating. Eat up your life till there's nothing left... and then lick the plate clean!

Bon' Appe'tit!

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly

18 comments:

beth said...

I think you can do all of that...
and
I think you do do all that...
which is why I love you so !

Anonymous said...

There are no perfect people, only perfect moments. These moments can be found in any emotion, we just have to look for them and let them happen, and be grateful for them. I love the cooking analogy, especially the part where Rachel Ray falls out of the cupboard! You're hilarious!

Sarah Sullivan said...

I think you did all that!! Right here and now - wonderful post. I was so there yesterday and not at all happy with my post...just didn't fly like I wanted it to. I love the fact that you are always clear in your posts, I feel muddy somedays and that frustrates me, I guess when you write you just have those days, I'm so new at this. The art though, now that I think about it is the same, some days that creative spark burns and some days it just doesn't want to burn at all. Wonderful post, I feel better knowing the best of us - you - get stuck some days too!! Love, Sarah

Peaches said...

...very satisfying...makes me want to top it off with a good cup of coffee...and contemplate the ingredients of my day...thanks, Holly

Anne H said...

We could all learn from our doggie friends - chillin' out doggie style!

Life With Dogs said...

Originality is one of your biggest strengths, and there is no recipe for what you do so well Holly.

Always happy to see Rory and Fi make an appearance! Keep them away from those open kitchen cupboards.

Eileen said...

Your stew pot always feeds us well!

joyce said...

Your Rachel Ray thoughts made me laugh!! I know its not the rel point to your story, but the "what the hell am I going to make for dinner" thoughts I can totally identify with!

Toni said...

What you do is harder, by far, than making journal backgrounds -- coherent thoughts, in written form? And this is just one more in your ongoing incredible series ... never worry, Baby, even when YOU feel your inspiration is off cracking crab legs and drooling butter down its chin at Red Lobster, you do JEST FINE!!!

Toni said...

Oh! And Zoe's policy is a little different than Rory and Fiona's -- she doesn't chill, she applies the shred test -- if it's shreddable, she's found a new distraction & she's happy (until it's shredded, of course). Backup Plan? Dip pawlet in the recycle bin, flip out paper slivers or wads, chew paper slivers or wads, then throw them back up and watch someone else (in human form) clean it up! Lick pawlets and crack up!

Lisa said...

Bravo! You did it. And without help from anybody else.

It was a very yummy post. Just the right mix of your spicy humor and your delicious sweet thoughtfulness.

Miss Robyn said...

fantastic post.. yes, it is all part of the journey - the good & the bad.. it all makes us who we are and who we are meant to be..

and I guess that is what our ancestors did with their meals.. just grabbed what they had.. I know of one blogger who eats whatever is available in their garden... fantastic! if she has potatoes, beans and eggs that is what they eat!

Unknown said...

it starts from nothing...then slowly wanders....rather ... meanders through the "cabinets of the mundane"....drifting along into the realms of reflections inane....past the quiet musings of the profane....and winds up recognizing the glorious insane...

what a woman!!!

Cam said...

TRUE STORY!

I love the chill nature of Rory and Fiona! Makes me want to hit the couch, and mellooooow out!

Wise words from a Wise Witchy Woman!

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

What a wonderful post! I started out thinking I was going to read about a goulash recipe and ended up saying..AHA, she's absolutely right! Carpe Diem!

Cindy said...

HOLLY, YOU KNOW you had me at the first word, there is always somewhere we end up from food to live, to living and loving now. Girl I can't imagine you ever not having it...if Rachel Ray shows up here I am sending her your way...I say after wolfing down a bag of chips looking at my salad...Big hug, cinner

sema said...

Dear Holly,
As usual a wonderful post.I have my net connection back after 10 days and it was a good start reading a profound post from you.I missed connecting to my blog friends and my daily dose of inspirations.Past 10 days'I worked with what I had'i.e.my computer to create paintings for my 100 in 100 project and have uploaded them now.you can see them here
http://expressive-impressive.blogspot.com/
blessings for abundance
sema

Janet said...

beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

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