12 May, 2010

Anchors

After a busy day of the unexpected and the wonderful, I ran into the office before meeting my daughter at the coffee shop across the street.  I had mere minutes – just long enough to check e-mail, take care of this and that, and shift items from my office floor to my carry-all and visa versa. 

With just a minute to spare, I flipped to my reader.  Lori’s post topped the screen; its contents grabbing my attention immediately. 

What Are Your Anchors…

My anchors?

Anchors are the things that ground us.  They are often the objects or ideas to which we turn to find that part of ourselves that can experience the craziest parts of life. 

I think of it as though I am a vessel – traveling upon the seas.  The stars serve as my guides.  Sometimes  the seas are playful, other times they are smooth, and yet the journey wouldn’t be complete without the storms and the gales and harsh conditions.  In all waters, there is a time and a desire to set anchor.  To give ourselves a means of taking a deep breath, slowing down, and relaxing in a space or idea that is…us

When I read the post – I noted that Lori identified nouns or items as anchors.  This was the idea.  To remove ourselves from the nuances and find the items that serve as our anchors – or the nouns. 

The first thing that popped into my head was a butterfly.  My daughter is a butterfly to me.  Whether or not this is one of her anchors, I don’t know… but the butterfly is the combination of strength, beauty, balance, grace, and nature – it is symbolic of the changes in life and, for me, the creativity of nature and the idea that we have the means to be all we need and have all we need.  (Yes, all that in a little butterfly!)  And all of those things are my daughter.

And what about me?

This took more thought. 

I considered chocolate – for all the wonderful sensations and benefits and aspects of my life it could represent… and I decided not to include it in my final list. 

I seriously considered a globe – A globe with the possibilities of exploration and discovery.  The countries of the worlds seen as a part of one big circle over laid out, ends disconnected, on a map.  I decided not to include it either though I still think it is a close call. 

Rather, I went with the following two:

Nature – I grew up in the mountains spending hours each weekend exploring the forests, playing beneath pine trees, making mud pastries with floral decorations.  I grew up connected to the earth.  This connection anchors me and has served as a means of grounding and creativity throughout my life – wherever I have called home.  In college I absorbed the deserts, finding beauty in the colors and sounds.  I spent hours drafting a short story for a friend under clear blue skies.  In Europe, I felt most myself when walking and exploring – watching nature unfold during the different seasons.  Throughout the past few years, the ocean has reminded me of the power of nature and provided perspective just as the mountains did throughout my youth. 

Nature isn’t just the landscape, but it is the trees, the weather, the animals… it is the day-to-day environment through which I walk and talk and share with my daughter.  It is a constant reminder of change, evolution, connectedness, and the cycle of life. 

My second choice – Words!

Written, spoken, sung, read… words are my anchor.

Words.  They are the books that I adore, the stories that teach and enthrall, the art that I support.  They are my means of expression to others and to myself.  They are playful and fun or serious.  They are from the heart and the spirit.  They come in different languages and tones and forms. 

Words  - I bend them, work them, ask them to stretch and be as much as they can be.  I enjoy their simplicity as much as I love their nuances and shadows. 

Words… I sing them nearly as much as I write them or speak them… and I am most often trying to find the best words to use to most effectively express an idea. 

These are my anchors.

Thank you to Lori for her thoughtful post and for asking me to look around and find my anchors.  

Now, what are yours?

What are your anchors?

 

 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading about your anchors. Nature and words bring so much joy and a sense of place to me, too. As I read your post -- I could feel the richness of your life. This is a beautiful post.

Also, thanks for the mention and link love. I'm happy I could inspire you to write this post.
~xo

Evita said...

Wow, you have such a beautiful way of expressing yourself! So I totally understand why you chose words as one of your anchors. How fitting and appropriate :)

And I have to agree, that one of my anchors is nature as well. This is holding more and more of a special place in my being and the grounding energy that I get from it is such a welcome blessing.

Another thing that would be my anchor, would be my husband. Just looking into his eyes, or being with him settles me every time.

Thank you for this and to Lori for inspiring you, and now me :)

Mama Llama said...

Anchors--

My children. My honest, life-long, healthy relationships. My garden. Music.

Ooo...am hearing thunder rumbling in the distance. Mother Nature, too, anchors me to reality, letting me know always in her way who is always in control.

Be well, TE.

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful! A wonderful addition to Lori's post. It really brought me joy today, and got me thinking about even more anchors. I claimed Redwood trees and recorded books over at Lori's place. But that meant I left out music and singing. I love hearing that you sing those words as much as you write and speak them. And I'd love to hear you sing sometime.

The Exception said...

Lori - This was a fun post to write. I had to stop and boil a lot down, which was a good exercise. Thanks!
Evita- Nature is so much a part of my life and yet I often don't give it the time and appreciation it deserves... yet it forgives and is consistent. I am looking forward to reading of your experiences in its embrace.
ML - Yes, that was thunder though not to much - Nature reminding everyone it is not a force to be taken lightly! I can see your garden as an anchor.
Patty - Audio books are my bedtime stories too - and my daughter's. There is nothing like falling asleep to a great narrator and a wonderful story... and I love Redwoods and all that you described them to be. I haven't been around them in decades but remember finding them amazing.

Sara said...

What a fun post and a great idea. I loved what you said about "words." I identify with many of your "words."

The things that ground me are being outside and part of nature, animals, certain people, laughter, writing, reading, and photography. I'm sure there's more, but those are ones that jump out to me today.

I'll have to go and read Lori's post now. Thanks for the referral:~)

Wilma Ham said...

Wool and produce of the land are my anchors. I love doing things with natural products like wool and bottling all the fruit we harvest.
They are grounding me to the abundance and joy of life and it has been fun for me too to think about anchors.

The Exception said...

Sara - Animals are a significant part of my life. I grew up with a few cats and dogs but have come to realize that birds and others I see in nature touch me too.
And Photography... you take lovely pictures.
Thank you.

Wilma - I love your thoughts on wool and jars. Before I had the chance to sit down and draft, I read through the comments on Lori's post. The idea of jars and abundance was beautifully stated. My uncle lives in New Zealand and my Aunt in Australia - I have wonderful wool products from them... so warm and comforting.
Thank you for the thoughts and for adding to the conversation.