Month: August 2012

The Versatile Blogger Award

On August 13, 2012, I was honoured to be nominated by Malinka’s Studio for the Versatile Blogger Award.   Malinka exemplifies versatility – every blog post provides a unique perspective that is designed to draw a broad audience.  For example, Malinka’s August 22nd post provided a comprehensive and thoughtful review of Paulo Coelho’s The Winner Stands Alone.  The very next day Post Cards were on the agenda.  I enjoy every visit – she is witty, honest, and bold.  In short:  versatile.

Every blogger wants to attract more readers because it is the conversation, the exchange of ideas that makes blogging worth while.  Versatility acts like a magnet, because it adapts to the needs of readers, always anticipating what others may want to know, to learn, to experience. Versatility invites participation.  

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A Wedding – A few last words…

“Once in awhile, 
Right in the middle of an ordinary life, 
Love gives us a fairy tale.”
 Anonymous

 A special thanks to all my blogger friends who joined the Wedding Dialogues.  Your thoughtful comments and “likes” were much appreciated.

The Wedding Dialogues would not be complete without an epilogue containing some final thoughts on transitions. 

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A Wedding…Dialogue III

Spring Flowers

And they lived happily ever after….well, that is until the end of the story which is,

Till death (or divorce) us do part…”

There is an end to a marriage. The statistics, no matter how you interpret them, confirm that divorce is a reality.  And then there is death.  The statistics are quite firm on that point.  We are left with the unpleasant, if somewhat intimidating thought that, one way or another, there is an ending to the wedding story.

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A Wedding…Dialogue II

Serenity

Over the years, I collected words to represent special days.   Resolutions signify a New Year, gifts denote birthdays, hearts for Valentines, flowers for Mother’s Day, books for Father’s Day, and music for Christmas.  These day-word pairings are rather obvious, especially when reinforced by the seasonal advertising campaigns that have the power to seduce even the hardened penny-pincher.

Weddings, on the other hand, are extra, extra special. Whether formal or informal, weddings are uniquely personal for two people who have chosen a life together.  Friends and family come to celebrate their joy, but the day belongs to the couple.  The only word that reflects the magnitude of a wedding is “vow”, a solemn promise.

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A Wedding…Dialogue I

In a grand story, there is always a quest, a journey towards a goal where the main players travel many miles into wild and dangerous territory, overcoming significant difficulties along the way to reach their final destination.   I have lived through two or three remakes of Jason and the Argonauts seeking the Golden Fleece, not to mention Odysseus’s long and torturous voyage home.    Even more famous is the quest for the Holy Grail of the Arthurian legend.  My personal favourite, “Lord of the Rings”, is always a source of inspiration.

Just last week, I attended my niece’s wedding.   Luminous and beautiful… she walked down the aisle, slowly, confidently, fearlessly. She was ready to let go of a past time, eager to embrace a new beginning.   And that was when I realized, with singular clarity, she was on a quest.

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Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Dear readers,

Clanmother has been nominated for the prestigious Very Inspiring Blogger Award by Maarit-Johanna and her thought-provoking blog, History of the Ancient World.  I am honoured to accept the nomination because, in my view, our blogging community is all about inspiration. Blogging has become a way in which to network and share across the world. John Donne eloquently captured this idea when he wrote:

“No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent…

The best part about receiving a nomination is discovering others in the blogger community.    Maarit-Johanna inspires readers to embrace and integrate the knowledge and wisdom of the past so that they can participate in the dialogue of history.

http://historyoftheancientworld.wordpress.com/

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