Poem: Broken Shoes

These broken shoes
Should probably be replaced
But I
Know they have a
Memory.

They were present
When she made the
Unexpected decision
To wake up and
Go flying.
They walked her out
And back in
The South African airport
They walked her up
And back down
The trail to the falls.
They were once soaked through
And through
With Zambezi water.

Then they walked
On red soil
Overlooking canyon walls,
Desert varnish,
Purple shadows,
Painted figures and hand prints
Like ghosts on the rocks.

These shoes
They played with children
Ten shades darker.
Walked alongside friends,
The kind met once in a lifetime.
Picked up countless
Burrs and thorns and grass seeds.
Like a sponge
Soaked up all the
Long-awaited rains
And the sunshine, too.

These broken shoes
Should probably be replaced
But I
Will ignore the holes,
Patch them with tape
To keep them alive
Awhile longer.

Broken shoes, you see,
They have a
Memory.

Poem: A Fire in the Rain

We said that prayer
Didn’t we?
Out in the rain
We prayed for a fire
Of the spirit.
Long enough ago
To feel like a dream.
You musn't forget.

I thought I heard the African Wood Owl
Agree with our pleading hearts
As we asked the Great Spirit for
A better way,
To teach us all the healing,
The great medicine.

Thanksgiving

Cliffs overlooking Lukachukai, where I spent Thanksgiving with other NABI staff and volunteers, my sisters and brothers in spirit.

Now that this Thanksgiving holiday has passed, I've been reflecting on the true meaning of thanksgiving as a spiritual quality of the soul. Abdu’l-Baha says “Be thou happy and well-pleased and arise to offer thanks to God, in order that thanksgiving may conduce to the increase of bounty.” Bounties are gifts from God, which rain ceaselessly upon us, we have only to open our hearts to receive these gifts. So maybe when we are grateful for the things we have, both spiritual and material, we are opening our lives for even more bounties. And what better way to celebrate this showering of life’s gifts then a reflection of one’s own blessings?

Below is a list of five things I am thankful for. And, dearest reader, I cordially invite you to join in and comment with a few of the things you are thankful for as well. :)

1. Creativity and the Arts--There is nothing more effective in helping to reflect upon my life, to unwind, to feel spiritually connected. When painting especially, I can forget about all the thoughts which burden my heart and delve into a watercolor painting. There is only the smell of wet paint on thick paper and the sound of my concentrated breathing…this is true clarity of mind.

2. Bluebirds in the winter--It’s easy to feel the winter “blues”, but the raspy calls of Mountain and Western Bluebirds as they fly in flocks of twenty or more lighten my heart a little. They remind me that splashes of vibrant color can be found in even the coldest and dreariest of times.

3. Spiritual Tests--When a soul is given heart-wrenching tests, it grows like a flourishing jungle plant. It’s this maturation of the soul and intense growth that leads to true happiness.

4. The Human Soul--We are loaded with potential, especially when we choose to live with a spiritual conscience. There are so many spiritual qualities to be developed. I imagine it’s like walking into a rainforest and being overwhelmed by the number of birds and animals. It awakens a sense of adventure, I would want to find every creature and sketch it. And with the soul, I want to find every spiritual quality and develop it.

5. A World Family-- I once listened to a CD of a talk by William Sears* in which he explained that the many individuals in our lives are like letters from the Creator. Every human brings with them messages and lessons for others. There are those in our lives whom we feel are tests, and those whom we feel immediately at ease with. Both are teaching us priceless life lessons. We are all beautiful letters to each other from God, no matter what the envelope or outer form.


*For those not familiar, William Sears (1911-1922) was a Hand of the Cause of God. He wrote many books and gave many talks on Baha’i subjects. The Hands of the Cause of God were appointed as sources of wisdom in the Baha’i community. We now have Counsellors who fulfill a similar function.

Artwork: A Prayer for Joy

A Happy and Joyful Being, portrait of a youth from Tanzania, watercolor

A Baha'i Prayer:

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.

O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.

'Abdu'l-Baha

Junior Youth Field Trip: The Arts in Gallup

We did a brave thing yesterday. We took 15 junior youth on a field trip to Gallup.

And you might imagine it being a crazy, out-of-hand, lets-never-do-this-again kind of trip….but I was astonished at the level of maturity displayed by the junior youth throughout the four hours. They let their nobility shine as the group learned about various art forms and the ways in which artists make a living.

We first visited the New Mexico Pottery Company, where the junior youth were given a tour of the pottery-making process, from making slip to firing. Then we were treated to a tour of Chester Kahn’s Mural of Light artwork at the Ellis Tanner Trading Post, led by the artist himself.
A little background: The Mural of Light is a painted strip of portraits encircling the inside wall of the trading post. It portrays Navajo leaders beginning with the long walk up to the present. The mural took 7 years to paint, and about 2 weeks per portrait. The portraits were first drawn free hand by Chester based on photos, some of which were in black and white. He then meticulously painted in acrylic and oil, and with incredible life and detail.

Junior Youth from the Querino group watch a demonstration on how to trim a pot and cut off unwanted or excess clay.

A selection of detailed pottery

This design is done completely by hand. The symmetry and straight lines look precise enough to be done by a machine.

A sampling of shapes and designs.

"Horse Hair" pottery. The curly lines are actually made with long horse hairs placed on the wet pottery and fired in the kiln. The horse hair is taken off later, leaving this pattern.

A Junior Youth from the Querino group and a child from a Children's Class in Sanders admiring the pottery.

A junior youth from the Houck group and a child from the Children's Class in Sanders.

Children's Class: Blue Corn Mush Demonstration

After attending a cultural celebration day at Pine Springs High School and watching the Miss Pine Springs contest, where girls share their traditional talents, staff and volunteers at NABI decided to invite the new Miss Pine Springs to a Thursday Children’s Class to share her mush-making skills! The following are pictures and explanations of a demonstration on how to make a traditional Navajo dish: blue corn mush.

Miss Pine Springs scoops out the blue corn meal. She will also add cedar ash to the boiling mixture to increase the blue color of the mush.

This particular Children's Class takes place every Thursday as a part of Thursday community dinner at NABI. The community arrives at 5PM for prayers, then children and junior youth break out into their classes, then all gather again for dinner at 6.

The final product. The ingredients: boiling water, blue corn meal, and cedar ash. Individuals can add their own salt, butter, or sugar after it is served. Blue corn meal can also be made into pancakes.

This activity is part of an ongoing effort in the community to bring cultural education into the Children's Classes and Junior Youth Groups. This endeavor includes asking grandparents to give demonstrations on language, cooking, and storytelling.

Artwork

"Canyon Cat", Acrylic on slate

Portrait of a Navajo girl, watercolor