After the Windowsill

Posted on June 18, 2016 by ShellyLFrancis

Today was the day. It was time to let my seashell friends and stones go back home. They’ve been gracing my windowsills nearly a year, coming to stay a few at a time over time. The spiders and dust motes made them sneeze. So in the spirit of Solstice next Tuesday, it seemed the right day to let High Tide give them a go.

So off to Point Robinson, north of the lighthouse.

Out of the basket, landing in the sand with happy chirps.

Ah, what a beautiful crew. I’m going to miss them.

They jumped onto the just-right-size driftwood to take in the view, get their bearings.

Then we sang songs. I wish you could have heard them harmonizing.

When it was time for me to say farewell, one little green stone asked to go back in my pocket. I said yes, of course, yes.

I must admit, the basket wasn’t empty when I left the beach. New stones had invited themselves for summer vacation. But that’s another story.

Enjoy the whole movie story with music:

Dancing With the New Year

Posted on January 3, 2016 by ShellyLFrancis

Before I could welcome the New Year
I had goodbyes to say
and thank yous to pray,
and rare sunshine showed up to take notice.

Goodbye was due to my old friend Doug Fir,
whose last wish was I dance on his growth rings.
His rings tallied up drought and the raining disasters
that helped him grow tall and yet taller.

Before my goodbyes my knees buckled and bent.
Long skinny shadows suggested forgiveness I seek
for too many days through too many years
tucked under a desk, life ignoring.

As penance and promise when I welcome the New Year,
I will measure the width of your growth rings, Doug Fir.
I will witness your years with the breadth of a hug
that tugs my heart wide, wide, wide open.

Take a deep breath now, I said to myself,
and I shifted my sorrow to solace.
Will you dance with me now, Mr. New Year? I asked.
Will you honor my friend
who is gone?

Yes I will.
Who will lead?

We’ll take turns.
You go first.
Spring leads.
Summer follows.

But it’s winter.

As I welcome the New Year
I will dance in the darkness
deep down in my heart
I will welcome the shade
and the cold.

Then let’s dance in the sunlight
that shines on us now
even though the air
is still frosty.

Bring me light

Bring me joy

Bring friendship
Bring blue sky

Help me ring in the New Year with gladness.

Make me silly
Make me strong
Make me giddy

Make me wrong
to sit too long at my desk without playing.

Help me laugh

Help me sing

Help me flap my strong wings

Help me land on my feet

Please stand with me each day,
Mr. New Year.

May I count my own growth rings
this year as I change.

May I remember to bow
and say thank you.

May I take time to dance
and play with my friends.

And sing wondrous songs with my soul.*

Thanks for dancing with me, Mr. New Year!
~ You’re welcome! ~

*Big thanks to my friend Alan Claassen for permission to put his wondrous song in this video:

Finding My Way to Underwater Clarity

Posted on May 25, 2015 by ShellyLFrancis

Have you ever had a day like this?
Feeling gray sky, low tide and garbled?
Lacking direction?
Sans focus?

On days like this
I go to the coast
where the fresh water
flows into the saltwater sea.
I try to hydrate my head and my heart.

I breathe in.
I breathe up.
I breathe out.

I stand on firm ground,
albeit shifting.

I reach in.
I reach up.
I reach out.

I arrive.

And I have a heart to heart
talk with myself, who says
I…BELIEVE…in YOU!
You’re on the right track.

I let my Self point which way to go next.
“Here, go with the flow,
Go join the whole”

Seriously, THAT way!
You’re not a salmon.
You can’t swim upstream.
You must go toward the ocean.

My soul could feel my self hesitation.
She put on her seashell amulet bracelet
as if pushing up sleeves.
She pulled out the green arrow,
The unmistakable way-pointing sign.

I gazed at the arrow so long and so hard.
I wanted to trust its clear sense of direction.
But it wasn’t quite speaking my language.

My soul had a better idea.
She turned that green arrow into my heart.
The even more unmistakable way-pointing sign.

And my soul pointed the way once again.
This time I heard not only her voice
but my heart as it beat in agreement
Finally understanding the path.

We breathed in
We breathed out
We jumped in
to the flow of fresh water.

Who knows how long it will take to
make it down river,
How many high and low tides.
But I’m determined to go with the flow
toward the big picture ocean.

Call it underwater clarity.

I’m all in.

The Dandelion and the Seashell

Posted on May 16, 2015 by ShellyLFrancis

It was half-past high tide and love at first sight
when the tiny pink seashell
caught my heart from her spot on the sand.

She paused in her talk with the shell-shard and seaweed
to blow me a kiss of hello.

“Oh, hello! Pleased to meet you,” I said
as I sat down and scooped her up in my palm.
“I’ve never seen anyone like you before in this cove.”

“That’s cuz I’m new here,” she replied.
“Can you show me around?”

We walked up the beach
and I showed her some sights
she’d never seen from the height of my hand.
At the Driftwood Plateau we met a lone plant
who had grown in the sea-tossed-up soil.
“Seashell, meet Dandelion.
Dandelion, Seashell.”

“I thought dandelions were bright yellow with petals?”
Seashell asked with a pure questioning heart.
“I am still a yellow dandelion,” said the flower,
“But my yellow has transformed into seeds.
What you see now are my daughter ideas
almost ready to spread.”

“Is it true I can blow on your face
to make my wishes come true?”
asked Seashell.

What you may not know
(Because I know I didn’t)

is that dandelions can make wishes, too,
by blowing into the face of pink seashells.

Each blew hard as they could
to send their wish flying.
Seashell did a backflip.
Dandelion launched seeds.

“Ha! Now my wish can come true,”
laughed the shell when she landed.
“I’m hoping a wave will arise
and sweep me back to the sea. That’s where I belong.”

Without a word Dandelion smiled,
Trusting her wish would come true.

The Answer Was Yes!

Posted on December 28, 2014 by ShellyLFrancis

We’ve moved!

Is this mine, was my October question. This place with the blue door in the meadow. This cottage with the piano inside. This yard with swings in three trees.

It takes courage to say Yes to your life when it shows up with a gift without warning. Like love at first sight. Your mind can come up with a long list of reasons (and fears) to say No.

It’s too much. It sounds hard. I’m not ready.

Or you can open your mind by hearing the thoughts of your heart.

It’s what I always imagined…in detail. It feels like a gift. I’m singing silly songs I’m so happy. It feels like home and we’re not even there yet. I believe I can do this! I will trust in the process…and outcome…and future.

Then give it some time. Take some deep breaths. Accept the October invitation. Wait for the November answer.

Yes. Yes. Yes!

Uncross your fingers and slap a high five!

Pack your boxes and move! Unpack. Bake a turkey. Give thanks. Begin to get settled. Add a tree. Hang some lights. Do the dance of a happy December.

Then let the adventure begin!!

lights-house

Emotikin World

Playing With My Inner Artist

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