Life's a Song (Terri Hendrix)

Today is Thursday, January 31, 2008 - I began this blog on Monday, May 14, 2007 with the intention of posting daily a thematic song/book/poem/quote revolving around my life's passion for music and literature, more as an exercise in creativity/
journaling/scrapbooking than any desire for feedback or validation. I will pass my 7000-hit mark today, which absolutely amazes me - I'm not a math person, but that equates to almost 1000 hits a month, about 30 a day, mind-boggling when I have absolutely no expectations in the grand scheme of things. Believe me, I understand the perspective - some bloggers actually receive 300 *comments* in *one 24-hour period* :: shakes head in wonderment ::

I assumed I was flying under the radar, "delusions of anonymity", I recently wrote - as a friend responded, "The internet does not allow for such things", and I am finally, dazedly, becoming aware. I have found myself on the RSS feed of a non-traditional, yet prestigious, internet radio station... on the website of one of my favorite musicians... and on the blogrolls of a handful of people whose philosophies I respect and admire - I have been linked to and tagged, and it's all just so d*mn overwhelming and fascinating and fun!

I have met (and been befriended by) some incredible people, and crossed paths with/entertained/enlightened by many others who have no clue as to my existence - it's a small world/spiderweb/ripple effect of a family, one link leading to another, most regular people like me who are documenting their life experiences in small or grand, but always important, ways.

So... whoever you are out there... clicking, reading, commenting... thanks - my spew-and-send has somehow, sometimes touched a chord and I'm feeling extremely grateful... and blessed... and overjoyed to be in this skin at this time on this planet...

All that being said, I am in awe of some stunning (in all senses of the word) blogs out there, timesuckers (in a good way, Martha) that encourage me... spiritually, emotionally, artistically, physically, ecologically, musically, humorously, literarily, organizationally... to learn/laugh/cry in my own journey of self-discovery - in fact, today (Thursday, January 31 by 10:00 p.m.) is the last day to vote for the Eighth Annual Webblog Awards: the 2008 Bloggies. Check out "the best of the best" - I repeat... amazing... :-)

SONG: Life's a Song by Terri Hendrix

BOOK: Clear Blogging: How People Blogging Are Changing the World and How You Can Join Them by Bob Walsh

POEM: The Big Heart by Anne Sexton

"Too many things are occurring for even a big heart to hold." - from an essay by W. B. Yeats

Big heart,
wide as a watermelon,
but wise as birth,
there is so much abundance
in the people I have:
Max, Lois, Joe, Louise,
Joan, Marie, Dawn,
Arlene, Father Dunne,
and all in their short lives
give to me repeatedly,
in the way the sea
places its many fingers on the shore,
again and again
and they know me,
they help me unravel,
they listen with ears made of conch shells,
they speak back with the wine of the best region.
They are my staff.
They comfort me.

They hear how
the artery of my soul has been severed
and soul is spurting out upon them,
bleeding on them,
messing up their clothes,
dirtying their shoes.
And God is filling me,
though there are times of doubt
as hollow as the Grand Canyon,
still God is filling me.
He is giving me the thoughts of dogs,
the spider in its intricate web,
the sun
in all its amazement,
and a slain ram
that is the glory,
the mystery of great cost,
and my heart,
which is very big,
I promise it is very large,
a monster of sorts,
takes it all in--
all in comes the fury of love.

QUOTE: "I... recommend to every one of my Readers, the keeping a Journal of their Lives for one Week, and setting down punctually their whole Series of Employments during that Space of Time. This kind of Self-Examination would give them a true State of themselves, and incline them to consider seriously what they are about. One Day would rectifie the Omissions of another, and make a Man weigh all those indifferent Actions, which, though they are easily forgotten, must certainly be accounted for." ~ Joseph Addison, 1712