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| Photos by Bill Slavin |
Coincidentally for this week's post, I had planned to write about the word Hope after re-reading some of my writings that I included in a sketchbook for the Brooklyn Art Library. I thought once again how often we writers think of similar themes during a week, especially one like last week that has been filled with such controversy and despair and we find stories within ourselves that are uplifting and full of hope.
Since 2017 my thoughts about hope have changed. With the advent of Trump, we, as a country and as a people, have entered into a world far more divisive and extreme. We have become more aware of the underbelly of United States history, and that we are not as exceptional as we have told ourselves we are. We have a core that is hard and cruel but often sprinkled with doses of goodwill. We have yet to address what the promise of America means. When I see young people speaking out, I have hope.
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| Photos by Bill Slavin |
This week I needed to find glimpses of hope. Images such as shimmering sunlight, crayons skipping across the page, a bird flying with twigs in its beak, ready to build a nest, and grass growing in the cracks of pavement reminded me of the meaning of hope. I thought of the joy of several friends and family who have new babies in their lives.
I added one more idea to that list: long marriages. I look across the breakfast table at Bill. We've been married for 51 years. We can still smile at each other. We've been together through medical events, working long hours while acquiring advanced degrees, volunteering at non-profits, and celebrating friendships in Mountain View, Danville, Tokyo, and Paris. We've owned numerous cars including my PT Cruiser and the Blue Bomber, and sailed and skied together. We've jogged through our neighborhoods and met friends for coffee. We spent some of the best years of our lives raising our son, who has grown into a kind, thoughtful person (despite having us as parents!)
We had our ups and downs in our marriage. We learned to adjust to our differing habits and quirks, but we always knew how deep our love for each other has been. We tended two sets of parents through their last days, made decisions about their care, and brought treats to their caregivers since we saw how hard their jobs could be. We gardened, took photographs, drew, painted, and discussed politics and other issues of our day. Sometimes we leave each other messages. We've been married a long time, and are still surprised by how much history we have lived through, and still want to try new things, but we are quieter now. Sitting outside, listening to the chatter and caw of birds, and watching wildlife is a mutual pleasure. In a long marriage, there is always hope.
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| Photos by Bill Slavin |
Four Good Things of Hope:
You can read Meta Pasternak's essay as published in the J Weekly here:
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The organizers of the 2022 international calligraphy conference that was canceled because of COVID, worked with Kuretake, a Japanese art supply company to donate over $22,000 in art supplies in part to David Douglas High School in Portland, Oregon. It has the largest student body in Oregon and its students speak over 47 different languages.
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Watch this video from Holstee showing how to make a letterpress poster with a polymer plate. The poster is Holstee's manifesto and is worth reading:
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Check out the sketchbooks at the Brooklyn Art Library and help them recover from a disastrous fire:
https://brooklynartlibrary.org
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