Portal 52

My entire career has been spent in the helping professions. From the first job I had in high school as a veterinarian’s assistant, through decades as a teacher and a stay-at-home mom, to the role I retired from as a counsellor, the ability to help others has been a central theme. One truth I’ve discovered is that, for some, asking for help can be very difficult. I’ve also come to understand that it can be just as hard to accept help, when it is offered.

I love books, and the magic they hold between their pages. Books are portals, transporting us to other worlds, dimensions, universes. One of my most cherished memories is when my children were young, and we’d read the Harry Potter series out loud to each other. It started out as bed-time reading, but as we got deeper into the story, it no longer mattered what time of day it was -if they asked for it, we’d all sit down together and read the next chapter, and the next….

Special things are happening in the celestial realm this summer, with up to six planets in retrograde motion at once. This week presented the world with the rare opportunity to witness both a Blood Moon and a lunar eclipse on July 27, the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century. Although the eclipse was not visible to North Americans, the sight of the blood moon, with brilliant Mars shining nearby, had its own magical effect on me.

Every painting tells a story, as do other forms of visual arts, like sculptures and statues.

Whenever a lion graces the entrance to a building or district, it most certainly symbolizes something – but what? What is the context, the story, behind how it came to be there? What message is it supposed to be delivering to those who see it? Who placed it there, and what were their intentions when they chose the “king of the jungle” as the statuary for all to witness as they transition between spaces?

The Similkameen Valley is an arid and hot place, but the Similkameen River is a portal which brings life to the lands of this beautiful region in British Columbia. This area is known more for its plentiful orchards and roadside fruit stands than its vineyards, but that seems to be changing. In fact, enRoute magazine calls it one of the “world’s five best wine regions you’ve never heard of.”

Everywhere I travel in this world so wide, it seems that shells, rocks, twigs and leaves grab hold of my attention, and somehow find their way into my pockets. I’m not sure what it is about them that fascinates me more – the colours, shapes, smells, textures – especially at the beach. They seem like little pieces of art – nature’s sculptures.

I can hardly believe it, but week 26 has arrived – the half-way point! This is the milestone at which an optimist eagerly anticipates all that the next 6 months has in store, whereas a pessimist focusses on the fact that the year is half over. I might have a bit of both in me, as I see the half way mark as a good opportunity to reflect on what I’ve accomplished, while also look forward to what lies ahead.

Sitting on the beach with my back leaning against the boulder, I close my eyes. To my right, ocean waves gently lap at the shoreline, while a warm breeze whispers through the old growth cedar forest at my left. Sun rays, filtered through the leaves above me, speckle the sand and touch my skin, warming me. I absorb the sounds around me, focusing on one at a time, to fully appreciate what each offers to nature’s symphony. I taste the salt in the air and breathe in deeply once, twice, three times. With each breath, I relax into a deeper state. I feel grounded and supported by mother earth, while at the same time, feel weightless, like I am floating freely in space.

Tears squeezed out of my eyes as I doubled over, laughing. Our family was looking through old photo albums. Some of the fashion choices and poses struck when the pictures were taken had all of us in stitches. Those glasses, the earrings, the wide flared plaid pants and puffy sleeves had us wondering what on earth we were thinking when we got dressed that day. As we flipped through album after album, we recalled adventures, misadventures, people, places and tragedies of years past. The yellowed, faded and tattered photos were portals, transporting us back in time through the decades, indeed the generations, of our heritage and shared history.

On June 5, 2018, Kate Spade, a famous American fashion designer known for her colourful prints and iconic purses, died by suicide. Unbeknownst to most, she struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts for much of her life. On June 8, Anthony Bourdain, the culinary explorer of ‘Parts Unknown,’ who was also a talented writer, chef, and storyteller, took his own life. Unlike Kate Spade, the demons that Anthony Bourdain battled were well documented, including addictions and depression.