37 Days is Coming Back - A memory of Before

There are so many ways we "inhabit our lives" and many people who nudge us forward. Author Patti Digh has been one of those nudgers for me since she started writing her blog "37 Days" in 2005. Her writings spoke to me at a time I needed it. After a number of years her work expanded and she stopped writing on "37 Days". I missed her.

I followed her on Facebook - busy, busy, retreats and books and raising her family. Today she announced on Facebook that she is re-opening the blog and will be writing every day. Read why - here. Along with others who admire her I wrote a comment on her blog - "Welcome Back, Patti. I have missed you."

 She talks about her first book "life is a verb" as being her favorite. It is mine too. I remember her talking about her excitement as she worked on it and as it went to press and was launched. She let people in her world-wide community share the experience with her.

 Then she went one step further - she invited artists from her "community" to be a part of the project by sharing drawings made for specific subjects. I felt the excitement and was thrilled to have a chance to participate. Worked hard and submitted two drawings.

  "life is a verb" was published eight years ago. I knew it was on my bookshelf. Dusty yes - but where I expected it to be. It felt familiar as I thumbed through looking for my two drawings. Ah! Ha!

Live an Irresistible Obituary

 "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." Anne Sexton

Patti Digh writes:
Are we leaving behind numbers or stories?
I vote for stories.

The page is illustrated with my art work - honoring her father. I used a young picture of him with my childhood WWII picture of
me to salute him - - - with orchids as the background.



The art is followed by another quote.

All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.  Isak Dinesen

Today when I read this quote it took my breath away.

I cannot say that I actively remembered this quote or this page when my husband Jim died in 2012 -
but it is an excellent back up for explaining my creating a story for my healing - Arlington National Cemetery: My Forever Home, which I am telling still.

More - I was touched and delighted by my small piece on another page -

 I used a picture of the shadows Jim and I cast on a California beach and topped it with children who danced past us .

The quote for that page is:

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak - Hopi saying







Thanks, Patti.