My Restless Spirit and Searching for "The Place"

Veronica has been telling me for some time that I should write more in my blog. For me, that is easier said than done. I don't believe in writing just for the sake of writing. I usually write when I have something to say, maybe an event, a thought or an idea I would like to share with others or when I feel that someone can learn from my mistakes. Putting things into writing and out into the publics eye does not come natural to me. I am a somewhat private person and I am not really comfortable putting myself "out there" for all to see. I feel that it exposes me and leaves me vulnerable. Because it does not come naturally, at times it can be work and sometimes just plain scary. Sometimes you have to throw all of your fears behind you and just go for it. With that being said, I would like to talk about something that some of you might be able to relate to...a restless spirit and trying to find "The Place". During my journey through life, I have lived in many locations. It seems that after a period of time in any one place, I find myself needing to move on and start over. With each move, there comes a level of excitement, hope and anticipation. Could this be "the place". "The place" is somewhere that I seem to be searching for and have been doing so for all of my adult life. "The place" is somewhere where I feel that I truly fit in..a place where you have real friends and are very content and happy that you actually belong there and that your search and journey has finally ended. It is a location where you go to for the first time, you stop and look around and then after using all of your senses, a special feeling comes over you. That feeling that you have arrived..the feeling that this is "THE PLACE". The life long search has ended...your destiny. You finally found it....home...."the place" where you belong. Some people are lucky and find "their place" quickly. Others, like myself, it takes a majority of their life to stumble upon it. Some never do and sometimes I fear that I might be one of them, an endless searcher. I am 53 years old and as of now I have not been able to find "The place" for me. I have learned that sometimes being homeless means more than being without the 4 walls and roof that surround you or a place to lay your head at night. To me, that is being houseless. This is by no means making light of those who are homeless in the traditional sense of the word. I live in a house but I still consider myself as being homeless. I just haven't found "the place"... "the place" where my spirit soars and my soul is happy and content.....my home. I will continue on my journey through life, searching for " the place" for me...that special place where I belong and always have. Until then, my search goes on and I will continue being homeless.

Another Voice Has Gone Silent

It was many years ago that I first heard the name Miriam Makeba. I learned of her struggles and musical talent after listening to Paul Simons 1986 release of the Graceland album. After listening to the album, I had to buy the video concert that was taped on VHS tape, that included her singing in this concert. If you have not seen or listened to it, it truly is an amazing work of musical art. Ladysmith Black Mombazo and Hugh Masekela, along with many others, were also featured in this concert. Miriam Mekeba, also known as Mama Afrika, had been exiled from her homeland for approximately 30 years, starting in 1960, during the apartheid system that was in place at that time in South Africa. In 1990, as the apartheid system began to crumble, she returned to Johannesburg for a homecoming celebration. Miriam Mekeba sang beautiful songs about her homeland, culture and roots. Yesterday while singing in a concert in Italy, Miriam Makeba collapsed on stage and died at the age of 76.
As reported today in the International Herald Tribune......Nelson Mandela said that the death "of our beloved Miriam has saddened us and our nation."
He continued: "Her haunting melodies gave voice to the pain of exile and dislocation which she felt for 31 long years. At the same time, her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us."
"She was South Africa's first lady of song and so richly deserved the title of Mama Afrika. She was a mother to our struggle and to the young nation of ours"
Although I did not know her personally, I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn about her thoughts and feelings from her music.
For more information about Miriam Mekeba, please read the following article from the International Herald Tribune... http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/10/africa/obits.php

What Once Was - Is No More

I have been spending some time cleaning out all of the gardens around the house. With the weather being so warm, some of the day lilies are still trying to grow. Once a good hard freeze, they will finally quit trying to grow and they will go dormant. Until then it seems like every couple of weeks I cut them down to just above ground level. Below are the last couple of irises that are blooming. This is the first year that they have bloomed so late in the year. It must be the warmer weather.