Love, love, love

My studio art show is over.

Phew.

I have been working night and day for several months to prepare for this event...and, now it is over.

To say that it was a success would be an understatement. In monetary terms, I sold a lot of pieces of my pottery and it was quite successful.

But, in non-monetary terms, it was even more successful. Let me explain. First of all, my sisters coming in from out of town to help me get ready for the show. That was pretty special and unbelievably helpful. Secondly, this weekend, my dear friends all came over to support me and some purchased an item or two. The love and emotional boost that they gave me was incredible and worth more than gold. I feel so lucky and so grateful to be a part of this community of people who are there for you always. To me, it is unlike anywhere else on earth.

Birmingham, Alabama. Who would have thought it?

I always call it "the world's best kept secret" and this weekend it has proven to be especially true.

As I have worked these past months I have also been the recipient of numerous emails and calls from all of the people in the community who want to volunteer to run errands, bring food for their freezer, and, especially to help keep my friend and her husband well fed for the next few difficult months. I haven't ever seen anything like it...people just can't do enough...making my scheduling job very easy. Easy and overwhelming. There is so much love being expressed....so much support...that I find myself tearing up with joy and appreciation at their kindnesses.

Maybe it is that our dear friend is getting ready to start some extremely difficult chemotherapy starting this Thursday. Maybe it is that she is causing us to accept our own immortality. Maybe it is that most of my group of friends are now beginning their journey into the 60's....and, maybe, just maybe,....all of the love that is going around is just filling us all with deep emotions and gratitude?

Whatever it is, I know that we are all feeling something. Something unexplainable...but, real, nonetheless. We are hugging tighter, we are saying "I love you" more often, we are appreciating our friendships more intensely, we are feeling everything.

It is strange and wonderful all at the same time. It is pure, unadulterated LOVE.

There is a positive energy that we feel....amd, I believe that much of it is coming from my friend who has cancer.

She is sending out emails as often as she can and each one contains beautiful messages and inspiration. She is the one with cancer and yet she is the one telling us that everything will be okay. She has opened herself up and expressed deep emotions that haven't ever come to the surface before.

And, it is definitely affecting each and every one of us who are close to her.

And, we all feel fortunate to be taken along on this journey with her....and to feel the LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.....