I Will

I wrote in my journal last night, "You should write a blog about practicing facials and about trees and about letter-writing personas and about finding your life's purpose today at the library - making and publishing photo books."

Can I do this all in one blog post?

You betcha.

But not a short, sweet one.

I often write notes to myself about possible blog subjects and never follow through. But these are good ones.

Let's start with letter-writing personas. I have within the past several months discovered the beauty of the hand-written letter. I love sending notes and churning out a bunch whenever the mood strikes - just like that one time years ago when I felt inspired to bake many, many loaves of dessert bread to share with any and everybody.

I do believe that when I have extra time to choose my words,, my notes take on a different voice than my real one. For example, while writing to a friend I haven't seen in years, it is easy to pretend I don't feel awkward or sad that I'm not in her life anymore. I can direct the conversation in any way I want because I have the floor.

Often I direct the conversation to (1) I'm doing well and God is blessing my life, and then (2) this is what I love about you, and then (3) how are you? - and other questions to which I will never receive an answer, and (4) peace and blessings on you and whatever is going on in your life (being as specific as possible).

I'm great at letter-writing.

I have also taken to heart the "sandwich" approach to negative messages which I was taught several times in grade school: compliment, complaint, compliment.  Or praise,  constructive criticism, more praise. You get the idea.

I have taken this very literally. Angry messages get us nowhere.

I used the word 'persona' because, just as people develop a personality online or a kind of brand that is not exactly like how they are in real life, I have noticed that pen and paper have the same effect.

Someone (like in the colonial days) once said that the pen is sharper/mightier than the sword.

I wonder if that is only when it is writing sassy things down or if when I'm writing stupid letters I'm still wielding that power.

Twenty-one Pilots' lead singer raps, " some see a pen, I see a harpoon." I wonder how he feels about the sassiness issue.

Segueing from letter-writing into trees, I did once write a letter to a good friend telling her that I saw trees paralleling her ordeal.

I really hope I was praying when I wrote that.

She told her daughters to thank me profusely for it.

Trees make me think of women, their arms stretched to the sky. The represent life's seasons, rebirth, flexibility tenacity, the seed thrown on the good soil, deep roots in God's heart, the stubbornness to grow in spite of harsh conditions and even in spite of falling down sometimes.

Growth and reaching toward heaven, the tree of life, the tree for the healing of the nations. Young king Arthur witnessing the slow, slow dreams of trees as they watch the world move quickly around them. A sort of stability and inner peace.

I'm getting a tattoo of a tree.

I have a mom who made sure there was deep, deep symbolism in each part of the design before she resigned to it, and one adamant naysayer who half-listened to my sound reasoning while performing other activities and without responding (I had been hoping for an actual conversation). I assume dad knows because mom and dad tell each other everything in my imagination. Sometimes I imagine that since the  Bible says when people get married they will become one flesh, mom and dad don't even have to talk to know and think exactly the same things. This imaginatory "one flesh" thing has been proven wrong several times.

I should mention this tattoo thing to dad.

Segue: maybe someday I'll give dad a facial.

Was that a good segue?  I gave mom one while my friend read me step-by-step facial massage instructions from Milady's esthetician textbook.

Ever since I went to that esthetician's convention in Philly, I have been very good at following trough on my intention of practicing facials on my friends and family. Tonight I am going to perform my first repeat facial! Hopefully my friend will notice an improvement from last time.

I have also done a double facial where I tried to perform two facials at once with limited success. The reward of that session was that one of my subjects suggested I warm the towls, not with hot water, but in the microwave (since I don't have a steamer and am not about to purchase one).

But facials are not my life's purpose. Photo books are. I went to the library and perused the new books section while waiting for my dentist appointment the other day and discovered two books: "one woman, one hundred faces," about hair, makeup, and photography transforming one woman in countless ways, and "the oldest living things on earth," in which a photographer/scientist journeys around the world creating a complete guide of all plant life older than 1000 years old.

I want to make books like that.

I can make books like that.

I will make books like that.

I alter books and collage in them already. Books are my preferred medium. They are more time-based art than single pieces hanging on a wall. I will be published someday and make a difference in someone's life with my books.

I think that's all I wanted to blog about.