This post clearly shows you found beauty in the “trash” of living. I especially love this line: We don't sweep the ugly stuff under the rug; we hold it in our hands, and honor the gold and the glitter that has been woven into its residue.
Writing saved me too. I’m so glad I discovered it sixteen years ago, at the tender age of 43. 🩷
"The thing is, there were some real gems out there in the alley: thrown out, covered up, and buried. Maybe it takes a childlike perspective to focus in and catch the glimmer, the value, in unwanted treasures? To have faith enough to dirty up our hands, and search through the trash."
This is amazing, Laury! I was at your home several times back in those days. I thought it looked a little spooky back there behind all those trees & shrubs; and I cant imagine Shirley knowing you were taking these adventures!! That was quite a daring adventure and scares me just thinking about you venturing over to the hotel across those busy roads!! I admire your writing abilities too! You were such a precious “smiling” little girl, and gave me some happy memories back in the early 60’s!!!! Here’s a picture of me holding you when you visited Texas back then! I truly loved your family and dreamed of having little girls when I got married. I had two boys before getting our daughter. You lived a dream life in my imagination!! Who knew?!?!?!? You were truly brave to make that “escape” for yourself! ❤️
Linda, you are definitely one of the few who can say they saw it up close! It kind of freaks me out as well at this point in my life, although it was a different time in history for sure.
Thinking about a little girl 9 or 10 rummaging through alley passageways and venturing into people's backyards just to explore, it was totally normal and I had free reign back in the day. You may know this already but when my mama whistled that meant... wherever you are, get yourself home! It sounds like lifeway in the country, but it was on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Drive.
We called it "trash picking," and I would wander the alleys behind my suburban home in central Ohio, looking for discarded treasures - books, magazines, or things I could re-purpose. When we moved to the country in 1975, I would spend hours after school in a small acre of locust trees, enjoying the nature, the solitude, making up stories about tiny creatures living in the nooks and crannies.
It was definitely a special time in my life. And now I might have to go write a Butterfly Thought about it. Thanks for the inspiration!
This post clearly shows you found beauty in the “trash” of living. I especially love this line: We don't sweep the ugly stuff under the rug; we hold it in our hands, and honor the gold and the glitter that has been woven into its residue.
Writing saved me too. I’m so glad I discovered it sixteen years ago, at the tender age of 43. 🩷
I'm just finding this beautiful comment you made here, Marta. It moved me, to read it 3 months late. Thank you🙏
I'm so glad!
Beautiful Laury. I love this so much. I used to be ashamed of everything. Now I love it. That's my journey.
I can work with shame. I know it's an echo, and I love our shared parts of the journey, Susan.
It's a question we all as writers should ask ourselves regularly - thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Keeps us connected, to the work, to our hearts, to purpose. Thank you for reading it, Debi🙏
"The thing is, there were some real gems out there in the alley: thrown out, covered up, and buried. Maybe it takes a childlike perspective to focus in and catch the glimmer, the value, in unwanted treasures? To have faith enough to dirty up our hands, and search through the trash."
Love this, Laury.
This is amazing, Laury! I was at your home several times back in those days. I thought it looked a little spooky back there behind all those trees & shrubs; and I cant imagine Shirley knowing you were taking these adventures!! That was quite a daring adventure and scares me just thinking about you venturing over to the hotel across those busy roads!! I admire your writing abilities too! You were such a precious “smiling” little girl, and gave me some happy memories back in the early 60’s!!!! Here’s a picture of me holding you when you visited Texas back then! I truly loved your family and dreamed of having little girls when I got married. I had two boys before getting our daughter. You lived a dream life in my imagination!! Who knew?!?!?!? You were truly brave to make that “escape” for yourself! ❤️
Linda, you are definitely one of the few who can say they saw it up close! It kind of freaks me out as well at this point in my life, although it was a different time in history for sure.
Thinking about a little girl 9 or 10 rummaging through alley passageways and venturing into people's backyards just to explore, it was totally normal and I had free reign back in the day. You may know this already but when my mama whistled that meant... wherever you are, get yourself home! It sounds like lifeway in the country, but it was on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Drive.
We called it "trash picking," and I would wander the alleys behind my suburban home in central Ohio, looking for discarded treasures - books, magazines, or things I could re-purpose. When we moved to the country in 1975, I would spend hours after school in a small acre of locust trees, enjoying the nature, the solitude, making up stories about tiny creatures living in the nooks and crannies.
It was definitely a special time in my life. And now I might have to go write a Butterfly Thought about it. Thanks for the inspiration!
You inspired me too, Mary. Oh my gosh, discarded treasures and solitude. You're playing my song.
You took my breath away...
💜😢🙏🏼✍️
Well, you made me cry 😢 ❤️
Thank you, Mary
Thank you! You definitely captured the gist of what I was trying to say here, Robin. Not all is lost. We can learn.