Twenty five

There's a 'memetic prompt' (I'm not sure such a term exists, but like the sound of these two words together ; )) doing the rounds on Facebook at the moment. . . Name twenty five things about yourself that might not be considered 'common knowledge'. With all that's swirling about right now (for one thing, I'm supposed to be writing a conference proposal - submission deadline's today), I was initially reluctant to participate, but after reading other people's offerings, came to the conclusion there was more gift in this little exercise than burden. 


Here's the list I cobbled together in the wee hours this morning. . .  

xo 

1. I have no trouble not answering telephones.

2. Had I been born male, I'd wear a beard and sing bass.

3. The un-publicly declared name for my house is Izinyoni (Zulu for 'House of Birds')

4. I hope my postage stamp of land will one day become a vibrant meeting space for collaborative exchange; for yoga, meditation, creative and healing arts, dance, music. . . a sanctuary where fellow travelers come together to contemplate life's mysteries, explore ideas, take creative risks. . . grow.

5. I light candles each evening - and often during the day.

6. I think our unconscious is a good many steps ahead of us and that we humans are endlessly mysterious

7. . . . and wondrous, as is the world we inhabit.

8. I'm curious about the things we cannot see or hear, the places we cannot travel to - except via dreams and the imagination.

9. Mathematics, numerology, sacred geometry - the systems that undergird everything - thrill me.

10. I like keeping the score in Scrabble.

11. My favourite numbers are 11 and 22

12. My patient old glasshouse has finally been lovingly dusted off and repaired and is ready for its first growing season in years. Hooray. 

13. I talk to 'my' birds each morning and am encouraging the raucous tui teenagers to try out a new riff or two (yes I sing to the birds, too).

14. I fell in love with Antarctica the moment I set eyes on her in 2005; five years later, I remain convinced there was nothing incidental about our meeting and, too, that our relationship will endure for at least a lifetime. 

15. I fell thigh deep (right leg only) into a crevasse at the foot of the Herbertson Glacier in 2008. Had both legs gone in, that saw-toothed glacier might well have swallowed me whole and I might not have been here today to write about it. I still sometimes feel a shock-wave run through me at the memory of that. . .

16. I have a five-dot birthmark on my left ankle that resembles the 'five' on a dice.

17. I talk in my sleep - on occasion, strangers on airplanes have had to prod me to let me know I'm expounding loudly on some subject or other

18. I need great big dollops of time on my own and in silence - I am increasingly reluctant to visit commercial outlets. 

19. I trust faith and best intentions to help us transform even the toughest of obstacles into something worthwhile

20. I cherish my children - and believe in them big time

21. I love my friends

22. I grew up handling chameleons, tortoises and snakes; my childhood home was surrounded by wide open veld. I would freewheel on my bike (no hands on the handlebars) at high speed down our dirt road to the river where my three sibs and I would wade amongst bullrushes and red bishop birds. We'd regularly pick up rose quartz, amethysts and tigers' eyes.

23. Once upon a time I loved a Siamese Fighter fish named Rufus. 

24. I think protest can be better expressed through poetry, art and prayer than via aggressive means, noise and negative language.  

25. Laughter and music are great healers.

Young Tomas's flowers - c.1996

Perhaps you'll feel 'memetically prompted' to share twenty-five bite-sized morsels (or less, or more) on your own blogs - and/or to jot one or two down here for others to enjoy? Thanks ; )