Finding Water

Last night I attended the opening of the exhibit "I Am Water",  at the Form and Content Gallery in Minneapolis.  There was amazing water based art to view on the walls and a number of readings, accompanied by some very talented musical folks on the drums and flute.  My friend David Grant was one of the readers, and he sang a song he had written about the water goddesses in Africa,  stunning us with his beautiful singing voice.  It was an entertaining and enlightening evening.

Strangely enough, I had been thinking about the theme of water that week. In a conversation with a friend she had said "you don't go to the desert to find water"; and I thought at the time how true that was about life in general.   When we seek connection and affirmation, it makes sense to look for that where we will be welcomed and supported, not where we will be judged or minimized.   So in essence, our whole lives are a process of "finding water".  Finding where we fit in life, finding ourselves and the people and activities we can truly resonate with.  I decided at the time that that phrase would be the title for my newest book of poetry.   It is partially finished and speaks to the experience of being part of groups and organizations that are not healthy, not welcoming, not whole, while also describing the people and moments that I find meaning and connection in.   It was with irony and some awe that I realized the title of the exhibit last night as "I Am Water"- I had thought of it as "my friend David's reading" and had  never looked closely at the title.   The Universe has an interesting sense of humor.

I found myself connecting to the poetry and music, lulled by the rhythmic beat of the drums and the haunting sound of the flute. I was able to meet some of the poets who had read their work, and reconnect with my long time friend David.  I realized that in all the years I have known him, this is the first time I had heard him read, and the first time I realized what an incredible singing voice he had.  The words and the rhythms were deep, and heartfelt.  This was not an event for shallow sentiments. This was people sharing a little bit of their souls, and finding some nourishment for themselves in the process.  A good first step for someone whose goal for the new year is to find water- to find meaning and connection in a world that is not always kind to those who are a little different.