Seeing the World Through Smoke Colored Glasses

I've learned to appreciate the softness of gray.

Seeing the World Through Smoke Colored Glasses

I cried when I purchased my
First grey dress.  All the way home. 

The clerk at the store said
'You look so lovely in grey
With your hair color, my dear.' And she smiled a trying smile.

Grey was my mother's choice,
When I knew her last.
First was blue, in her youth,
Which I never wore,
Then grey.

My colors used to be
Dramatic red, chilling black
And dazzling white.

That was then, when
I thought it was important
To be intrepid.

Now my closet is filled with shades
Of winter clouds.  Even some of the walls
Where I live are a light vapor of sorts.

I've learned to appreciate the
Softness.  The neither here nor there.
No sharpness or glare.
Restraint, possibly even elegance.
Unpolished silver.
Grey, the color of cooing doves
And of elderly  women.

Is it conceivable, even probable that
I now understand my Mother
Just a shade more? 


Susan Patterson 

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Audio for Seeing the World
Through Smoke Colored Glasses

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Discussion: 

I'm not a sappy or soapy person, meaning I'm not greatly sentimental or emotional.  I hesitated putting this poem online, thinking that people would assume I was doing some great tribute to my mother.  I am not. Not that she would not deserve it.  She did…and does. 

But that is not what this poem is about.  It is about shifting to thinking with a different paradigm or perspective.  I now see things and think about things, differently from what I used to.  It is not better.  It is not worse.  It is different.  I know things now that I am older that my mother knew as she grew older. Seeing things as she did brings a whole new world of appreciation to me.  

Sometimes it takes a while to gain the type of  knowledge or appreciation that can be transforming.  God knows that I still don't know all that much, really.  But I am pretty sure that I know, that I don't know.  It is better than not knowing and thinking that I do know.  😊

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Best chocolate candy? 

Sees Chocolates, by far.  I know that there are some small-batch chocolatiers with to die for offerings, but when it comes to mass produced chocolate candy, it is Sees.  Do you know good chocolate?  skp

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Let Me Introduce an Artist

As a new feature to this Causerie, I am going to introduce my readers to some of the many artists that have come into my life.  So as not to offend anyone in reference to choice and order of introduction, I put all their business cards in a bowl and simply chose one.  I will feature an artist every once in awhile this way, just to keep things interesting. 

The first artist that I will introduce you to is Reneé Healy,  www.reneehealy.com 

Renee lives in Washington State and  offers fine art watercolors and mixed media originals and prints.  I first met her in West Linn, Oregon a few years ago.  When I saw her artistry, I walked into her booth and knew right then and there that she was all about healing.  Don't know why, but that is what I felt.  Her work is very engaging and beautifully colorful.  It is playful at times and other times dramatic.  Reneé paints outside the lines of tradition and inside the standard of elegance.  I have several of her smaller originals.  Take a look at her website and see what you think.  skp

Small hummingbird by Reneé Healy

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Take care till next time.  skp