My Go Go Went

10/11/2012

I used to be a tireless worker.

Tirelessly creative.

Tirelessly inventive.

Is it any wonder, then, that now I am just tired?

Here’s the good news:

my body has been telling me this for years,
and now that I literally pace myself like a
majestic elephant, all things stay in balance.

The majestic elephant took over about two months ago when I started seeing an acupuncturist. She simply refused to let my yang energy run amok.

Running amok creates suffering and personal havoc. While I thought I was busy moving mountains, I was actually driving my body wild. Shrieking monkey wild. Breakdown in the desert without water wild. Again and again and again. I am now 56, and I've laid down my arms.

Do you believe the beauty and balance
of this woman?

I took a dozen photos of her at the Denver
Airport where she resides.

I love her buttocks.

I love her arms.

I love the man I’ve never met who created this amazing woman.

I want to be that woman.

If I can only get this majestic elephant to learn yoga!

It is good to have a breakdown when it leads you to deep water.

With thanks to Karen Levine.

16 Comments

Pam Stone link

10/11/2012 01:08:44 pm

Bea-u-ti-ful...great images and you have such "a way with words". In fact your "way with words" in Tributary is keeping me up nights reading but I'm lovin' it!

Barbara link

10/11/2012 02:37:36 pm

Thank you, Pam. I am so glad others are sleepless, not me! It is great to have "Tributary" out in the world. Nine hours' sleep each night and naps every day . . . ahhh.

Patrick de Freitas

10/12/2012 12:35:06 am

Tireless is neurosis, it turns out. We work hard (tirelessly) to outrun aging, riding bikes, doing furious yoga, challenging our brains to achieve lots of stuff, writing (!). I often think of the adage "Always do one thing less than you think you can."

Now, a weekend to get settled into Tributary.

Barbara Richardson

10/12/2012 03:08:58 am

I remember Trungpa Rinpoche said, "Try but don't try, try, try." My acupuncturist says, "What you have is enough."

Jana Richman link

10/12/2012 02:47:46 am

You beautiful majestic elephant! You are my inspiration.

Barbara Richardson link

10/12/2012 03:07:36 am

It's amazing what you learn doing it wrong!

Gail Storey link

10/12/2012 03:40:54 am

I know exactly what you mean, Barbara, and I too am learning to be a majestic elephant. I suspect I came out of the womb driven, and have lately shocked myself by realizing I can spend this last third of my life enjoying life itself! Paradoxically, there's now more energy available and wisdom for how to be energy as love in the world.

Barbara Richardson

10/13/2012 02:20:44 pm

"Be energy as love in the world." It's our birthright.

Pa link

10/16/2012 07:55:25 am

Wonderful post, Barbara, the steel and river round rock woman is inspired. The weight of both pose and component stone and steel is very restful. Let the weight settle!
My mantra these days is "What's the least I can do for you?"

Barbara Richardson

10/16/2012 11:18:16 am

LOVE that mantra. New to me but so timely. Thanks.

The figure was at rest, but so strong, so compelling. Honestly, I've rarely responded with such gut enthusiasm to sculpture before. I often feel moved in my brain but this woman just grabbed me.

Barbara

10/16/2012 11:20:47 am

In fact, I had no idea it was a woman. I circled the sculpture and oohed and aaahed and snapped a dozen photos and said how great he was. As we were walking away Jeff said, "She." So then I had to go back and get specific, and I admired the her parts even more.

Karen Gault (from SheWrites community) link

10/25/2012 03:36:12 am

Very beautiful blog entry. Great reminder to take time to do what is restorative to our energy and maintains our peace of mind.

Barbara

10/25/2012 04:25:26 am

Thanks so much, Karen. The more reminders the better. It seems everyone I know (and we aren't spring chickens) has come to this conclusion: slow is beautiful.

Christine

1/14/2013 09:37:47 am

I just finished reading Tributary. It was an engaging and thoughtful book. I only have one major concern. As a moderate to liberal LDS "Mormon" woman, I was shocked at the unceasing negative portrayal of Mormonism. Everyone was a caricature of Mormon stereotypes. I waited patiently for one positive character or experience. You did not give an inch. Clair was not mistreated and yet she was obviously neurotic because of abandonment issues regarding her mother, not the faith. Her Mormon friend (Stephen's mother) also ended up a bad guy. Interestingly she was able to live among the "saints" without too much harassment. There was much in early Mormon history fervor to be wary of, especially polygamy, but please there must have been a few good people and things. I was impressed with your reference books, but your anti-bias really came through. I am sure that your novel reinforced old or taught new prejudices against the LDS faith. I enjoyed the book, but it is too bad that you did not give the reader a break in the "bad Mormon" storyline.

Barbara Richardson link

1/14/2013 01:37:00 pm

Christine—Thanks for writing me about "Tributary." While all of the characters in the novel are flawed, I actually love them. To me, Bishop Dees and his wife Evelyn are great people. Clair would have been well cared for had she stayed in Brigham with them. They show nothing but tenderness and respect for her. Lavina Tingey, who dreams of a Mother in Heaven, is based on my great aunt. Lavina stays faithful to the Mormon church while keeping her own curiosity intact. Ada Nuttall, who acts the apostate, loves Joseph Smith and the church dearly though she certainly worships in her own hard-headed way.

My intent was not to create prejudice but to bring all sides into the history of the region: the faithful, the doubtful, the outcasts. I hoped to tell a broader story of Utah settlement. I am grateful you enjoyed what you could of the book. Certainly, the main characters are misfits, all of whom I adore as well.

Joey Atlas link

10/1/2013 03:44:36 pm

What a great post! I will link it through to my Facebook page :)

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