Here is my book from Create a Connection’s Monday Swap Day.  As you can see, I also got music to soothe me, tea to sip and snacks to keep me full all wrapped in lovely red and white stripes and enclosed in a Happy Valentine’s package.

Well.  I can see I have a bit to learn about these swap events….and this is probably the best example of all to learn from.

My swap partner, Mary Ann, shared that Mr. Rogers helped her to learn to speak English.  The book is quintissential Mr. Rogers, simple but profound:

"…the Dalai Lama [said]:  ‘Someone else’s action should not determine your response."  It sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  and yet what if someone else’saction should be shouting angry words at us or hitting us with a rotten tomato?  That doesn’t affect what we do in resopnse?  Not if our compassion is genuine.  Not if our love is the kind the Dalai Lama advocates."

And something my wise, longest friend, Linda always gives me:  unconditional love.  Here’s what Mr. Rogers says:  "I don’t think anyone can grow unless he’s loved exact as he is now, appreciate for what he is rather than what he will be."

What a great little book.  Thanks, Mary Ann!  And thanks Creat a Connection for providing the community space for this little transaction to happen!

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I wasn’t going to write today.  I’ve been busy getting our taxes filed (ta-daaa!!!! done!) and working in the studio (glazed and fired yesterday, made some new fish today – different than the old fish since I’m getting bored with them.  I like these guys a lot – but they all tend to look a bit alike).

Picked up another new shop:  Riverview Gallery in Havre de Grace, MD, which I stumbled over while looking for River Gallery in Galesville.  And just realized I love Haver de Grace and visited there several times when I was working (home-based but also traveling to) in Cecil County several years back.  It’s this lovely little Main Street town and I’m going to be so excited to be there!  It’s really good, I think, that I’m starting to fill in some of the Maryland blanks for my work, and I should think a bit more about Virginia, too.  There are plenty out there to talk to.

I also bought some chicken wire today and ordered, on-line, a large amount of plaster cloth.  Am going to try another big thing using that and mosaics plus made for the piece tiles.  It’s all in my head.  Meanwhile, Megan’s pieces will be all fired once this kiln cools and I can see if that’s going to work.  So, a lot on my plate.

Tomorrow I start Finding Water with that on-line community.  This is so exciting and feels so absolutely right. 

Anyone catch the follow-up to "The Secret" on Oprah?  Dhyana told me about it and I would have forgotten except that I got an email from one of my ezine folks on-line.  It’s the latest sweeping the country….and about time.  I also look forward to learning more about it (well, I think I already know it:  forgiveness isn’t about the person you’re forgiving.  It’s about yourself.  I just had that very long conversation with a very good friend).

All in all, a great day!

Thanks again, Mary Ann!