"I see skies of blue, clouds of white, bright blessed day, dark sacred nights, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world. The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces of people going by. I see friends shaking hands, sayin how do you do. There really sayin...I love you."
~ Louis Armstrong
Monday marked the one year anniversary of my precious Papa's death. This year our family has felt many losses. Working through grief is a long journey. On this melancholy journey, you navigate many emotions. I think that you eventually have to reach deep within, find strength, hang on, and the fog begins to lift. You can breathe a little better. You begin to awaken.
My Papa was such an amazing human being. Loved by all who knew him. My Grandmother has shared with us that sometimes he would stop and announce " Isn't this a wonderful world!"
This world is wonderful because he was a part of it. I am so thankful to him for the example that he set for those around him.
On Monday I needed to do something to honor him. We gathered supplies. Paint, markers, ribbon, fabric, and sunflower seeds.
Papa loved sunflowers. I walked around the farm, tucking seeds into the earth. Then Violet and I , along with my nieces painted. We sat around talking about him and I shared with them stories about the things he loved. We were inspired and produced a beautiful strand of blessing flags. The girls helped me hang them in my garden.
The Tibetans believe that the wind will carry the blessings into the universe. I love what Wikipedia has to say....
"By hanging flags in high places the Lung ta will carry the blessings depicted on the flags to all beings. As wind passes over the surface of the flags which are sensitive to the slightest movement of the wind, the air is purified and sanctified by the Mantras.
The prayers of a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure to the elements. Just as life moves on and is replaced by new life, Tibetans renew their hopes for the world by continually mounting new flags alongside the old. This act symbolizes a welcoming of life's changes and an acknowledgment that all beings are part of a greater ongoing cycle."
