This morning, listening to a friend’s lament about her brother’s last few years in his relatively short life, I ended up talking about my sister, Gretchen. Eleven years ago, she died in an apartment fire. Sharing in the name of solidarity, my friend had no idea, and was shocked to hear it. But in telling her, I hoped she’d recognize my understanding, and possibly feel less alone.
Within the multi-faceted canvas of adversity, poetry and music reside. These two orchid flowers in Marissa Bridge’s painting perform as a pair of sisters: flouncy young girls, yet survivors. In spite of just losing the third bud in their family, their blossoms take to the stage and sing the triumphant song of life.
Wild Nature of New York 
I love that the simple act of sharing parts of our lives with others in a similar circumstance can help them to deal with their issue with greater clarity. Life does go on when circumstance leaves us wondering what just hit like us a ton of bricks, it is often rare to have someone who will step up to plate and share in this manner, I love that this serves as a reminder for all of us to embrace our fellow human beings and bring some sense to the journey. Thank You Stephanie and Marissa for this brilliant series that I enjoy with gusto.
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THank you so much, Dixie, for being part of this discovery with marissa and I. As the one resposible for the text, I never know what I will have to say, I let the painting tell me, and then I dig deep for something to match its message. We have no idea why we are doing this except that it is important to both of us. Because I don’t have any columns right now, it gives me a deadline and an opportunity.
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