Category Archives: New Beginning

Something Old is New Again

Aug
30
2013
by IBK | 0 Comments

©IBKimage 2012

 

It’s very interesting how things that we’re struggling with “all of a sudden” resolve.  One day, without notice, something that has been taking away so much of our physical and mental effort, finds it proper proportion in our life, or even disappears.  It was one of those weeks for me.  I was grateful for a negative result on a diabetes test and all that would have implied.  The gratitude turned into action as I examined the layers of denial that I had piled on during the last few months.

All of the things that I can do, (and know how to)  to stay healthy, both physically and emotionally and spiritually, I decided to take a sabbatical from.  Who knows if it was rebellion, passive-agressive behavior, or perhaps  just a realization that in our very human transitions, we sometimes just need  a long “soak” in a dry tub. Having no idea of what’s next, but trusting my creator,redeemer,sustainer to provide what I don’t even know I need.  Until then, we can take small next actions, engaging again in habits that satisfy and then gradually … the old is new again.

Today’s image comes from the Queen City Salvage Yard here in Denver; a delightful garden of oldness tucked underneath a busy I 70 East viaduct.  Here so close and yet so far away from the cacophony of daily activity, are yesterdays front doors, and old car bodies; tools and gadgets from another time, once on grandfather’s tool bench; and rusted hand pumps used to bring cool water to the farm and town kitchens before pvc pipe carried the running water to the faucet.

The paint is peeling on the door in our image but look at the beautiful grain and pattern underneath.  Someone will find this new old door and in just the right season – wherever it goes, it will be just the right thing .

IBK

Also posted in Aging, Blessings, Courage, Letting Go, Seasons Tagged , , , , , , |

New Beginnings

Aug
23
2013
by IBK | 1 Comment

©IBKimage2012

 

Dear Readers, I’m back from my summer sabbatical of sorts and happy to be. The discipline of a weekly blog makes me think more clearly about a theme that I’d like to explore and during the week I receive a phrase here and there, read a sentence in a book, hear a song  or interview on the radio and so on.

Like little grains of sand that collectively become the beach, these bits of blessings gradually form a word pattern. When  partnered with an image, a story emerges. At other times a picture is the theme and provides a wonderful opportunity to process the many distinct experiences I’ve had in a week and try to make some sense of it.

Sometimes in the days and weeks that seemingly fly by while one is confronted with the realities of being human – illness, death, major life transitions, celebrating milestones, mending relationships, moving, fatness, and so on,the very things that can help us along the way through, are often the tools that sit idly in the shed.

As I bemoan the fact that my image making and “wordsmithing”have taken a backseat this summer, I realize, like the small tiles in todays image, when joined together a beautiful pattern make, that the small  acts of presence and and listening, and celebration, and grief, and encouragement,and humor, are all  a way that love can illuminate the darkness and elevate the joys.

Delighted to be back “in the saddle.”

IBK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also posted in Aging, Blessings, Seasons Tagged , , , , , |

Endings

Apr
26
2013
by IBK | 1 Comment

©2011MarkMatoon

 

With major transitions, come new challenges and responses.  This sound so obvious, but ask the survivors of a bombing in Boston if their lives will not be forever changed as they navigate their way through through emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges? How about our neighbors in Texas whose town blew up ?  What about the newly diagnosed cancer patient whose journey into the unknown is beginning?  And yet in all of these cases we’ve seen people step forward and surround those hurting, with “gifts of themselves” offered in love and compassion.

 

Most of our transitions are not this abrupt but the years spent in habit whether fruitful or barren, do seem to provide a well to draw on (or not) when our world and our relationships seem to be (or are) crumbling all around us.   Major transitions and pain also seem  to, after a time, help us see new ways that we might choose to adapt to our new “normals.”  Fire most certainly destroys, but it also refines and provides the fuel for our basic survival needs.

 

None of what I’m saying is new, but perhaps I’m reminded again that when our lives  change, whether in sickness or in health (or in death and destruction of recent days) we can boldly enter the wilderness of transition and perhaps marvel at how love finds us us when we are lost and broken. No matter what your transition, find a place of sabbath where you can “lay it all down” and slowly discover what your heart tells you to “pick up again” … leaving behind the demands and expectations of others; and the self created  burdens of perfection, “more” and “faster.”

Today’s image was taken by a photographer,  with whom I studied,on Nantucket Island in June of 2011, a few months after my mother died. The ocean always draws me to itself, and provides the water for my thirst.

IBK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also posted in Courage, Letting Go, Seasons, Seeing In New Ways Tagged , , , , , , |

Building Down

Jan
11
2013
by IBK | 1 Comment

©IBKimage2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My grandparents in Germany were married for 62 years and  from my earliest memories , until my last visit with my grandfather when he was 100, the layout of their (and later his) rental residences was always very similar.  A small cozy living room with a modular desk storage area with a medium sized TV ;  a round table in front of the couch where meals were eaten, games played,and long conversations held; a wooden cabinet which held valuables, dishes, wine glasses, vases, and candy and small purchased cookies to offer visitors for afternoon coffee;  a rectangular chase lounge tucked in a corner and finally the doors to the small outdoor seating area, their one bedroom,  a small kitchen and a foyer where they had a storage cupboard, a small bathroom with handheld shower, and a coat and hat rack along with an umbrella stand and a drawer for gloves,scarves and other items. Oh, and of course the flowerpots in the deep windowsill in front of the sheer curtains.

In 1964 when I spent the summer with them in Germany, they began speaking of:  “building down”.  What they meant by that, was that it was time to give away and sell some of their “larger” furniture, let go of items, and re-evaluate what they would need as they planned to move to a smaller apartment that suited their needs and their lifestyle, for their “last” years (which for my grandmother would be another 16 years and my grandfather another 30.)

I am challenged (or perhaps invited) to once again “build down”, to make room for only that which supports what I value, releases me from past identity and accomplishment, and frees me to schedule my life to live in a present moment , not weighted down with things, but released  to lift my hands in worship and joy; freed to receive instead of forcing, and finally to be available to continue to be in relationship with those who are or will come into my life in this new year.

Instead of getting organized this year, ask yourself:  “What am I clutching in my hand that when released, will free me to …”

IBK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also posted in Letting Go Tagged , , , |

Night Sky

Jan
04
2013
by IBK | 0 Comments

©IBKimage2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I grew up in a small village in South Central Nebraska.  Whenever I wanted to see the stars on a clear night, I looked up.  Living in a city these many years later, I can look up and see some stars in my neighborhood, but not the unobstructed view of my childhood.  Stars light if you will.  I have a desire this year to intentionally spend some time in places with a plethora of unobstructed stars, but in the meantime I wander in my city at night and am delighted to capture the beauty of light illuminating human craft.

Perhaps what I’m really thinking about in this new year is that I’d like to focus  on “blooming where I’m planted.” Observing and listening and delighting in what is, and deepening the learning in some of what I’m already engaged in, but also leaving room to be delighted and surprised about what is “out there.”

Today’s image is  near Union Station, in downtown Denver.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

IBK

Also posted in Seasons Tagged , , , |

Jun
08
2012
by IBK | 1 Comment

©IBKimage 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two weeks ago today I awoke to early morning light and chirping birds outside of my ground floor, city bed and breakfast in Carlisle England. In the next two days we would walk the final miles  on the Hadrian’s Wall Path, and yet this particular morning I thought back to where the walk began – in Newcastle – at Wallsend . (Wall’s End ) In addition to touring the grounds and museum  of Segedunum, the most completely excavated Roman fort in Britain (circa 128 A.D.), lying at the eastern end of Hadrians Wall – and the beginning of our hike – we walked that first day along the river Tyne into Newcastle.

Today’s image is of the newest bridge crossing the river Tyne at Newcastle, a former shipbuilding colossus and world  coal provider, now trying to “repurpose” itself  as a smaller London Northeast and building Japanese cars for export all over Europe while now importing coal from China. Global is local or “Glocal” as one of my graduate school professors said.  Since there aren’t any major ships coming into this tidal river port now, the bridge is primarily opened for pleasure and excursion boat cruises.  It is a pedestrian bridge that connects two towns on the river, with a new modern art museum in an old granary and a regional entertainment venue (silver bubble in background) along the riverbank.  We were not there on the day they open the bridge for visitors, but imagine the front part opening up like the blinking of an eye.

Thoughts … Bridges can connect the old and the new; they can expose us to the unfamiliar of the familiar routine; they can inspire by the sheer beauty of their design and the skill needed to envision and create; they take us away from what we’ve known and found security in; they call us to new adventure, but only if we cross them and are open to the learning (often painful) along the way.

IBK

 

Also posted in Seasons, Seeing In New Ways Tagged , , |

Letting Go

Jan
06
2012
by IBK | 1 Comment

Happy New Year!

I’m getting ready to attend a photography conference of the Professional Photographers Assn. (PPA) later this month in New Orleans . I’m a bit intimidated.    One of the opportunities at the event is to present 12 photos for critique by professional judges.

Today I opened my  5 star (best) photo folder of the last three years and started to flag some candidates for the event. To my amazement I found many photos that were blurry, too busy, out of focus, and just plain poor composition.  I deleted most of them and now have a much stronger collection.  Somewhere along the way in the last three years of taking photos, classes, and online tutorials and letting go of other things to focus on photography, I got better.  See images below. (Thank you all my teachers and photo friends)

One of the challenges in the frenetic paces that we often choose so matter of “factly” is that we’re now faced with endless opportunity to be “on” and  connected to all kinds of great things – but they may not be the best things for who we desire to authentically be.

As you look back on the year just passed what is it that you might choose to let go of this year that will allow you to move in some area from good to better or best.  Hint, you might have to delete a lot of good and better … and it might involve relationships as well as things.

IBK

PS I had to let go of remembering how to put the good and best image first in this weeks blog.  🙂

©IBKimage2009

©IBKimage 2011

Also posted in Authenticity, Letting Go, Seeing In New Ways Tagged , , , |

Thanksgiving at the Farm

Nov
24
2011
by IBK | 3 Comments
11242011Thanksgiving

©IBKimage2011

Today was the warmest ever Thanksgiving Day on record in the Omaha Nebraska area.  Our  city folk from D.C.,Denver and Lincoln, plus the Kansas relatives gathered at “The Farm” – a place we love to come home to especially during a holiday time when most of our small family can gather.  Before my husband and I moved away 3 years ago, coming home meant coming to our house in Lincoln.  We were the gathering place.  I loved bringing my special dressing/stuffing that everyone loves to this gathering, but I also loved that a new generation did things their way and that we as a family have always been able to be flexible while still keeping a few favorite traditions.

Last year my mom was at home in Hospice care and we recalled today that by entering into her “dying process”, we all learned much about how to live .  My husband upon hearing my mother’s diagnosis that would be the cause of her death said:  “We will all grieve your mother’s dying but without regret for words unspoken and actions not taken”.  On this Thanksgiving day without her,we celebrated with no regrets.

IBK

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My New Adventure

Nov
11
2011
by IBK | 11 Comments
IBK Maine 10-19-2011

Need I Say More? IBK Maine 10-19-2011

 

A new beginning starts today with this blog and picture.  My goal is to combine my love of Word and Image to offer insight and encouragement. Initially the plan is to post one of my photos with “wordly” insight every Thursday evening.

The website is also new, so therefore a work in process. Visit again to see the progress as I build my online presence and photo gallery.

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