For Japan

The Great Bell Chant (The End of Suffering) from R Smittenaar on Vimeo.

The next 60 years.

March 17th is my 60th birthday. My friend Pat reminded me today that the Chinese see life as moving in 60 year cycles. She said the first 60 years are inherited, your parents, your tendancies, your karma. The next 60 years are what you choose.

My last year and a half has been one of deep reflection. In my youth, I never expected to have a 60th birthday or to live past the year 2000. This year I have been looking closely at myself, sort of a life review. This blog originally came out of my desire to share and find out what others valued and gained from living. I wanted to share and exchange treasures, so that I didn't miss any of the good stuff in life. I wanted conversation and connection. Aft enjoying a few months off from my blog, I am ready now to bring you a little more of myself and hope that you will do the same.

I still rate genuine connection as my favorite treasure. But it is right up there with millions of breath taking skies, sun rises, sunsets, light through clouds, flowers, trees, rocks, water and revealing landscapes.

Stars in the night, auroras borealis, Hubble photos of nebulas and galaxies are spiritual experiences for me. The light of recognition, realization, release or boundary breaking laughter
in any face gives me will to live.

For my birthday, all I really want is for whoever reads this blog , to share something they like.

An interesting photo thrills me. Please share those here.
I can't sit still when I hear great music either. Pretty please, share your music.
And I am a totally a fan of cute animal photos and videos.
I love insightful poetry and quotes that inspire or make me laugh.
I really enjoy art....good and really bad art...am a fan of regretsy.com
I adore irony and clever thoughts! Please, please, please send me funny clever things.

In exchange, I promise to share treasures that I have found on my hunt through life.
I'll even put up photos of some of my goofy pottery projects, that I make for the fun of feeling clay squish through my fingers. So let the celebration begin with an excerpt from Whose Line Is It Any Way!!!!