I don't know if you guys remember or not but I love Calligraphy.

Recently the schools in this area basically abolished teaching the children handwriting skills,

I personally find that abhorrent!

I used to love learning to write.  I have a memory of being in Kindergarten sitting in a classroom with noisy kids and I sat staring at the wall behind the teacher, where the large and small letters of the alphabet

stood advertized.  Somehow I knew even at that age, that the keys to many secrets

were lying within my ability not only to learn those letters perfectly,

but in understanding how to combine them, carefully, eloquently, and masterfully.

So my love of calligraphy at times takes me to the words of poets long gone.

What better way to practice a craft than to beautify

already meaningful and voluptuous phrases and romantic ideals;

than with the careful curves and striking strength of each letter penned

carefully across the page.

The only thing more meaningful than that is the heart that burns within a chest

that yearns to make a difference, or touch a soul

by the very work of your own hands?

As if the words take on a living breathng life of their own because of the care and

tenderness with which each letter is written...

I have had moments in my life where what I feel for a person

seems cheapened, and sadly with lack of true majesty, the 

words uttered didn't even come close to expressing the deepest most intimate

meanings of my heart and soul.

It's a travesty!

There was a time when distance indeed made the heart grow fonder, where written letters were sent to the beloveds of our heart.

A time when we made ready to receive that special someone after weeks

and sometimes months of waiting, 

before the internet what we had was paper and pen.

we had quiet time that was used to muse and to remember

the lingering looks and the sweet words uttered.

Just imagine for a moment these words uttered to you:

There is a place where words are born of silence,

a place where whispers of the heart arise.

There is a place where voices sing your beauty,

a place where every breath carves your image in my soul.

This is part of a poem by Rumi

I just love Rumi.

Imagine it though if when you came home from work or a long walk on the beach

you move toward your mail box excited

because it seems as though your lover

should be sending you a message soon.

Imagine a parchment envelope with your name and address

lovingly written in magnificent and antiquated script...

Already you would know this is special.

You would delicately open this envelope because you would take care with

something that your sweetheart had worked that hard on.

And now imagine you pulling out a piece of

really beautiful parchment, perhaps written on pink to express 

love and softness to you... it would be obvious that every aspect of

this letter would be planned specifically and very special.

Now imagine these words written on the paper:

 

-OR-

Every question I ask is about you,

every step I take is toward you.

I slept well last night,

but I woke up drunk.

I must have dreamt about you.

and imagine that your lover took the time not only to write in 

old world script, 

but that time was taken to embellish a few of the letters with

color and gilt gold.

How would that be for you?

How much deeper do you think you would find your connection to your sweetheart?

Wouldn't it be better than turning on your computer

checking e-mail

with nothing really said?

Here is my point, 

the next time you want to do something for the people you love, invite them to dinner and give them hand written menus or create place cards.

The next time you want to make a difference to your lover,

take the time to find some beautiful words,

beautiful paper,

and let your beautiful heart guide you as you create

a work of art that is powered by your incredible heart.

Your life is art my darlings,

never forget!