Borrowing What We Need

Today I saw Studio Ghibli’s film The Secret World of Arriety. It was just released in the United States and it was not easy for me to wait when I knew elsewhere in the world people were watching it.

The film is an adaptation of the classic book “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. Borrowers are tiny people, the size of fairies, who live near humans and borrow things to survive. They are careful to borrow only what they need.

The movie was delicious – a feast for the eyes. Would we have expected any less from Studio Ghibli? I think not. What I found delectable was the juxtaposition of east and west. I have a particular fondness for this sensibility. Traditional Japanese art living quite successfully along with western beauty. It’s not surprising that I should like it. I have a passion for Taisho Period art and literature. Takahisa Yumeji is an artist who has captured a place in my heart painting portraits not dissimilar to those of Modigliani. Natsumi Soseki blends cultures in his writings. The cultural tension in them captivates me. Each borrowed something from another culture to make something new and unique. Studio Ghibli nailed this combination.

It is kind of funny to think that yesterday during a romp in the woods with friends, some of our party built a fairy house. It even had a back door! 

Watching the house come together I was reminded of the May Day festivities at Blithwold Mansion last May. 

Discussing the fairy houses that were constructed that day, I was informed of some of the rules of fairy house building.

1.     Take only things that are available from the surrounding area.

2.     You may not pick anything or cause any material to stop it’s growth process to be a raw material.

Today I feel like I would like to be a Borrower. Finding inspiration all around me and taking what I need to make something new, something wonderful and something special to share with the world. Sometimes you borrow to make it through the day. Sometimes what you create helps someone else get through the day. Like Sean in the movie, my heart feels stronger after being inspired by Arriety.

Change of pace

Sometimes I need a change of pace. While I have found ways to sneak the activities I enjoy into my life as often as possible, I still find a need for something “special”. Sometimes that “special” just can’t be the things I regularly turn to for joy.

And so it was on the first day of vacation. We just couldn’t get excited about the obvious choices. So I suggested we put our coats on and play a game we haven’t played for a long time.

We have the great fortune to live near a river that has an intriguing rock in the middle. The rock is split down the middle and has a fairly large gap between. Years ago, we developed a game of throwing snowballs at it and trying to get them to land in the gap. I’m pleased to say that there is no snow for snowball, but there are small rocks.

Our game developed - especially after someone asked us who was winning.

5 points for hitting the rock

5 points for hitting a tree

10 points for landing in between

10 points for ricocheting

5 points for every great noise

That isn’t the whole list. We didn’t tally. That would be too complicated and would have taken away from the joy of the game. At least it would have for us. For each success we gave a high five. Our hands were quite cold and sore from all the high fiving.

Sometimes we threw and the rock went off course. Sometimes it hit a tree as it went. The resulting sound was lovely. Sometimes it even sounded like a tune. The willowy tones were light and fairy-like. The hollow thunk of the decaying tree resonated.

We had started the afternoon with the doldrums. We ended with rosy cheeks and big smiles. 

Setsubun

On Friday night I enjoyed throwing beans out the door. Yes. I did. I have looked forward to Setsubun this year with particular relish. 


Setsubun is a Japanese observance that I truly enjoy. February 3rd is said to be the beginning of spring. To prevent bad luck from coming to them, people participate in Setsubun observances. Shrines and temples generally have events in which someone dressed up as an Oni (commonly translated as devil, but a little different from the western concept. Monster works as well) is warded off by throwing beans at him. While throwing the beans people say "Oni wa soto. Fuku wa Uchi" meaning "Devil outside. Fortune come into our home." People born in the years corresponding with the current Chinese zodiac are invited to dress as the oni. (That would be you dragon year people.) Throwing soybeans at them (mamemaki) is thought to drive away bad luck. 

While not everyone partakes in these activities, I enjoy them. This fact makes it all the more surprising that there are years I miss this celebration. At homes, especially those with children, people have their own mamemaki. Sets with masks and soybeans can be found for sale in most department stores in Japan. In my home we take turns being the oni and throwing beans. We have several masks from years past. Luckily, roasted soybeans can be found in the natural food sections of many grocery stores here in New England. 

It's great fun to throw beans at each other. We follow the tradition of saving out some beans to eat. Each person eats the number of soybeans as their age. You can see one person here had to eat far more than the other.

Perhaps one of the reasons I love Setsubun is that it is simple. It doesn't require large amounts of preparation. Yet I find myself refreshed and ready for a new season. Setsubun's focus on banishing the bad speaks to me deeply this year. 


New Year's, Chinese New Year and Setsubun - three chances to feel a fresh start this year. 

Brainstorming

Lively minds

Creatively

Meet together

Words flow

Ideas crash

Together

Smoothing rough edges

Molding our collective thoughts

Into something better

Each of us yielding

Each moving forward

The words they expand

The ideas we have

Our project

Our goal

Yet to be realized

We mold it

It swirls

Like the clay on the wheel

It splatters

The parts that are not meant to be

We chip

And we chisel

Build up and add on

Till our project

Says all that we want it to say

The minds of the people

I am creating with

They build me up

Fill me in

Chisel me down

And make me more

Than I would ever be

Alone

This Gift You Gave to Me

This gift you gave to me

Is more than the thing

That you see and touch

It makes me smile

Just to look at it

It shows me that you get me

Makes me see

How much you see what is me

When you saw this thing

You thought of me

The gift of recognition

Is the gift you gave to me

Dandelion

How could it be

oh fringe headed flower

that among my students

you are virtually unknown

a flower so common

it is called a weed

chopped down

weeded out

and cut down

whenever seen

a flower so common

we all knew your name

how you grew

and not to encourage you

to spread yourself so far

How can it be

that my students do not know

that to blow upon your fluffy seeds

is it’s own miracle

and yet

a wish is granted

to those who spread your

bright yellow flower

across the land

blow it now

and seeds will spread

some care not

they do not worry

about your wide leaves

that spread so quick

but others

more fastidious will clench

their jaws or their tight fists

they care not for

your strong broad, leaves

not when they are featured

on their perfectly manicured lawns.

Blow that seed pod

blow it hard now

for they say that

the number of seeds that remain

is equal to

the number of children you will bear.

blow it hard if

if you blow it at all

you cannot afford the thirty

sure to hang on to the pod itself

if blow you must

then blow with vigor

blow it hard

just don’t think to stop.

for the children

you would bear

if you count them all completely

would fill a school

a daycare

or at least a baseball team

Your leaves so broad and full green

can be sautéed for

a spring tonic

sauté them well

so they’re not bitter

but not as bitter

as coffee from your root

How can it be

that the golden blossoms

we weaved into chains

to wear in our hair

or around our necks

is not known

to my young students

so I must teach them

to love you as I do

to know your talents

your magic

your promise.

If so it be

as so it seems

I will be teacher

of all things

Dandelion.

(written for day seven of Month of Poetry. I decided to use a photograph from my file as inspiration.)

New Year's Guest

Cleaning 

Sweeping

Vacuuming cleaning

Cooking

Chopping

Stir, no stopping

Sparkle

Glisten

Shiny new

This New Year Meal 

I made for you

I was too tired

To stay awake

to see the New Year in

But on January first

when you visit me

My New Year will begin.

(Day One - Month of Poetry. The photograph is of one of the three layers of osechi (traditional Japanese New Year's food) to share with our guests today. I am grateful to have started 2012 with such wonderful friends. )