Dancing with Joy for a Normal Day

It's Sunday. I feel good today. Human. Normal. And as I was writing about it (my not so secret book project), I realized something very important - perhaps the journey through the pain of chronic illness allows me to notice and appreciate the days that I am well...I used to take those days for granted. Not anymore. To have energy is a gift from GOD. And when you get to a place that life's basics leave you dancing with joy and gratitude, then life is wonderful indeed.

New Art! Flight Paths

"Fight Paths"

Mixed Media (you have to zoom in to see the under layer)

24 x 24

New Art! Salty Tears

Original Art and Poetry by Heather Thompson,

Blue Phoenix Art

Mother Earth cries salty tears.
From the depths of the ocean
To the apex of heaven
Pausing in puffed condensation
Only to burst forth
Transforming always.

Her oceans ebb and flow
With drops of salted water
Undulating in sensual delight
Raging with fiery fury
Resting in stillness
Embracing the paradox.

A fractal of the Great Mother
This heart cries salty tears.
These Eyes hide the painful past.
This body knows...
Sensual delight.
Raging fury.
Restful stillness.
I embrace the paradox.
Transforming always.

I'm Finally Grasping Beauty

I think I'm finally beginning to understand what beauty REALLY is...it's not the things I used to chase in the hopes that others would find me attractive...hair...designer shoes/clothes...makeup...six pack abs...all the trappings of the things I thought I needed....But all a part of a complex mask to keep me safe.

As I've explored the depths, I've come to realize that beauty is the way a person FEELS on the inside, and it's reflected in the light that shines through his or her eyes...I saw it in Kenny last night...Some of the most beautiful people I've ever spent time with were missing teeth and wearing tattered clothes... and yet they were radiant.

A Prayer with Kenny

I feel tears of gratitude and I'm only sharing this because it reminds me of the humility of following tiny nudges. Tonight I left a difficult cranial sacral appointment and felt the need to stop in to Starbucks on 23rd and Jackson. I met a man standing outside named Kenny who was clearly developmentally disabled and homeless. He said he was hungry and so I bought him what he wanted because I never say no to a request for food. When I came out with the two bananas and the hot sandwich he gave me the biggest hug and began to pray. I couldn't make out the words, but it didn't matter because it was clear to me that he was saying the most heartfelt words to God. And so we embraced for a good 30 seconds only to let go and both say Amen laughing.  For me this is what it's all about! Quieting down my life enough that I can follow the nudges that lead me to these moments. And he couldn't have possibly known that I needed that prayer just as much as he did. Thanks be to God!

New Art - Conversations in Color

Conversations in Color

He met me in the burnt
transparency of iron oxide
...the last breath of summer.

Sweltering, with tattoos exposed
hair flowing freely
dancing eyes attempting contact.

Teal, magenta, primary yellow
...and cobalt blue
Intermingling in glorious color.

Until the palate surrendered to the Earth
only to have amber and silver emerge
as if it had been there all along.

Original Art and Poetry by Heather Thompson, Blue Phoenix Art
Contact for Purchase Information
www.BluePhoenixArt.com

Art - Two Paintings 30 x 30 Each
"Conversations in Color"
Sold as a Pair

A Cultural Sickness

A comment on statements by Trump. He has said many things, even before he was elected...Example - As a woman and a survivor of sexual assault, I was deeply affected by his "grab them by the pussy" comment. I was even more impacted by those that continued to support him in the wake of those remarks. Some were dear friends. They had NO IDEA what it feels like to be a woman realizing that a man could say such things and have it not even matter in the "greater scheme of things." Now we have MeToo. But that cannot change the thousands of years of men feeling entitled to women's bodies (which continues today).


Trump has made comments about many different groups at this point. The "shithole" comment is just the most recent in a long line of statements. It would be natural to want to lash out at Trump for what he continues to say - but I believe we should be careful about engaging in self-righteous responses that enhance the us vs them dynamic.


Our culture elected Trump. He is saying things that people have been thinking for a very long time. Is anyone really surprised that these beliefs exist in our society? Or are we surprised that he is actually saying it? While shocking to some, it is equally informative. The cultural sickness is being revealed. I believe in shining a light on it, rather than attempting to stuff it back down.


In my opinion, yelling at Trump and calling them all crazy will not heal the schism that is growing in this country. Attacking Trump and his supporters deepens the us vs them dynamic and causes even more violence...lest people do to others what they don't want done to them.


So what to do? This is my current contemplation, as we are only as loving as the love we have for our fiercest enemy.







"Forgive them Father, they know not what they do."