Sunday, May 4, 2008

Close Encounters



What constitutes family? You tell me. As far as I can figure, whenever people come into contact with other folks on a common ground, we automatically adopt each other. By common ground I mean when people share DNA, a workplace, neighborhood, hobbies, philosophies, or talents like writing, photography, music ... anything, really.

As in all families, there are easy connections and those that are fraught with challenges. That always happens in families. The bottom note energy in groups sharing common ground over time is a feeling of relatedness that seems (at least to me) to transcend whatever it is we share.

Yesterday a bunch of people came together from a variety of cities to quaff, talk, listen to music, feast, and dance the maypole. It was a fabulous gathering in which we developed, over the afternoon, a lovely connection in spite of the fact that we're all very different from each other. There was great good will among us, and too it was a perfect May afternoon out on the deck, overlooking the green lawn, under the tall trees. On a day like yesterday, it's fairly easy to avoid the possibility of contention.

The maypole ribbons fluttered and danced in the breeze long before we took hold of them, as if to encourage us that the dance of spring is ongoing. All we had to do was grab a ribbon and move. At least that's what I thought the ribbons were saying.

The dance was a bit clumsy at first, as it should be, probably. But we figured out how to weave the pole within two minutes. The rest of the dance was a goofy, gorgeous ballet. There's just no way to dance a maypole without laughing. It's so silly! I love it!! Afterwards we stood back and admired our work. A fully woven maypole is always beautiful.

Honestly we humans are SO adorable. I bow low to my cohorts from yesterday, and salute all the rest of us. BRAVO!! And happy May, ya'll.

18 comments:

Lynne said...

Love the top pic! But What? no photos of the completed maypole? It must have been a great testament to the interweaving of all your very different lives.

Sounds marvelous!

Barbara said...

We are FAM-I-LY!

The May pole is still beautiful!

Aileen said...

Ah yes- the family, the connection, the feeling of fresh spring!

Yesterday was simply beautiful.

Thank you.

Deborah said...

we ARE so adorable

LOVE YOU

Unknown said...

"The bottom note energy... is a feeling of relatedness that seems (at least to me) to transcend whatever it is we share."
You've summed it up perfectly, Reya!

Gary said...

Human are SO adorable but you take the cake dear one!

Bobby D. said...

Reya is the sweetest it's true!

Reya Mellicker said...

Sweet? Ha.

Ask Hammer how sweet he thinks I am, or my roommates, not to mention my ex-colleague at Healing Arts as well as every witch I was ever friends with.

But it's wonderful to be appreciated by such an awesome bunch. That's how I felt yesterday, in awe of each individual at the gathering, also in awe of how folks just relaxed, chatted, checked each other out.

I love bloggers. I mean it! (Even you, Hammer.)

Reya Mellicker said...

the completed maypole? It must have been a great testament to the interweaving of all your very different lives.

It really was a "great testament, yeah. Well said, Lynn. So sorry you missed it.

I took only one pic, not of the maypole, though. But Steve took a very cool one (held his camera above the circle in the middle of the dance). He promised to put it on flickr.

Reya Mellicker said...

Good maypole pic

Hammer said...

Awww come on now, Reya. When I threatened to throw you off the deck with the announcement of, "Let's see if witches can fly!" I was kidding. Jeez. Furthermore, you know I think you're supersweet - even sweeter than the 99 cent iced tea at Hardees. (And we Richmond boys don't say that about just anybody!)

As for "family," although you use the term more liberally than I do, I do think that one of the minor but very fun characteristics of family is an abundance of inside jokes. And if bloggers aren't loaded with inside jokes, well hell, I don't know who is.

Hammer said...

That being said, I don't put it past you to dabble once more in the black arts and put the whammy on somebody if sufficiently provoked. Sweet, yes, but still dangerous.

Reya Mellicker said...

Sweet, yes, but still dangerous.

I can't think of a nicer compliment. Thanks, dah-ling.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

contrary to the old expression, sometimes we can pick our family! thanks for expanding mine and adding your sweet, dangerous and magical essence to the mix!

and thank you for organizing this absolutely delightful fete and bringing all your cybersibs together for a new rite of spring and the maypole dance .... thanks to barbara and d for opening up their home -

lettuce said...

"great good will", yeah.

missing you
xx

Reya Mellicker said...

You, too, Letty.

I've been gazing at the goose family. I'm 100% percent certain I know which is the mom and which is the dad. Don't you?

Moonroot said...

Happy Beltane! I know you love maypoles so I'm glad you got to dance one.

LadrĂ³n de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Thanks for the Maypole photo links. The idea of a group of adults of...a certain age...dancing around a Maypole is one of the more poetic images of the past few weeks.