Mothers

 I'm at this crossroads in my life. Looking for my next big thing which doesn't really have to be big to the world, just to me. I'm working on photo essays now since my ability to create visual art has been diminished by my health in the past couple of years. It's just not easy or delightful or meditative any more. I've mentioned before that I'm purging myself of art supplies. Still more to go but the urgency isn't with me any longer. It will go in it's time as I find new owners for the pastels and pencils; as I finally relinquish the notion that I will ever be a visual artist again. 

 I read a friend's post on Facebook this morning; about my dear friend, his mother, Rachel Shipley. She was remarkable and fearless and on some level shy and always stretching always moving on to the next big thing as life's currents changed. When I first met Rachel I was a librarian and she was looking for a bit of information on Brazil. She was an international consultant. She and her very supportive husband Jim, worked out of their home. There were no employees. No staff. There was Rachel and clients who adored her and trusted her. I continued to help her with reference and in time she decided she wanted to learn more of history and the world and people. I introduced her to biographies; biographies of queens and presidents and diplomats and captains of industry sand artists. Her mind never stopped. She never stopped. We became friends. I became friends with her husband Jim. I met her children. Attended the ceremonies and family parties that marked not just their lives but hers as well. We met regularly for lunch and talked. We were friends.

She had already made her connections with Israel and with China and in Central Florida when we met. If you wanted to make a connection to do business in China you came to Rachel. Still no staff. Just the Public Library and her many connections. I don't think she ever forgot anyone she had worked with and everyone remembered her. She helped people get rich. She was everyone's Mother.

 Meanwhile back at home, Rachel was mom. She was loved and respected and worked on her relaltionships with her children including sons and daughers-in-laws. She wanted real relationships with all of her family. Everyone one supported everyone. Really, just like my family. We love each other, we help each other, we somethimes drive each other a little crazy but we are family and for Rachel, in time, everyone she did business with became family. Her marriage was strong. In fact, Jim wrote a book about their marriage. It's out of print now with Jim's passing but the cover tells the story. Those smiles are genuine. That respect is real.  

My next big thing is this. Like Rachel's last business, Write your next chapter, I'm  writing. This article was fun. So many more memories came to mind as I typed away but this is an essay, not a novella. It's meant, I think, to give you a taste, a whiff, a snippet of life; of my life; my memories; my experience. Maybe to get you to remember someone from your life. 

Thank you for reading.