Blessings Dear Readers,
May this season bring you real cheer, the kind that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside! Joelle, my amazing daughter came home this week in between hospital rotations. She has traveled the world in her training as a doctor, and brought healing and light. The years have gone by, and as she sleeps on the floor in our living room with the new puppy and our older dog, on a visit to reunite with circle and friends, her old article, written when she was in her teens jumped out. As I read it I realized the good things in life are consistent … I share her article that is still alive in it’s essence and power today, realizing that how we look at life shapes who we become.
“Tis the Season
YEA!!! The holidays are here! We are so lucky and blessed to live where we truly enjoy the seasons. I was listening to the news, NPR of course, when I began to feel this deep pain in my heart. I started thinking about all those people in countries where war is occurring. They don’t have time to stop and celebrate. They have had family members die, their homeland wrecked, and yet they still don’t get to put all of the misery behind them to be thankful for what they have. They are busy being attacked and helping each other rebuild their homes. Even our boys and girls are being sent away for the holidays, trying to protect other countries.
Thus, I feel that this year we must celebrate the holidays bigger and better than ever! Don’t feel the pressures of the holidays, feel the happiness that you do get to delight in the splendor of the celebration of winter. I think when I start to decorate my home I will put up little snowflakes all over to act like candles for all the people who can’t celebrate. Then, whenever I look at them, I can concentrate and focus my energy on sending warm comforting feelings to those people the snowflakes are connected to. When I light a fire perhaps they will feel the warmth. Maybe they will be sitting in the cold and all of a sudden they will smell eggnog and smile.
And Christmas Caroling, but first I must give my definition of Christmas: Christmas to me, you should always know what it means to you, is the celebration of HOPE. Whether you hope for Santa or hope for happiness, there is always a warm feeling of hope in the air around this time of year. It means magic and happiness, children’s laughter and smiles, snowball fights, port by the fireplace with Christmas songs in the background, getting to give somebody something that will make them smile and feel fuzzy inside, handing out candy canes to everyone, and being able to walk around singing Frosty the Snowman without anyone telling me it’s the wrong time of year for that song.
But I regress, back to Christmas Caroling. I think it should come back into fashion. We should gather around with a group of friends and a few instruments and go to elderly homes with a huge thermos of peppermint hot chocolate. They could use some young laughter and happy memories to add to their collection. Maybe you could even make a friend there. I bet they have some incredible holiday stories.
My entire, yet random and eclectic point was that if you are so lucky to be able to celebrate, then do so with so much love and energy That when you walk down the street you make everyone smile. Give children the true meaning of Christmas.
As a side note for all of those who probably put one eyebrow up at my use of the word Christmas instead of Winter Stolcise, I never can tell if I have spelled it right so I use Christmas instead, plus it’s all the same to me, a celebration of winter. So shouldn’t Christmas be celebrated for 3 months? Why not? Let’s all celebrate for the whole winter, spreading joy to all.”
–Joy Joelle Donofrio
A poem to Share from A WORKBOOK OF LIGHT & LUNA
-Debi Lefaye
Winter’s Knight
Dancing and leaping without a fear!
Crackling and roaring so all can hear.
Bringing light removes all fright,
Adding warmth to the coldest night!
A dance of magick, a Power Divine,
On Solstice night I make it mine.
We dance and roar on this shortest of nights
And play with the laughing fire sprites.
The warmth of love and friends held dear
Are reflected in the Fire Knight’s good cheer.
From Joelle ... doing amazing and beautiful work!
...come join in and add your blessings!
Friends, Family, Mentors, Colleagues:
I apologize ahead of time for mass request, but I wanted to give all of you a chance to help out. :)
I'm sending this email to invite you all to partake in what my two friends and I, with much support, put together... a Canvas of Hope.
This project came about as community service for the Surgery Club at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine. The general idea was born of our work with pathology as part of the second year curriculum. Using microscopes we all had the chance to see cancer on a cellular level, and what we saw was something akin to abstract art. From there we decided to relay this to the public in such a way that we could educate, alleviate fears, and raise money for further research by way of an art gallery.
We, well actually Robert Kelley should take all the credit, built a website to display the digital photography of the pathology slides made by 3 of us medical students. This gallery contains canvases of breast cancer microscopy from anonymous slides that our pathology department owns. While less portable, we think this will carry more meaning and understanding than buying a ribbon or silicon bracelet could ever convey. In addition to the 9 digital pathology prints, there is one acrylic on canvas piece donated by international artist Joanna Bailey.
We are selling a limited number of the prints in 3 sizes (they are even priced for medical students). All proceeds will go the American Cancer Society.
*** Please, check out the website. If you see any artwork you like (for home, office, a friend, just because...) please contribute to the cause. Just think of how happy you'll make a bunch of tired, post call third year medical students if you help us to raise our goal of $5400. Plus, you get the warm fuzzy feeling of contributing to a wonderful cause.
Thanks a ton for reading this email. Thank you even more for looking at the gallery. And, should you just so happen to fall in love with a piece of artwork and bid for it, then congrats on that great looking new piece of art!
Joelle has been a part of Operation Rainbow this summer. Here is her link to check out the amazing work being done as she said "It changed my life and I will continue to be a part."
Best Wishes!
Joelle Donofrio
TUCOM MSIII
jjdonofrio@gmail.com
Greetings Everyone,
Just wanted to drop you all a line and give you an update on my art scene. The showing at Infusion Gallery in Los Angeles came to a close on January 27th. It was a totally different vibe and atmosphere than the showing in New York and I am happy to have had the oppurtunity to exhibit there and probably will again in the near future. I am grateful for my friends and family members who supported me by attending the opeining reception. Thanks mom, dad, Alice, Jeremy, Julie and Gary Taylor and Virginia Taylor- it was nice to see you all!
If you haven't checked out my website recently, please take a look at some of my new work and upcoming exhibitions at wetcanvas.biz. I'll be showing again in Italy in May at a gallery in Bologna and more importantly on March 2nd at Touro University in Vallejo, CA. The proceeds for the art work sold at the university will go to breat cancer research. I've included a link to the Canvas of Hope online gallery on my website so please take a look and if you feel called to then donate to this cause. Special thanks to my friend Joelle for inviting me to contribute! Special thanks as well to Julie and Gary Taylor and Kim Smith and Donna Moreland for sponsoring my last two showings and to everyone else for your continued support and encouragement in my artistic endeavors!
Warm Regards,
Jo
Blessings
Dan & Alison Sorenson
Dan Sorenson a young man from UNR called. He was working on his Fellowship,
wondering if I would share with him.
Well we had a wonderful time. His beautiful wife Alison was a delight.
We enjoyed their company at Hallowsmas and under a magical full moon.
Please enjoy the segment ... at the web linked below ...
"Hi Debi,
I hope you're enjoying your winter up on the summit.
My friend Liz and I have finally posted our spirituality project to the
program's website
I want to thank you for all your help. Alison and I will be in touch.
Best regards,"
Dan
