Eternal River
I am blessed to know the music of the valley,
to hear the songs of the hills and
to feel the richness of the Earth.
Not a lonely hour of shattered dreams
shall take my breath away
as long as I have the grace of land
to bathe my tender heart.
Nor, shall any man darken
the path I choose with hatred
for I gather my strength
from the trees that bear fruit.
I carry the words of purity
as I belong to the eternal river
that flows gentle in my being.
Here where my blood is tied
to the threads of God,
shall I reap in the rewards
of my loving spirit.
To those who come openly
to touch and share the vision,
so shall I give freely of my soul
for I am married to the Earth
and to her wondrous generosity.
The painting was inspired by memories of an early morning sitting on a small river located on California’s most northern coastline. I was there as an archaeology student (we were digging up the remains of a Indian burial site that was sliding off the cliffs due to mudslides). Before we piled up equipment for the day, I always took special time to sit by the river for my morning mediation and contemplation.
Gazing softly at the sun, I had shifted my eyes to the scene in front of me. Blurry eyes made everything appear turquoise whle the morning light created a shapes and shadows of dreams. Nature’s song filled me with gratitude and passion for what we were doing to save the land and its ancient peoples.
Though I’ve lived in many magical places, Northern California graced my heart for more than 30 years–especially the coastline and valleys north of San Francisco.
