the conciousness of home

Last weekend two of my girlfriends and I went to New York City for a conference.  While we were in the city, we were among a constant throng of people and things made by people.  We were walking on pavement and tile, through hallways of polished marble and rough concrete.  We were walking among artists and engineers, writers and taxi drivers.  We were surrounded by a million energies. 

Nature is part of me and I have a hard time if I’m not connected to the earth.  But I could look up through the tunnel of stationary buildings and see the sky, alive with color, clouds sweeping past and leaving me dizzy. 

The weekend was such an incredible experience for me.  Not only was it inspiring and motivating because I was at a conference with authors and illustrators who are at the top of the game, but I was with two women who are spiritual beacons in my life.  Art and spirituality go together naturally within myself and tend to be done alone.  They can be isolating, but not in a negative way, in a concentrating-on-growth kind of way.  When I am growing spiritually, I am going inward.  I am private with things that are important to me.  Especially when I don’t know if the people around me feel the same as I do.  I’m not looking for approval or debates or proof, I’m searching for personal and universal truths that can be taken on faith.  My prayers are private.  My conversations with God take place Spirit to Spirit.  My answers to prayer are not seen or heard by others, unless I am the one putting them into words.

But this weekend there was constant discussion.  There were prayers spoken aloud and accepted as a group.  The depth of consciousness that was being shared brought a sharp joy that has stayed with me for days.

As we drove away from the city, the enormity of the skyline became smaller and smaller until the buildings became something tiny, reaching for the glory that cannot be tamed.  All at once I saw that something that had been engulfing me, an entire city, was nothing in comparison with something that was not made by human hands.  All that was left was the inspiration growing and steeping inside my soul and a feeling of gratefulness that someone as insignificant as I can be intertwined with God and Man alike.  Divinity and humanity surround us constantly and we get to call it Home.

14 things I learned in New York this weekend and 6 things I already knew

1. SCBWI is a really hard name to say or spell or explain. And it’s really long, too. But it’s something one just learns to accept.

2. When attending a weekend conference, one does not have enough time to explore.



3. I don’t feel bad when ice skating in Rockefeller center my arms whip up and back as I fall, poking a girl in the eye. It is obviously a service on the sly since it allows her to milk it for all its worth as she and her beau and stand in the middle of the ice with people gliding around and round as they have a romantic moment, twinkle lights and flags of the world and sky scrapers encircling them on the starry night.



4. It’s worth it to be spontaneous.

5. It is worth it to treat yourself to a good breakfast.



6. Having a horrible sense of direction in a city equals lots of exercise. (Wear shoes that fit, Britt.)

7. I feel no guilt when it comes to taking advantage of having bakeries at every corner. (Especially coupled with my aforementioned sense of direction.)

8. I didn’t get the stomach bug after taking care of puking kids all week = miracles are still happening in the world.



9. Less is more when it comes to carrying stuff around in the city.

10. Sometimes you need to do something just because it sounds like a good idea.

11. I do feel bad when I’m running for a bus in China town on what happens to be the Chinese new year and my suitcase runs over a mom’s toe and as she stops to rub her toe with one hand and holds her child’s hand with the other, all I can do is turn and say, “I’m sorry!!” wishing I new how to say it in Chinese then turn back to keep on running.

12. My 12 year old is a great babysitter.

13. People can be really inspiring.  (Well, I already knew that.)



14. When I stop and look straight up to the top of a building, the clouds move so fast compared to the grounded and still building and it makes me dizzy.  Almost dizzy enough to fall over right in front of the speeding taxis and the carts full of warm, sweet nuts.




6 things I re-learned upon my arrival home

1. I love my family. Love and adore.

2. I need a new mattress. Badly.

3. I’m really allergic to cats.

4. I love books.

5. Having great girlfriends is so important! Thanks, Kirsti, for such a great weekend.

6. I am really thankful for a patient and supportive husband who happens to be a great dad, too. Thanks for knowing what I need and giving it to me, babe.