Struggles, Dreams & Mother-Love

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Little Pearls

Struggles, Dreams & Mother-Love

Have you ever wished for positive change, yet life requires that you go deeper into struggle to get there? Many wise people say this is happening more now, with unsettled, transformative energy in the larger world. It’s certainly been true in my world.

My intention is to be in the NOW as much as possible. Instead, I’ve gone deeper into stress about my husband’s medical challenges and lack of time for Little Pearls. Scattered attention, many unproductive hours in waiting rooms, start-and-stop on projects, living from one MRI to another ~ where am I in all this?

In nature, pearls form in a soothing, smoothing process over the irritation of a grain of sand. Slowly, with a lot of self-work and self-calming, I am feeling a return to balance and good energy. Maybe there's a gleaming Pearl in all this!

Pearl Dreams: The Peace of Wild Things

Recently, while spending time in the “quiet room” at the Brain Tumor Center at Duke, a Pearl Dream came back to me strongly: The Peace of Wild Things.

Based on a vivid poem by Wendell Berry, it reminds us that when the cares of the world press too hard on us, we can find peace, relief and freedom in nature. We have Mr. Berry's permission to use his poem but still have to clear it with the publisher.

This is one of several Pearl Dreams on varied topics, waiting for fruition. The web page has just been updated, with dreams for new Dog Pearls at the bottom. Do any of these Pearl dreams resonate with you? If so, can you help make them come true?

“In wildness is the preservation of the world.” – Henry David Thoreau, from Walking

Spotlight Pearls for Mother’s Day: Great Katie & Everything is a Miracle

Two of our earliest Pearls are a good match with Mother's Day.

The very first Pearl was Great Katie: Celebrating a Century of Living and Loving There are two tender poems by Great Katie's granddaughter Glenis Redmond on this page ~ take the time to savor them if you can.

The second is Everything is a Miracle, with Nicholas and his mother Joan.

Interestingly, both of these mother-love Pearls required re-editing for new audio last summer. The cost for musicians, studio time and editing was over $1000. We did not have enough money in the budget to include them on our new DVD, and yet, we felt they were too important to risk losing them. If you are touched by either or both of these Pearls, please donate.

THANKS!

Though my time for Little Pearls has been irregular, I am grateful for good things that keep happening. Special thanks to:

All of Our 2012 Sponsors ~ Many were sponsors last year, including some who choose to be anonymous. We SO appreciate their willingness to step up again. We would love to add more sponsors, who will be featured for at least a year on our website, in newsletters and in event promotions. Share the love and join us!
Our Music Sponsors ~ Several of these talented folks will be in our DVD celebration event (see below), which we hope to be able to schedule soon.
The caring businesses who are making our new DVD available locally
Julie Parker of Handwoven Webs, who worked hard on our new WordPress website, and Bill Scobie of Scobie.net, who helped save it when it tried to crash a month ago. It's a beautiful, rich site, still unfolding: LittlePearls.org
Steven Lee, who saved us from a computer crash just last week ~ dang!
Animal World USA for including us in North Carolina Week for the Animals
And... everyone who is holding space to make our event a great one, whenever we are ready. It will be a celebration of our new DVD, the talented musicians and performers who have been central to the life of Little Pearls ~ and YOU! These gifted performers had already committed to a May 3 date at White Horse Black Mountain when my husband Jim’s brain cancer forced a postponement:
- Kat Williams (pictured below)
- Chris Rosser
- Richard Shulman
- Daniel Barber
- Tim Arem
- plus cameos from other beloved performers connected to Little Pearls

Relief, Please!

As I've searched for ways to relieve stress, watching Little Pearls has really helped. They are "tiny films" that open hearts and minds, after all ~ duh! You can see them all here on our YouTube channel greatlittlepearls. There are now four playlists: all Pearls, all Dog Pearls, all longer videos and all uploads. Enjoy!

Now that we're traveling to Duke regularly, I feel a wave of relief every time we come home to these ancient mountains. The first glimpse is always so comforting. Here is Jim's most recent Caring Bridge update, for those of you who are keeping up with him via Little Pearls. It's a quirky one ~ humor helps!

Some relief on funding for Little Pearls would be SO good, too, from new sponsors and regular donors, at any level at all. If you can, please,