Spending time with my daughters is among the greatest joys in my life. Although it is a bit like herding cats to get us all together, just ask Rachel, the organizer in our family, we do manage it and that’s when I find myself wondering, “why don’t we do this more often?”
That lovely time happened this past Sunday. My birthday gift from my daughters was two-fold: a morning of “taking the waters” at Body Blitz, followed by a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum to view the Dale Chihuly, #chihulyto, exhibit, appropriately titled, “From Sand. From Fire. Comes Beauty.”
If you have not experienced the healing powers of restorative water practices, you are missing out. When Rachel and I built our spring Cleanse, we recommended “taking the waters,” as a powerful supportive practice to cleanse the body more deeply. The five of us spent a beautiful morning immersing ourselves in mineral-rich waters, enjoying the cycles of the eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge pool, warm Dead Sea salt pool, infra-red sauna, hot Epsom salt pool and more. I indulged in a Shiatsu massage to work on some trouble spots in my lower back and shoulders.
After an hour or two in this oasis of wellness, I felt like liquid butter, floating on air. My hair was shiny and soft. We all commented on how good we felt, loaded up on minerals and relaxation. Perhaps the after effects of Saturday night’s party sessions made certain of us feel so much better.
The best part of the experience is, that we were together. In the various phases of our blitz, we talked and caught up on each others’ lives. When there are that many of us, there is lots to share. We planned our Christmas gatherings, birthdays and other family events. No cell phones allowed! That made things much easier, as there were no distractions.
Afterward, showered and exhilarated, we were starving! A brief lunch, with cell phones parked in the middle of the table, and a short walk, found us at the Royal Ontario Museum.
We were there to see the Chihuly exhibit. Nothing prepared me for the fabulousness of this installation. I knew something about the artist because my late husband loved his work, and with Bob being an artist too, it felt right to take in the show. Bob was a big fan of colour and light. That is what Dale Chihuly does best – combines colour and light and explodes them into fantastic objects. I can’t find the right words to tell you about these magnificent pieces but let’s just say, they delight, transform, inspire and hypnotize you in a way that few things can.
My daughters and I walked through the exhibit in kind of trance, transfixed by the wildness of the man’s imagination. It was as if Chihuly deliberately destroyed every construct of how glass was supposed to be made and reinvented the whole process. Which he did. From the Boat installations to the Reeds and the Baskets, everything was a surprise of his creative mind.
We girls loved the experience not only because of the fantastic quality of the work, but because we all felt a little closer to Bob. I had given Bob two smaller Chihuly works when we first met. We enjoyed them every day. My goal is to be able to obtain 2 more so that when I am no longer on this earth, each of my daughters will receive one. I hope I can do that. For them. For Bob.
Days like this one are gumdrops from heaven. I carry the beauty of these moments with me forever. I deliberately close my eyes and bring the experiences back, not with pictures but with emotions. How did that day make me feel? How did the art make me feel? How did the therapeutic waters make me feel? How did being with my daughters make me feel. I let that wash over me and I know, for certain, how lucky I am.
Take a minute to reach out to your loved ones, a friend, someone who will be surprised by your connection, and make a positive, happy change happen for them. Love is the foundation of it all. Build it today.
Warmly and with great love for you,
Tosca
PS. What do you love to do with your friends and loved ones? Does a particular artist make your heart beat faster? Share your moments here. Boost the sisterhood. I look forward to reading your comments in the COMMENTS section below.
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