Friday, June 25, 2010

Silver Strands

I have been thinking about silver strands a lot lately, for several reasons. One of the reasons is this blogger, Denalee at silver strands. When I first found Denalee, it was this post that caught my attention. It was about her mother having breast cancer and Denalee cutting off all her own hair to make a wig for her mom. As if that didn’t kill me enough, it was a beautiful surprise for her mom. I cried for days thinking about this woman that would do this for her mother. I wanted to fly to her state, hug her and force her to adopt me as a sister. Seriously, if you want to be inspired and uplifted on a daily basis, silver strands is the place to go.

A few weeks back, Denalee had a book giveaway and I won. Winning the book was awesome because, as I have said before, I am an avid reader and always looking for my next fix. Winning a book is better than winning the lottery to me. For one thing, it doesn’t cost me anything to enter. Ok, call me cheap. Anyway, the box from Denalee arrived and I was so happy to open it so I could read my new book. Guess what? She didn’t just send the book, autographed no less, she also sent other treats. How sweet is that!!! So here’s what I received:






Let me just say, I read the book in one day and loved it. It is sadly a true story but the lives of these people will truly inspire anyone facing lifes challenges. I could relate to so much of it having gone through illness and loss with loved ones. The other goodies were absolutely icing on this cake. The sand dollar made me cry. I have no idea why. Yes, I do. Nevermind.

Anyway, like I said, I have been thinking about silver strands. Sometimes, for some unknown reason, I can get kind of introspective and start thinking this way. When I do, this is usually what happens: I start picking apart words and how they affect my life. So that’s what I did for a few days with silver strands.

I thought about silver and how it is a common but precious metal. It also has the highest electrical conductivity of any metal. Then I thought about the word strand. How it meant several things including, tresses of hair or fibers being braided together. It also means to run aground and be left in a helpless situation or land bordering the ocean.

As I thought about these two words, I realized they fit what Denalee has been for so many. She might seem like just another common blogger but believe me, she is precious. We all are, we just don’t realize how precious sometimes. It seems easier to accept that we are common but there is something so deeply precious in each of us. Something that makes us conduits for precious things if we will just be who we were created to be. That’s it. Just be who we are intended to be and what we are intended to do will happen. I believe that, with all my heart. Then when the times of being stranded and feeling helpless come, and they will come for each of us, we will find that strip of land in another. A safe place to run aground and be loved and healed and whole.

In the end, it really is about being braided together. Each one of us no less, no more, important than the other. Life is good even when it isn’t and I am thankful. Thankful for my life, my family, my friends. Thankful for Denalee. Thankful for each one of you. Silver strands.

14 comments:

Two Shades of Pink said...

What beautiful words for a woman who has blessed you so deeply. Your words are kind ones, Marla that bless all of us and not just the person you are talking about. I love how you love words and they way God blessed you with a unique perspective and way of thinking. As usual, a beautiful post that leads to quiet introspection for me.

Silver Strands said...

Oh crud Marla. I'm bawling. And goose bumps. And it's not about me ... it's about you. I first started following you because you made me laugh. And when I wasn't laughing, I was about to laugh. Now you've made me cry. I'm SO glad you won the book .. who else would devour it in a day? I'm going to pass this post on to the author so he can read what you've said about it.

It's interesting ... when I was putting together the package it was all in there when I went back and grabbed the sanddollar. Anyone else & I probably wouldn't have put it in - but I figured that if you didn't like it you could find something funny to say about it :) Will you tell me what it means to you? It was easy for us to find beach glass in Sitka, but sanddollars were a lot harder to come by. The tide had to be right and we had to be really fast, or they'd get pulled right back out with the tide. So know that that sanddollar went to you with strands of friendship attached :)

Thanks Marla. really.
oxoxo
Denalee

Sarah said...

Well said. I hope when that day comes I'll have enough land to catch me.

Monkey Man said...

All that from a single package of gifts. You are awesome.

Cheeseboy said...

What I have learned from blogging lately is that you meet some truly amazing people. Silver Strands sounds totally cool. I am off to check her site.

Ms. A said...

Your words are always so darn thought provoking! Now I hafta go dry my eyes and touch up my spackling, before dinner.

Teresa said...

tears and smiles - that's what today's post has given me. good tears and excellent smiles. i'm so glad that i found your blog. your words are always either cheering me on or lifting me up. today is no exception.

i will have to go check out silver strands. it sounds like my kind of blog.

congrats on your win!

Nancy C said...

There is such strength when we bind those silver strands together.

This is a beautiful post, and when I read such things, I am a better person.

So glad to know you and your blog.

Stephanie said...

How beautiful! This may be my new favorite post of yours.
Have a wonderful weekend:)

Anonymous said...

Wow. This comes at a time when I have been thinking~ When I leave this world, will I have made a difference? What am I doing now to make a difference?

Marla, you make a difference in this world...thank you for your awesomeness (is that a word?) :)

Love you!
Marie

John Viehweg said...

Denalee told me about your post, and I just wanted to thank you for reading my book, and for the kind words you posted about it. I'm glad to know an avid reader found it worth finishing in one day. Thanks for the plug and best wishes to you and yours.
John S. Viehweg

CiCi said...

That is a package of goodies! Glad you won the book. Awesome. Are you going to write a post about the significance of the sand dollar?

Anonymous said...

Dear Cuz I am really thinking about the strands of our life together. It started out being born a month apart in a crazy family. On my father's side you are the closest cousin to my age. In fact I think we are the only cousins in that age group. Kelly was always the baby. Our summers in Southgate running the neighborhood, swimming like crazy, jumping off the cabana into the pool and eating black licorice pipes in the shallow end. Yep that is right folks eating licorice in the pool. Those trips with mom and girls to T.J. brave woman those two. Teenagers at Magic Mountain, dating Bob, marrying Bob. The boys as babies in Los Osos. The girls adoptions and the parties with our fun Aunts.
Our love of animals border line obsessive but definately like our Aunt Meta.(My favorite pet of hers was Willa Mae the monkey)And then your move to Oklahoma and a long gap in time of seeing each other.
Our reconnection with losing our mothers the same year and taking care of our grumpy fathers. It is amazing how our lives have woven together at pivotal points and sometimes when I felt stranded and I know you did to we stepped out on that lonely stretch together and joked and laughed about it. Thanks for that cuz. Love ya, Cher

Anonymous said...

What a funny stand up comedy act we could do and the funniest is that we have lived all the material.