The Mercy Finder

The Mercy Finder

Friday, February 13, 2009

Life's A Beach

I have no idea which beach I'm at but it's probably Ocean Beach in San Francisco or Stinson Beach in Marin County around 1952 or so. My sister, Cheryl, is in the background with Judy Young, the daughter of my parents' friend. And thus begins my love affair with the sea for day 9 of 10 during this celebration of love.

Today at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts I was completely overwhelmed with the beauty of a 15th century Chinese pen and ink landscape by Shen Zou, the patriarch of Suzhou painters during the Ming Dynasty. The translation of the calligraphy was:

The sullied world is wide with little room for peace,
So I seek a hut standing calmly by the water
Where wind comes, the moon visits, but no man intrudes;
Thus the idler may rest by the rail.

Monet's Fisherman's Cottage on the Cliffs at Varengeville

I'm so happy to be living near the ocean. Some people need mountains. Some people need lakes. Some people need the ocean. How 'bout you?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I need the ocean. Holy cow you look like Brittany in that photo of you when you were younger. I will now go back to watching Sophies Choice.

V.a.n.e.s.s.a said...

I'm guessing you probably would never move to Utah!