There are days when I feel unsure of myself as a mother, wife, shepherd, fibre person and even as a child of God. A struggle with just one of these will cast a shadow on all. For the past week, I have struggled with all. So yesterday, feeling the sun's encouragement, I headed off into town to visit with Tonya, my Ukrainian friend. Tonya moved to Canada from the Ukraine, hoping for a new and better life. She lives in a very small apartment where she cooks and sells traditional Ukrainian food. Arriving there, she offers, "You want pierogies and coffee." I did not want pierogies but settled for a bowl of Ukrainian cabbage soup, some pampushry (Ukrainian donuts) and a cup of strong coffee. In broken English, Tonya talks about her home in the Ukraine as I sip my soup. Although I don't always understand her, I smile enthusiastically to encourage her and share in our conversation. I learn of strength, resilience, and courage as I watch and listen to her.
After our coffee, we admire the golds, reds, oranges, blues, purples, greens in her embroidery work. On the wall, hangs a picture of a field of bright golden sunflowers which reminds her of the fields of sunflowers back in the Ukraine, fields that stretch for miles. Tonya says that it is a miracle how the rows upon rows of sunflowers turn their heads in unison to follow the sun's rise in the sky. During the fifteen years she has lived in Canada, she has held onto that colourful image in her mind. We are to hold onto the colours; they are like jewels in our days. We so desperately need them. They bring encouragement and cheer. They engage us by telling stories. In doing so, they mark the passage of time. And in our hands, we are compelled to do the same as weavers, knitters, embroiderers, painters, gardeners...
Tonya
As I gather my things to return home, I feel challenged by my friend's life. It is so important to God that we see the colours in our days, the richness in our lives. There is a depth to our lives that God is waiting to show us. We become involved in the process as we wait for Him to reveal more, like an idea that runs into a flow of ideas. The master creator teaches us. And we learn to express this very personal and intimate experience in colours. It is really God's love that we are expressing in colours. God says, " I am a rainbow...colour me."
1 comment:
Pam - you are so lucky to have such a precious friend! Ah...the stories she must tell. What a treasure of people Canada holds - perhaps one day I can get there to visit. :) CHERYL
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