We are enjoying another lovely late summer day here is Vermont. Yesterday was forecast to be warm and dry, yet was punctuated by drenching rain. Still, there was plenty of time to be outdoors and many people were out and … Continue reading
This week I noticed the first leaves just tinged with red. Summer is still very much with us, but Fall is already making itself known. Late summer is a clown, luxuriating in the pleasures of this seductive season, and pointing with sorrow to the frugalities of the coming Autumn. “Dance! Dance!” She seems to say. “Tomorrow may be to late!” Then she winks!
In many cultures, clowning is sacred. Holy clowns point to the mystery in everything, reminding us there is a spark of the creator even in the profane. My favorite First Nations clowns are Pueblo, irresistibly irreverent, socially critical and astute, and wildly funny. I am also drawn to the court jesters of old Europe, and their contrary equivalents in the New World. These clowns utilized humor and courage to heal by speaking truth to power. Continue reading
Ambidextrous
This week is Circus Week at our house. Over the weekend we attended Fools’ Fest in downtown Burlington. Friday, we go to pick up one of our teens who is at Circus Camp, with Circus Smirkus. The kids will perform the routines they have been working on, acts in progress.Anyway, I will have more to say about circus as the week moves along.
Our family sees a lot of circus, attending performances almost every opportunity we have. Circus is dear to us. We love the beauty, skill, and daring of circus performance. Circus reminds us that we can be in the world skillfully, can entertain and be entertained, and can laugh and cry with others. Circus invites us to have faith, find the miraculous in the ordinary, and transgress our everyday boundaries. Ultimately, circus reminds us to have fun. Continue reading
