Laurie in New York state writes:
Dear DOMAI
I"m having some Domai type thoughts I'd like to share with you. Today, a stormy, dark winter day, chilly to the bone, I bundled up and got in the car and drove up to a state park near my house. I parked the car, and began the walk down my favorite country road. There was a full view of the mountains, a long snowy valley dotted with farms, horses huddled together at the red barn, and fir trees everywhere. In one field, strangely, a flock of seagulls that lifted like a cloud as I silently walked by. Incredibly beautiful.
The clouds were dark and threatening, and cars driving by might have wondered if my car had broken down somewhere, as else nobody was out. I was wearing my black ski pants tucked into big furry boots, and a fur vest over my sweater. Halfway down the walk the wind started to blow, it was COLD!, and I felt my face go all rosy. On a whim I took the band out of my hair and let my hair go loose behind me as I walked, and I felt such sudden surge of happiness at the beauty of which I was an intimate part, the beauty which I had allowed. The feeling was that of being wild and happy and unshy as God would have me, and free as those birds, though to certain eyes far from home.
Years ago I would have hidden my hair in a hat, and worn old baggy pants, never tight ski pants, never drawn attention to myself! But these days, beauty is beauty, even when it happens to flow through me. I felt as much joy in myself today as I do looking at certain Domai shots. Something about letting my hair loose. Mountains, country roads, snowy fields, and strong legs to walk on! Fir trees and seagulls far from home, old shaggy horses, a rosy face and pure womanhood . . . . What is the saying? "To know God is to love many things." I think you posted that. [Eolake says: indeed I did. A quote from Vincent van Gogh. And Laurie's letter had actually already reminded me of Vincent's letters to his brother.]
And I think of this college-age girl who walks through town. She is quite captivating, long hair, slim, beautiful quiet face, and she walks her equally gorgeous husky on his leash, and never looks up or looks around, she is in her own world walking her dog through town, and every eye that sees her can't help but turn the head, she is so beautiful. I also look, and appreciate her bold walk through town, and thank her internally, my little Domai sister, as if she on all levels sharing her beauty with the townsfolk, modest yet bold, hidden yet free for all to drink in. What a mystery, humility and the divine, for all to see :)
Laurie
