Decades of Relationships

Dear Reader,

Earlier this year, my husband and I decided to celebrate three anniversaries: his 80th and my 70th birthday and our 40th year in the house. Our 190-year total would be marked with a garden party. Quick research revealed that the number 10 held special significance: knowledge, harmony and achievement. Ten is said to be the most perfect of numbers. When I told a friend about the idea, she said, “Look! Even the 1 and 9 in 190 add up to 10!” June 23rd would be fun to plan, and the Weather Goddess might even smile on us. Another friend suggested renting a tent, just in case She woke up in a bad mood.

When I whined to my sister, Jennie, that I didn’t know what I was going to write for this month’s blog, she said, “Why not your Decade Party? So many people there were artists and writers.” She was right! There must have been a glow in the sky or at least a discernible energy emanating from our house and back yard, because our home was filled with creative people.

For many of us, making art and writing are solitary acts. However, it is also true that writers and artists inspire each other. We need only to connect and work at our relationships.

Let’s have a look at our crowd of 73 family and friends as I point out who was there:

• a nephew who is collecting material for a blog or book on the fitness culture
• a neighbor who makes prostheses by trade, but has added sculpting to his life, and whose wife is a member of the Salisbury Singers
• two painters who were my teachers at the Worcester Art Museum
• a health professional who is also a playwright and whose husband is a poet
• a professional photographer who is a gallery owner
• a professional photographer who is also fine art photographer and web designer
• an assemblage artist
• a poet, teacher and editor
• poets who are also artists
• poets who write only poetry
• a computer wizard who is also a musician
• a musician whose band is on the rise
• patrons of the arts
• an interior designer
• a computer wizard who is also a portrait photographer
• an archivist who is a photographer
• a novelist
• a high school teacher who is a poet
• gardeners who qualify as artists

Think of it: a rain-free summer afternoon of sun-soaked companionship. As we predicted on our invitation: FOOD + CONVERSATON = FUN. The list above reflects what I know about some of our guests. What don’t I know or appreciate about the 73 people there? Time will tell. More decades will be required.