Thursday, May 28, 2009

Tabula Rasa - My Favorite Word Ever

Every day I wake up is tabula rasa---the blank page reminds me of this! ~Marion

Tabula rasa - (Latin: blank slate) refers to the epistemological thesis that individual human beings are born with no built-in mental content, in a word, "blank", and that their entire resource of knowledge is built up gradually from their experiences and sensory perceptions of the outside world.

Fresh start: an opportunity to start over without prejudice.
The idea that the mind comes into this world as a "blank state".

Anything which exists in a pristine state.


It struck me this morning as I was walking around my rain-washed yard that Mother Nature has lots of love for us, as is shown in so many heart-shaped leaves! These are Elephant Ears.

This heart shaped leaf belongs to my night-blooming Moonflower. No flowers yet, but soon.

Oh, the bright sunshine yellow of the beautiful Squash flower! I have one tiny Squash, so far.


A reason to celebrate today? My very FIRST Sunflower bloom! She looks so shy with her petals slowly unfolding in the gentle morning sun---

Yikes, my hair is SO short! I chopped it all off a few weeks ago for Summer. It's already in the 90's here in the deep South and I had to get it off my neck, but I just kept on cutting---I think I was a hairdresser in a past life. That's a peace sign for y'all, not rabbit ears. LOL! Have a wonderful day!!



Here's a poem that I quoted to my daughter yesterday when she asked me how to plant a new Lime tree. (Unless you mulch and compost a new tree, it will never grow properly!) Yes, poetry does teach us more than pretty words and I love this poem!



Leaves Compared with Flowers

A tree's leaves may be ever so good,
So may it's bark, so may it's wood;
But unless you put the right thing to it's root
It never will show much flower or fruit.



But I may be one who does not care
Ever to have tree bloom or bear.
Leaves for smooth and bark for rough,
Leaves and bark may be tree enough.



Some giant trees have bloom so small
They might as well have none at all.
Late in life I have come on fern.
Now lichens are due to have their turn.



I bade men tell me which in brief,
Which is fairer, flower or leaf.
They did not have the wit to say,
Leaves by night and flowers by day.



Leaves and bark, leaves and bark,
To lean against and hear in the dark.
Petals I may have once pursued.
Leaves are all my darker mood.



~*~Robert Frost ~*~


11 comments:

Kelly said...

I love your yellow flowers!! Despite having to start over with our tomatoes we do still have squash plants. I have blooms, too, and am awaiting my first squash. (had to go with straight-neck this year, but I guess they taste the same as the crook-neck)

I smiled when I saw your Elephant Ears. I got in trouble as a young child for taking a sharp stick and poking it through all the Elephant Ears in our yard! Who knows what was going through my small brain at the time?! I made the mistake of telling my daughter about it and she has never forgotten, LOL!!

Renee said...

You are in the 90s and I am frozen.

I was tabla rosa what the hell is that.

I always love that you have two teachers too.

Marion there is something and I can never quite pin my finger on it about you. Something that I absolutely love.

Thank you for the lovely comment.

Renee xoxoxo

Woman in a Window said...

I.want.to.see.you.
Selfish me.
You are a reflection to me of sorts,
a better me.
I wish I could wake up so still. You seem so still in heart, on verge when waking. Me, a muddle with hope.

Marion said...

Kelly, isn't it funny what we remember from childhood? I bet sticking holes in those big old leaves was just pure-dee fun! We got our plants from a local lake (under cover of darkness---tee-hee) and planted them and they exploded, spreading everywhere! Now, I cuss them and we pull them up by the dozens, but they still persist.

Okay, after I washed off the mascara from under my eyes from crying at y'all's sweet comments, Renee and Erin, (first day I've had on mascara in months and the friggin' hormones decide to act up...I've already cried once today reading a book). Renee, sorry you're cold. Move on down to Louisiana with me. Do y'all speak French? We learn it in high school due to our French heritage. Renee, tabula rasa means a fresh beginning, a blank slate. I guess I'm attempting to attain nirvana through meditation. That word make me think that each day is a new second chance to get it right. Hell, that sounds like a country song! LOL! You get the gist, I hope!

How about you, Erin? Do y'all speak French? I was just wondering. I thought parts of Canada spoke only French.

Erin, I feel the same way about you. I meet and connect with so few people who love poetry and life the way I do that it's life-altering when I do. You are quite far along on the journey to waking, yourself. It comes through in your writing. To me, to be awake is to SEE. You so eloquently describe your town, your family, your house, it's like I'm there with you. That's a gift. I've tried it and it just doesn't have the ring that your writing does. Rut-row, my Melatonin sleeping pill is kicking in and I'm fading fast!

I decided to post a few pics of me, so y'all won't think I look scary or anything. I hate photos of myself. To me, they just don't reflect how I really look. Anyhow, there I am in all my 50ish glory! LOL!

I'll go to bed with sweet dreams tonight. You all make me feel loved and cared about and that, dear friends, is no small thing. Blessings, LOVE, and Hugs to you all---

Delwyn said...

Marion

I love that term tabula rosa too...

I like the idea that we can imagine every day is a fresh slate in terms of the tenor of our emotions and attitudes.

Your photos are very lovely...and yes we have a great many heart leaves too...interesting...I love the bilateral mirror image leaves like the bauhinia tree.

Happy days


Happy Days

Pam said...

Love the flowers and the poem and, oh how I love blank slates!!

I still want to borrow your garden for part of the summer. :)

Woman in a Window said...

Marion, how perfect that I should find my way here after watching Benjamin Button. Louisianna and all. So much in that movie. More than I'm seeing right now, for sure.

And seeing. I'm laughing because as much as you and I are exposing ourselves in photos there I am cropped and hiding in my mirror and there you are behind a card and then your sunglasses, oh, and then tucked back behind dear family. But to see you, thank you. What a gift. You are beautiful and if this is 50, then bring it on!

I do know what you mean though, how the image and the self image don't necessarily meet. It's an interesting thing to consider. I seem to be traveling toward my self image though. And that is interesting in itself.

French? A little. I always say I know a mean farmyard animal and kitchen utensil. That seems to be what we cover in school. And if I ever want a cow on a plate, watch out! I can order that in a hurry. Not so much the burger though.

I know of the tabula rasa. I'm counting on it!

Have a great weekend!

Delwyn said...

Hi Marion
How's the computer problem going?
Do you use Internet Explorer -seems like people who use that browser have been experiencing difficulties opening and accessing some blogs.?

Happy Days

Delwyn said...

Hi Marion
How's the computer problem going?
Do you use Internet Explorer -seems like people who use that browser have been experiencing difficulties opening and accessing some blogs.?

Happy Days

Silver said...

I am not exactly sure i would like a tabula rosa .A blank state. To me, it's a little like starting on something all over again with no memory whatsoever, even?

The pictures are gorgeous. i like especially the yello Squash flower. I wished i could touch and smell it too!

~Silver
from One Day at a Time

Anonymous said...

*dance* you have tattoos
your Birthday is 16th July
you are crazy/mad
Hell we are twins! Ha!
I have learnt a new word 'tabula rasa'
I have read a beautiful Poem
I have gazed on beautiful blooms
I smile!