July 2006

Zulu Women

Somewhere out in the plains of Africa is a Zulu woman to whom I am now connected.  I do not know her name, what she looks like, where she lives, anything about her family, or her hopes and dreams, but I am connected to her just the same.  I do know she is widowed and unemployed and I am sure, having a difficult time making ends meet.  I also know somewhere in time, someone must have seen her struggle and thus taught her a clever way to earn money by making bracelets out of one of the most ordinary things imaginable—telephone wire!  I pray the skill helps her to buy food, clothes, and to keep a roof over her family’s head.  More so though, I pray she sees it for the art it truly is, an expression of her creativity and flowing life.  I pray she knows how grateful I am for her and in the short time I have been connected to her, how much her bracelet has already taught me. 

It amazes me how connected we all truly are, even if we live continents apart.  The bracelet reminds me of that.  Though each ring of wire looks like a separate piece, it is really one long continuous wire, one ring flowing into another.  Have you ever thought about how one person can affect another, even someone you do not know?  We can be rings apart but what you say and do still affects me.  We are bound together in life and still connected in death.  The woman whose heart and hands created this piece of art and the woman whose heart and hands gave it to me are both intertwined with mine.  A rope of three strands is not easily broken nor is the relationships that keep it together.

I wonder if this woman I am connected to thought about her color choices or if she just made use of what was available.  Parts of the bracelet are silver and the others, red and a purplish blue.  The colors were chosen by my friend as they are my favorites but they have also made me think about the contrasts in our lives.  Sometimes, we are happy with few troubles and enjoy mounds of delight.  At others, our way seems hard and we can give a detailed description of the valley of the shadow of death.  At one point, the world is light, and at others, quite dark.  But just as the wires are twisted together, so is the light and dark in our lives.  We need them both contrasted along with the other for growth and joy for they both build us up in their own ways and guide us closer to the light and darkness of God.  Just like the bracelet, all humanity is woven together in an endless journey over mountains and through valleys.   

            While we are on this journey, the bracelet has also taught me how ordinary things can be made quite beautiful.  All the bracelet consists of is telephone wire the Zulu woman obtained from who knows where.  But with a little ingenuity and a mind willing to think of the possibilities ordinariness can lead to, a beautiful creation comes into being.  What ordinary things or events are in your life?  What wondrous possibilities lie before your eyes?  Be willing to let your eyes see into the invisible depths of creation.  There is a holy magic out there bursting with energy, flowing with vitality.  Tap into it, paint on a wall, lie in the flowers, create something new you hadn’t thought of before or let the idea you already have escape into your hands and burst forth.  Then remember, as you do, I will be too, and the creativity will flow between us as a gift one to another, for we are all connected to Zulu women.          

                                                                  Connected in the Trinity,

                                                                                             Sarah Katreen Hoggatt 

News 

I am in the process of renovating and updating the website.  Soon I will have a guest book that hopefully will soon work,

viewable pictures, a frequently asked questions page, matted poetry, and updated ordering information. 

Please check back to find out what is new and in the meanwhile, e-mail me if you have any questions!

I am also working on republishing the first book, Learning to Fly, as I am almost sold out! 

There will be at least seven new poems, a new illustration, a second introduction,

plus some special little "extras" not the least of which is a new cover.  I am very excited; I think it will turn out well.  The first round of manuscripts are with my editors.  I'll keep you posted!

After creating forty-two pieces of matted poetry for the art show at George Fox Evangelical Seminary that hung in the library through March and April, I am working on scanning all the pictures in and posting them on the website so you know what is available.  However, I have also done personalized orders by request, so if you have something in mind, let me know!

Poem

To Whom It May Concern

To whom it may concern,

                        upon this eve I pray,

whomever on God's earth you be,

wherever your head you lay.

I hold this bracelet in my hands

the one my hands have made,

silver wire wound round tight,

red and blue in braid.

It may be such a simple thing,

a trinket for you to wear,

but to me it symbolizes more than that,

it comes with heartfelt prayer.

I want you to understand

the hope I have for you:

that you will take the ordinary

to create something beautiful and new.

I want you to see past the wire

into the jewel within,

to see how things become united,

of colored cord and tin.

We are all connected,

we are truly one,

We are not so different

neath’ the African sun.

So when you see what I have made,

take time to think of me,

I will be here praying for you

as I create on bended knee.