What is a siren?

For those of you that do not read Homer or Virgil, sirens are characters in the Odyssey. They sang while ships passed, but they sang so well, no one could resist their songs' lure.

My all-girl band "Sirens' Song" has been writing and performing together for 14 years. We are currently recording our 3rd cd, 'Safe Harbour.'

Monday, October 27, 2008

Mermaids Tears

I was sad today, no particular reason. My family is getting better, we had a great visit with my extended family and a fun, busy weekend. But never the less, today I was blue.

So many things I should be happy about, so many to be thankful for. There was a time I would have been ashamed to be sad. But the older I get the more I realize that life and feelings should be experienced as they come. As we experience the happy so do we experience the sad, each in its own turn. Sickness sometimes turns to healing, and sometimes joy changes to sorrow as well. There is a time for both.

I can see the jar of sea glass on the shelf. Sea glass is also known as 'mermaid's tears,' which I find rather beautiful, especially since I am feeling blue. Sea glass starts as sharp clear broken pieces, then spends years of tumbling in ocean waves, softening the sharp edges of shards of broken glass. The edges smooth, and the color mellows from clear to opaque, as the water is infused into the core. The result is a lovely glistening jewel on the sand. Trash is transformed to treasure.
We experience the highs and lows of life, and as we do our sharp edges are burned away. We are transformed into treasure. Our traumatic metamorphosis in the sea allows us to find the true beauty in our souls. Our purpose is better understood, as we are refined and revealed. We are created and we are transformed. So the hard times come and the great times come and each prepares us for the bigger picture.
So I embrace those "mermaid tears" when they are flowing and the 'mermaid songs' when I am joyful. After all, they are really my true self.

Sea Glass

There is a jar of sea glass
On the bookshelf in the living room
And the colors range from red to green
To aqua shades and teal and blue

And all the glass in the jar, tells a story
Of each piece and its’ shattered broken past
But the beauty within a shard is revealed
As it is tossed and thrown to the sand at last

For We are all shattered and scattered
Taking our chances on the salty sea
Crashing over seas of joy and suffering
Love and loss and life to see….
And the sand is polishing, the waves are washing
Taking us to places never seen before
Preparing all of us for a different purpose
Becoming what we all were created for.

And the glass is no longer clear or whole
It is in pieces in the time and tide
And the colors play with light and shade
Revealing the journey over oceans wide

For we are all born, clear as crystal
And we are all meant to break and go
Scattering out, over deep wide oceans
Changing into something better than before….

For We are all shattered and scattered
Taking our chances on the salty sea
Crashing over seas of joy and suffering
Love and loss and life to see….

And the sand is polishing, the waves are washing
Taking us to places never seen before
Preparing all of us for a different purpose
Becoming what we all were created for.

4 comments:

Hilary said...

Did you have this written before you challenged me? If not, I am so out of writing shape. The poetry of this is beautiful! Can't wait to hear it, if it has a tune. Love ya!

Olivia said...

That isso great. Sometimes I feel like we don't share often enough that we are not perfect. In fact I began my blog telling myself this would be a place to always be real and if people didn't like it, they didn't have to read it. But the more brave people I know are the ones who determine who they are even when things aren't perfect. The people who are my heroes are those who keep going and are not afraid. I love you so much.

Anonymous said...

We have over 700 worldwide members after only 3 months online, over 2500 photos, locations to collect, forums and much much more.

You are invited to join today!

Http://www.seaglasslovers.ning.com

Lisl Armstrong said...

Hi,

I would like to invite you to join Sea Glass Artists & Sea Glass Collectors which is a social network for sea glass enthusiasts. Our network is all about sea glass and cultivating each others creativity in a non competitive atmosphere. Hope to see you there!

http://seaglassartists.ning.com/

Thanks,

Lisl Armstrong