Our east coast granddaughter, Alexandra, has just turned two, and, alas, we were not there to party with Xandie and her family. Thanksgiving has just past and our table was spread for only us—David and me on our own—not the traditional family gathering shared in so many earlier years. Two more sweet celebrations sadly missed.
Over recent months so many of us have known similar experiences—not being able to be where we wanted to be when we wanted to be there with those with whom we ached to see and share our time. This most unusual year of 2020, loaded with unexpected challenges, has taken on the strange sensation of living in a time warp—running for so long on a treadmill and getting nowhere fast.
Like every workout, this perplexing year, too, will come to an end. Finally we will have much to celebrate, for changes are coming, if only we remember to hope. Hope, if we choose, can be with us even now while the days grow still darker. As we turn on our holiday lights, if only we look, we can find the hope, and goodness and kindness, too. They are enough to get us through until we experience the shifts for which we are longing.
We can find hope-goodness-kindness in so many places. My husband David and I have stumbled upon them in a most curious movie for grownups—a sleeper of an off-kilter cult film called “Peanut Butter Falcon”—a journey story about running and walking for so long, a love story where the first rule is “party!” and a redemption story with a happy ending and lost souls and a pretty girl and bad guys and unlikely heroes and angry bullies and even a giant named Samson. Twice already we have watched this sleeper of wonderment and will do so again while sequestered over the holidays.
The lead single from the terrific Peanut Butter soundtrack, “Running for So Long” (“What Makes a House a Home?”), was penned by songwriters Michael Schwartz, Tyler Nilson and Parker Ainsworth. David and I have come to call this “our song” which David has been singing and playing for me and the puppies just before we go to bed to put us in a place of hopeful dreaming. Perhaps this is a poignant anthem for all of us!
My Oh My Lord, I just can’t hardly wait.
We’ve been worn down in the hardest ways
With long nights over, I’m starting to believe
I’m not as broken as some made me out to be
What makes a house a home
Been running for so long
When I met you, I couldn’t let you
What makes a house a home?….
What makes a house a home? Home to artCentral, Hyde House is an elegant, old farmhouse filled with our family of artists and members, patrons and guests eager with the anticipation of gathering to party once again in the not too distant future. In the meantime, though like everyone else we are feeling a bit broken by running for so long, there are so many lovely ways to participate and support artCentral—our certified ArtSafe Space where masking, social distancing, sign-in are practiced.
Please do join in and help celebrate with artCentral’s family, for the long night is almost over!
On Saturday, November 28, 12:00-5:00 p.m., please plan to visit Hyde House at 1110 East Thirteenth Street to celebrate artCentral’s participation in our Chamber of Commerce citywide Small Business/Shop Local Saturday.
All day on Giving Tuesday, December 1st, you can make your online donation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArtcentralCarthage/ and at https://www.artcentralcarthage.org/give-4art-fund.html.
The first weekend in December, Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, 12:00-5:00 p.m., artCentral will be participating in the citywide Christmas Open House while we wrap up our current gallery exhibition end-of-year fundraisers. Scarlet Amaryllis ($20.00 each) will be available in beautiful porcelain planters.
Be sure to join us for the LIVE Facebook Closing Celebrations, Saturday, December 5, 5:00-8:00 pm. for the 2 FRIENDS Exhibition featuring the exquisite oil paintings of Ina Niday and Mary Datum and the SMALL WORK | GREAT WONDERS Silent Auction. You will be able to view all the art in real-time, make purchases and place your winning bids. For more information call (417) 358-4404.
What makes a house a home? Working together as an art-loving family supporting the art and artists of our small town’s amazing non-profit artCentral in Hyde House!
