I have posted hundreds of pictures of Sitka in the sun, with vibrant blues and greens, but we live in a rain forest and in November the seas rise. Much of the music about the region have references to gray days. “In the gray fogbound straits where the cedars stand watching” or “where the grey sky meets the sea.” But I find Richard Farina’s title, not about Southeast Alaska, “Celebration for a Grey Day” (by the way, I am using the spelling of “gray” or “grey” that the song writer uses) the best title for this post.
Tlingit storyteller Gene Tabagan, while we were on the Sitka Whalefest Cruise looking at this beautiful grey, told us that it was ok to take pictures, but also to put down the camera, let it absorb into our minds, our memories. When things get bad close our eyes and bring back the image. “It’s Medicine.” He’s right. When Suzi and I have been working abroad and things get dicy, when it looks fruitless, we both think of our special place, this place. That image of “the gray fogbound straits where the grey sky meets the sea is our medicine.” It is healing.
Find your place, imprint it — make it your medicine.
I agree. Peaceful and solid