Berne Library Notes for Wednesday, September 30, 2020
They decided to go international. After experiencing the Japanese tea ceremony with Roxanne, Eric, and Sasha, Cindy presented her idea. It bubbled to the surface after several months of exploration, readings, and a final immersion encountering less-than-perfect peace, spots of tranquility, and fluidity of movement in the moment: Wabi-sabi (wobby sobby), loosely translated: “You are magnificent, flaws and all. Imperfection is a beautiful thing.”
Now, meeting with the other members of the Word of the Month Club, Roxanne raised a mallet and struck their newly arrived purplish silver gong. As people shifted in their seats, Roxanne motioned Cindy Leigh up front to do the honors.
Raising her cup to the group, Cindy waited for them to settle. “Wabi-sabi, everyone. Give all those imperfections a big hug as you try on a Japanese wabi-sabi lifestyle this month. Relish your uniqueness and little quirks.
“Move through your day while remembering to notice uncomplicated wows right there in front of you just as they are. Celebrate, appreciate, and accept your less-than-perfect you and all you may encounter on the journey.
“Here’s to actively embracing wabi-sabi this October. Cheers, everyone.”
Glasses were raised with an enthusiastic, “Wabi-sabi!”
Carving pumpkins
With wabi-sabi in mind, start thinking about participating in the Berne Library’s 2020 Carved Pumpkin event. Slated for Saturday, Oct. 24, transport your carved creation to the library at 1 p.m. Judging and awards happening at 1:30.
Look for further information in future write-ups. Questions? Call 518-872-1246 or check www.bernepubliclibrary.org for other details.
Book club
The Berne Sunday Book Club meets Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. to examine their latest read, “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris. Morris hails from New Zealand. She first learned of Lale Zokolov’s Holocaust story when introduced to Zokolov in 2003.
Friends meet
Friends of the Berne Library will be living it up on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. when they gather for a meeting at the red brick Lutheran Church. Discussions of future fundraisers are on deck.
The 6th annual Juried Photography exhibit for January 2021 is in the queue. Chosen themes include: 2020; “All You Need Is Love”; “Food, Glorious Food”; and Architecture. Alot of room for wabi-sabi here.
Trustees meet
Berne Library Trustees are scheduled to meet 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 8. Masks, hand sanitizer, distancing parameters are in place and ready for action.
Wabi-sabi
Would you like to learn more about wabi-sabi? Order books from the library and begin your wabi-sabi adventure. Books like “Wabi Sabi: The Art of Everyday Life” by Diane Durston, “Wabi Sabi: Timeless Wisdom for a Stress-Free Life” by Agneta Nyholm Winqvist, and Mark Reibstein’s children’s book “Wabi Sabi” about a cat named Wabi Sabi.
Remember at day’s end, you may easily climb into your own wabi-sabi story.