2008 was the inaugural year in an ongoing, aspirational project dedicated to the observation of the sun every time it crosses the horizon and to sharing the awareness of that moment with others while ringing bells. It is based on the conviction that something as inarguable as the movement of the earth can be used as a point of unity and awareness among large groups of people who might otherwise find it impossible to agree. Want to Participate? www.facebook.com/dailybell.sunwatch/
My pledge to ring a bell twice daily for a year is a very small nod to long and well-established traditions so many people already observe and practice. I have chosen to tie my activity to the rising and setting sun.
Who else ringing bells out there? And why?
Posted by
Brenda Hutchinson
at
8:43 PM
Posts
5 comments:
You rang?
What a lovely idea. I found an old copper cow bell--possibly from Frank--and rang it at sunset, which was all pink and orange from the smog and smoke here in Santa Monica... I'll take it to the beach tomorrow...no sunrise commitment, though: too early. Thank you, Brenda, for noticing, and reminding us to notice...
Hi Brenda! This seems to be a great idea. I think my other comment didn't go through...so...I'll say it again. My daughter Claire and I want to know more about your life with the bell. Interior bell ringing???
Do you go to sleep earlier because of the bell?
~signed...Anne Gohorel (we met through the west kortright centre)
Hi KC-
It's good to hear from you and to think about how pretty those smoggy sunsets can be. Please stay in touch here.
Hi Anne and Claire- I'll answer the easy question first. Unfortunately, I don't go to bed much earlier. I would like to, but I am so accusomed to going to bed in the middle of the night. I love the night. It's quiet and dark and most people are asleep. It's a magical time of the day for me and I have always loved it.
On the other hand, I have to get up quite a bit earlier than I am used to. And, so far, I go right back to bed immediately after ringing the bell. However, I do have a hope and a plan for staying up eventually. When the clocks go forward in the Spring I will already be used to getting up even earlier than now. So I plan to take advantage of that extra late one hour to jump start an early morning life. hm...
I am not a morning person. Before this project, most of the sunrises I witnessed were because I had been up all night. Usually, I was leaving some recording studio and walking home. I had always thought about how beautiful and clean and quiet it was at that hour. However, that appreciation alone was never enough for me to actually wake up and go out.
I will post my resonse to your other questions on the blog. Your timing is perfect as I have been thinking about what's going on with the "life with the bell" for a while. It's an ongoing consideration.
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