I’ve thought a lot about the concept of acceptance; in the last couple of years especially. It is easy, as you can imagine, to accept what is beautiful, sweet and glowing but not so much what is unruly, misshapen, dark, and even tragic. And yet so much of life is made up of these ‘less than perfect’ experiences, things, people (ourselves)…and it is acceptance that makes happiness possible in this world. I am still working on all manner of acceptance but doing the work involved brings me opportunities otherwise unavailable.
So, it is with many meanings in mind that I gratefully accept the privilege of the “Dragon’s Loyalty Award”. I had never heard of it until Dan, from Apothecary’s Garden nominated me but I am very glad to know about it. It feels very human and real to me after having read what Dan had to say about it: “The Dragon’s Loyalty Award is self-explanatory, though there is loyalty given, loyalty received, there is also a loyalty one sees in others who are authentic, or genuine in their writing. They maintain a loyalty to self.” I don’t mean to imply that there is anything less than perfect about the award, but I do get the sense that loyalty and true authenticity come with all the beauty and the warts, together. At this point, I am coming to accept and cherish that.
It has taken me a surprisingly long time to even figure out how to share this honor and I feel that I should start by mentioning that I have had very little time to read / enjoy blogs since getting pregnant and having a baby (two and a half years ago). But before that *I did* have more free time to enjoy blogging and reading blogs and so these are my nominees to pass this award to (there won’t be nearly 15, I’m afraid , it’s more like 5 but you will surely notice a theme in the blogs I’ve read):
Ayala’s Smelly Blog: Ayala Sander has always been an inspiration to many bloggers as well as aspiring Artisan Perfumers. She shares her joy and her passion on her blog as well as incredible amounts of information. Her Smelly Blog is always a joy to read.
The Clarimonde Project Blog / indie perfumes blog: Lucy Raubertas brings an incredible amount of vision and otherworldly aesthetic to her blog indie perfumes and something that I can’t even explain, it’s so lovely, in her Clarimonde Project Blog. Her dedication to art and artistry is unmatched and her sensibilities are a palpably gorgeous.
The Alembicated Genie: Doesn’t the name tell you something? Sheila Eggenberger *is* a genie. She conjures unique realms and universes with her words so beautifully crafted they make one swoon. Her portrayals of what perfume can do and where it can take you are some of my favorite writings. period. She is very passionate and tells it just like it is, but in the most graceful and gracious way.
Olfactoria’s Travels: Olfactoria (aka Birgit) has a wonderful perfume blog but even more what I love about it is how she has created a sense of community within the realm of the blogging / perfumista community. I just love the sense of sharing the passion and love of great perfume and how it fits into our lives. She’s just fabulous.
Perfumes in Progress: Laurie Erickson’s blog is a lovely insight into a fellow aromatic artist’s world, thoughts, creativity and journey. She writes with great sincerity and shares so much of what the perfumer’s life is. It’s always a pleasure to read and I have to thank her for being an inspiration for me to start my blog. She gave me some wonderful advice when I was contemplating DSH Notebook back in 2010. {A heartfelt thank you to Laurie!}
I send much love and blessings out to everyone in the blogosphere and again, with gratitude, accept and share the Dragon’s Loyalty Award. oxox
DSH notebook 