September 2004

Dear Friends,

September is halfway over and with it comes the beginning of the end. The end of summer that is. About now we are methodically starting to store away our summer whites and heat-wave blues. We pack our children off to school along with their lunches. One more mark on my calendar of yet another summer full of plans never maturing into fruition, chief among them, sailing! Maybe next year… Pretty soon it will be time to recoup, regroup, and prepare for yet another season of crisp, cool, bright days and a brand new batch of the sultry, mellow colors of Autumn. Beautiful evenings sprinkled with the last remnants of crickets and fireflies, dusks trimmed with gold, and treetops dipped in amber and rust. Autumn is always one of my favorite seasons because it is the time of the year when my emotional and creative mechanisms synchronize with the slowed-down rhythms of Nature and I finally start feeling centered and clear-minded. For me, Autumn symbolizes a new cycle of the bounty that is to come: the anticipation of the whimsical and slightly dark fun of Halloween, the culinary seductions of Thanksgiving, and the joy and solemnity of the promise of a new Christmas season to be shared with our loved ones. The seductive scents of birds roasting and ginger cookies baking mix in the air with our own favorite seasonal music, the kind that never gets played during the rest of the year (and that others might not understand) but has the power and magic to take you home again…

The coming of Fall suggests the beginning of the cycle of renewal, a new opportunity to slow down and be thankful (as we should every day!) for all our blessings; for everything green, lush and beautiful that surrounds our daily lives; for our pets; for our health; and for being able to be of service when someone else’s needs require our compassion. These are all the positive forces of nature that reside within the concept of mother-earth.

In the ancient culture and beliefs of the original inhabitants of Borikén (Puerto Rico), these forces of Nature were embodied in the goddess Atabey (also called Atabex or Attabeira). She was the caretaker and guardian who was responsible for the well-being of the Taíno indians. She represented the cycle of life. In their beliefs, it was she who forged ahead to prevail over outside forces--even the destructive ones--and ensure the sustenance and bounty needed for their survival. The powers of Atabey provided gravity and balance to the Taíno way of life.

This was my inspiration for creating the illustration “Night and Day” featured in the book. This colorful picture is one of my favorites. It depicts mother earth keeping a watchful eye over Borikén, simultaneously holding the golden sun above a luscious green landscape and serenely placing a silvery moon over the quiet valley of night. By her side is the ever-present coquí, the cute little frog adored by every Puerto Rican and anyone else who happens to hear its cheerful song.

This sparkling illustration is now available as a poster, ready to be framed and brighten up your favorite spot.

Enjoy it!

Edwin