Marcia, orange wall Canon Digital Rebel
Couldn’t resist sharing more of the sassy miss Marcia. We met when we were 19 years old and living in Italy together on an Education Abroad program. Marcia inspired me to be a bit more visible, a little bit louder, and a bit more wild. When I think of that great quote by Emile Zola, “If you asked me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud,” I think of Marcia.
I had been the perennial good girl, went to all my classes, studied until the wee hours of the night and didn’t goof off nearly enough. On our first day of class, Marcia and I left ourselves 2 hours to walk to the school. Because Venice is a labyrinth of tiny alleys and cobblestone streets, we got lost over and over again and ultimately never made it to class. I’ll never forget that day we sprinted around the streets of Venice trying to get to school, laughing our asses off every time we hit yet another alley that ended in a canal. I think I might have even peed my pants from laughing so hard.
Marcia is hilarious.
She taught me to loosen up, have more fun and to be more fearless. She taught me to eat with gusto, drink with gusto, love well and to devour life with reverence and joy.
She is also one of the most sentimental people I know. When I was singing in a gospel choir {a funny story for another time} she came to see me the first day I sang. I saw her there in the audience, all fabulous in her vintage dress and sparkly glitter. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at me, mouthing the words, “I’m so proud of you..”
And this is what I love most about my dear friend, her willingness to be completely herself always. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for people who cry easily.
“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.”
– Mary Oliver, Wild Geese
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I wish I knew someone like her!! She sounds AWESOME!!
ditto on the first comment. What a wonderful burst of LIFE!
Thanks Andrea —
Your blog today transported me to my own wild adventures of past! Isn’t it a treasure to have women like Marcia in our lives?!
Just a reminder for all those fans of Andrea that tomorrow is POSITIVE THOUGHT DAY — at some point tomorrow send out some wishes for she and Matt to get pregnant!!!
thank you for such an inspiring post.:)
~an xlnt post indeed…and the image her justice it really does a fine job relaying her personality, mindset and ability to live and enjoy life~
Wonderful post! Your words and photos make me feel like I know Marcia. She seems such a genuine, and beautiful person. You are so fortunate to have the most amazing people in your life, and I love hearing about all those inspiring “souls”… Oh, I adore the quote by Mary Oliver. It really resonnated so true with me. Thanks for such a great day brightener!! 🙂
i really love this post andrea.
strange you posted that quote though. i have been doing a little guerrilla art of my own inspired by keri…and that is the quote that i have been printing out on paper and taping up in every bathroom stall i visit, shop i go to..and sometimes in people’s homes. we all should live out loud right.
I am *such* a good girl! 😉 People like us need the fun people in our life badly, don’t we?!
lovely pictures and words. you got me all teary and i don’t even know marcia! your blog frequently has this affect on me – in a good way. (talk about people who cry easily!) thank you!
she sounds like a lovely friend. every woman needs a friend like that!
just today, i had a couple of people say that they liked the way i viewed the world. with the weather improving and youer inspirational words i am slowly becoming myself. while i would never even dream of having the same impacr marcia had/has on you, it was lovely to hear neverthgeless…. definitely put a smile on my face
Yay! I know someone like that! She’s a firecracker, and I love it! Crazy, curly hair, wild, beautiful and full of life. Makes me realize life is fun and meant to be full of laughter!
Awesome quote by Mary Oliver, that’s a keeper.
Awesome. I wish I had a friend like that. And to top it off, I just discovered Mary Oliver. How could I have never heard of her?!