*Oklahoma
Earth Whispers No. 1
Digital Print by Britt Ripley
Oklahoma
Day 6 — February 15
Waving wheat in the wind is what I see in this sun-drenched digital photography print, which rather surprisingly connects me to Oklahama. Now, Elizabeth never stepped foot in the Sooner State, and I drove straight across the panhandle once.
But you might join me in singing about waving wheat in Oklahoma if you’re a fan of musicals:
Oklahoma! Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain. And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain…
Because in June of 1981, a gal from Ohio played the lead part of Laurey Williams in a production of Oklahoma!... in Durham, England! How could they not cast Elizabeth in that role, as a cute blond-haired gal with an authentic American accent?
For Elizabeth, being on the stage and entertaining the audience was truly one of the highlights of her life! This was yet another reason that her study abroad year was so memorable.
As I began writing this, I realized that I had heard stories about Oklahoma! from Elizabeth, but I had not once seen any memento from this important event in her life. But then I remembered that several boxes have been moved from place to place and stored away marked with understated labels like “Elizabeth’s college stuff” or “Kent’s papers.” Filed away and forgotten, we never shared the contents with each other.
I took a deep breath as I opened Elizabeth’s boxes, carefully searching for a program or a photograph—like a historian opening a time capsule. Inside one of the boxes was a yellowed issue of the Durham Advertiser dated June 19, 1981. There on page three was a large photograph of Elizabeth and other members of the cast (see below). Tucked further in the box was a copy of the program, and a packet of photographs. I held them in a sacred embrace.
After 29 years of marriage, I imagined that I knew Elizabeth really, really well. After all, we could finish each other’s sentences. That I am uncovering and discovering new things about her even now is both beautiful and unsettling. What else didn’t I know? What other stories might those boxes contain?
Someday I’ll open them again—when I’m ready.
click to view larger image
Day 6: the art of love and loss
February 10, 2020, was the day my wife, Elizabeth Izant, entered the hospital. She and I were on a hopeful journey following her heart transplant five months prior. On March 1, she entered hospice and died March 11. This series is not about her medical journey. This is about sharing stories and reflections about our life together. In our 29 years of marriage, we collected a piece of art or two each year, often in celebration of our marriage anniversary. Each day from February 10 to March 11, I will be sharing an image of that art. And a story.