Random Thanks

Realizing that it is focusing on what's working, counting my blessings, gratitude for what I have, that increases the abundance of those things in my life, for Thanksgiving I made a list of 101 random things I am grateful for--  

1. A councelor who tells me to listen to the voices in my head  2. Chocolate milk  3. William Shatner  4. A warehouse job that allows me to listen to Classical Music  5. Adults who still believe in Santa  6. Long naps with my cats  7. The ability to entertain myself with my own creativity  8. Silence  9. Whimsy  10. Stars to wish upon  11. Where ever it is I go when doing something I love, like drawing comics  12. Rainbows  13. Muppet harmony  14. Everything that led me to being where I am right now -- even the 'bad' stuff  15. Oatmeal -- the perfect food  16. A quiver of new arrows on my back and a beautifully curved bow in my hand  17. Snuggling  18. Friends who become family and family that becomes friends  19. The glory of the full moon  20. Campfires...  21. ...And catching whiffs of wood smoke in my hair for days afterwards  22. Puppy breath  23. Wild places  24. The Faerie folk (and Pixie friends!)  25. Ullian pipes  26. Grande Vanilla Chai  27. Eyes that shine with laughter and wisdom  28. Laughing until my jaw hurts  29. People who are following their bliss, living passionately, and doing what they love  30. Rainbows  31. Moments of deep connection with someone I love  32. Hugs  33. Root beer...  34. ...floats  35. Long, lingering kisses  36. That feeling that lasts into the next day after spending time with someone special  37. Couches to nap on  38. The feeling of awe that comes from looking at something "I" created with the disbelif that it actually came through me  39. Cereal that is just soggy enough  40. Falling asleep to the sound of drums, and waking up to the sound of clanking armor  41. Shoulders to cry on  42. Piggies in a blanket  43. Danny Kay  44. That Xena came along when she did  45. Interlibrary loans  46. Good stories whether ancient sagas, epic poems, faerytales, graphic novels, movies, or what ever  47. Falling asleep to the song of frogs and/or crickets  48. Brilliant puns  49. Rituals with kindred spirits  50. Rainbows  51. Cuddling  52. Egg nog  53. Walking in woods which transform into Sherwood Forest before my eyes  54. Wombats  55. Bells and chimes that give voice to the winds  56. Dancing  57. Bruce Campbell  58. Deep abiding mysteries  59. Coon skin caps and buckskin jackets with fringe  60. Reverse blade swords  61. The Nav'i  62. Faerieworlds  63. Feathers  64. Big dogs  65. Rainbows  70. Glitter  71. Brother Cadfael  72. Jeeves and Wooster  73. Felicity Kendal  74. The honking of geese on the wing  75. Gravel roads  76. Skipping stones  77. A garden burger with mushrooms and swiss cheese...  78. ...Hanging out at the Roanoke Inn  79. The feel of the earth beneath bare feet  80. PBS quilting shows  81. Errol Flynn  82. People to talk to about the 'weird stuff'  83. Seven foot tall, invisible rabbits  84. Rainbows  85. Hope  86. That Honor and Chivalry still live  87. Nag champa  88. A Universe that is safe, friendly, and abundant  89. Four legged, furry children  90. The smell of wet dog  91. Oneness  92. That 42 is the answer and no one knows what the question is  93. Half Price Books  94. The smell of the farm  95. Amazing and breath-taking synchronicities  96. That even when I can't see or believe it, the Universe is unfolding in perfect harmony  97. The soft, gentle kindness of friends' support when I'm feeling weak and/or afraid  98. Smiles that begin in the eyes  99. The sparkly, twinkling magick that underlies all things  100. Being raised near Lake Wobegon  101. Did I mention rainbows?   

The Healing Is Mutual

It wasn't a bad day exactly, in fact bad days have, thankfully, been a rare oddity of late, but this afternoon I did have an emotional challenge that, though it didn't lay me low, did at one point have tears rolling down my cheeks (in the middle of work where, gratefully, most everyone but me was at lunch).

On my lunch break I decided to treat myself to an Egg Nogg Chai (heaven in a cup!) and on the way to the espresso stand I looked over at the pond that is kitty-corner across the street from my day-job, noticing all the ducks and geese there and deciding it would be a healing thing for me to take a walk there, to perhaps find some nice feathers as well as just to connect with Nature.

So upon my return, my cup of 'ambrosia' warming my little tummy, walk I did. Slowly and consciously I strolled around the edge of the water, watching the water birds changing their swimming patterns according to my position.  I walked with my hands open, my arms at a slight angle from my sides, so I could feel the energy of the earth.  Very healing indeed.

The thing that struck me strangely was that, just within the last few days a crew from the city had come in and cut down all the trees and foliage that fringed the pond (which in itself is interesting timing with Samhain and all, amidst a lot of death I've witnessed this season) but the energy of the place was still vital.  A scene that a short time ago would have broken my heart, I was looking upon from a very different perspective.  In the recent shamanic workshop in Santa Fe we really learned how in order to heal someone you can't see them as sick.  You can acknowledge the challenges, but you always see the person, or in this case the land, as whole. 

As I circled around the far end of the pond, feeling more energized and whole myself from the healing vibes of the earth, I silently addressed 'The Spirit of the Land' asking what I could do to help it heal. "You're doing it," came the gentle reply with a hint of a smile, and though I hadn't seen a single feather so far, as soon as the voice spoke in my mind, I spotted a single downy feather at my feet. 

"But, but, but..." I started to protest, expecting some elaborate ceremony involving drums and moonlight and dancing of some sort, "Are you sure you're not just my own mind trying to make my feel important?" "Very sure," came the distinct voice, this time spoken with almost a laugh, "As you walk in wholeness and heal yourself, you heal the land you stand upon. It is that simple.  Besides that, we have been less ravaged than the land around us and are for the most part still intact."

I looked around at the warehouses encroaching on this little oasis of wildlife, and realized what bit of destruction here was but a mere 'trim off the top' compared to the 'development' of the land surrounding it.

I had just about completed my circle around the pond, and I wondered at how curious it was -- healing the Earth which I was receiving healing from. Curious indeed. And suddenly I realized there was one more thing I could do to seal our mutual healing. A song had, unbidden, lept to my mind and onto my lips as I found myself singing out loud over the rippling waters.


           EE    EE
 HEE     LA    HEE                              
                             YO             EE    EE
                                        HEE     LA    HEE
                                                                     YO

What the words, if that's what you can call them, mean or where the fully formed tune came from I do not know, but the resulting healing was mutual, I assure you.