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I am so very, very grateful for stillness! It has been a very noisy year. I can actually hear my heart beat . . . and that's a good thing! Now, instead of my head speaking loudly, it simply whispers to me. That simple act of a whisper makes my heart happy. After all, who likes to be yelled at? So, hooray for the sweetness that comes from a gentle whisper in my ear!
What a "warm" and colorful time of year for those of us that live in the North. This morning the first wave of cold weather has blown in and left a blanket of frost on the land. Like covering a loved one who sleeps with a cozy blanket, so the cold north winds nestle the land with a protective cover to ensure a good rest.
After months of heat, lawn mowers, playful old and young people tromping around with such games as corn hole, horse shoes, and the likes, it is time for all that grows to rest. And, so, we humans who enjoy the beauty of summer with colorful flowers and bountiful gardens speak our gratitude to the land for the rich abundance provided. It is time to trim back the withering flowers, dispose of garden remnants, gather the branches and twigs collected from the spring storms and invite friends over for a night under the stars! With summer insects gone, it is time for hot dogs, brats, s'mores, burnt marshmallows and lots of stories about summer adventures and winter dreams to fill the air.
With Grandfather Sun beginning his ascent I can actually see his rays burning away the thin layer of our first frost. My heart is full of excitement for the golden yellows, burnt oranges, brilliant reds and warm rich browns that will intensify as a result of this first frost! What a truly amazingly rich and diverse planet we inhabit as the frost on the pumpkin heralds in a time of such beauty to those of us that love the North!
It is that time of year when the DOT is repairing, rebuilding, repainting the highways. One can be coasting along the highway and all of a sudden there are orange cones everywhere! Obviously, we all want pothole free roads, smoother pavement and clear visible white lines to keep us on the right track for traveling from place to place. Whether we like the constant slowing down or not, the overall benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. And so we slow down, take our turn to merge with the multiple lanes down into a single one in order to get from point A to point B in a safe and orderly manner.
Our Monthly Gathering has been in existence since I moved back to IN in June 2004. What a fascinating and interesting journey it has been as we began in Cloverdale and moved to Martinsville in 2009. Some of the more "seasoned" members have made this journey up and down the road along 67 and 231 for many miles. It has been an honor and privilege to walk this path with some truly amazing women. Some for a season, some for many years. Always, it has been a learning experience to witness the courage of those that come not knowing exactly why they are making the trek. What they know is their hearts are guiding them to something ... something new, familiar, foreign, scary and comfortable and all the emotions in between.
With this journey the women that "showed up" always left something new for others to ponder, consider and think some more about. Sometimes it was unclear, other times it felt like a true, "homecoming!" And so, we move into this new season of harvesting when we have the opportunity to slow down and notice those that are merging into our lane. We have the gift of stillness that comes when we ease into a new place with someone leading us and someone following us and always, moving in the same direction.
I do hope you will consider continuing this adventure and merge with us as we meet some "fellow" sojourners and move into the direction of Autumn; the place that resides in the heart. As we wrap ourselves in the warmth of our favorite sweatshirt, blanket, or perhaps nestle close to someone we love, let's slow down, listen to our hearts and welcome something new into our lane! Join us for our first merging, Tuesday, Sept 22 at 7 p.m. I will be leaving about 5:45 p.m. and welcome anyone interested in traveling along. Contact me via this blog or vkwspirit@gmail.com. I do not check FB often, so that is not a good place to send me a note. This is our destination:
Of recent, I have learned a great deal about "family," that is to say, those that love you unconditionally and stand by you through thick and thin. I used to think one's biological family was the only source you could genuinely trust to provide such support. Sure, I knew friends were loyal, had a way of making life richer and more diverse; however, my former view was ones family of origin was the most dependable place to find such faithful supporters.
As is often the case, I have learned something new, and that is, it has nothing to do with the genetic biology, rather, it is the heart that creates ones family. I am a very blessed woman in that I have a tremendous family that expands and grows every time I allow my heart to trust ... to genuinely stay open! I must admit i have not always allowed my heart such freedom. Gratefully, that is no longer true!
Perhaps now is a good time for those reading these words to consider the tremendous gift each of you have with the abundantly rich "family" that holds your heart next to theirs. I find this realization one of the best gifts ever!
