Richmond, VA

Merry meet Friends,
Michele here, bringing lots of love and light!

"The day comes when remaining the same becomes more painful than the risk to grow.  And when that happens there are many goodbyes.  We leave old patterns, old friends, old lovers, old ideas, and some cherished beliefs.  Loss and growth are so often one and the same."  ~ Phoebe Eng

Growth is painful.  It is also exciting even if it is frightening.  We are accustomed to and comfortable with the persons we are, the places we live, the jobs we have and our surroundings, even when in reality we are not.  Sometimes things have to happen to get us out of our comfort zone.  For instance, one may know it's time to leave a situation but will stay out of the fear of uncertainty.  When we stay beyond the expiration date, the "thing", whatever it is becomes stale and sour, and our growth is stunted.  

Situations can be our way of being and thinking.  It is not always a tangible thing.  The way that I believe I was led to travel initially has undergone several changes.  If I held on to the original plan, I would actually be doing nothing as I waited, because it wasn't "that way".  I didn't want to take this job for valid reasons to be sure, but I am glad that I listened to Jason, my youngest son, and gave it a try.  I like my co-workers, the job is not what I imagined, I can work or not work, I am earning money and I can still travel.  

I've been in training for the past two weeks working almost all shifts.  The overnight shift is the easiest but the hardest on my sleep pattern. Day time and evening shifts are busy but the time goes fast. My favorite shift is the 12 pm-8:30 pm although I haven't worked 6 pm-11 pm or 10 am -4 pm yet.  I'll probably like the 10-4 shift. Even though it's a substance abuse program, the job itself is fun, in a weird sort of way.  I like that I don't work the same hours every day and because of it, I get to work with the other staff.  Last night I worked from 4 pm-12:30 am.  Another staff worked from 6 pm- 11 pm and I had never worked with her.  I would have been alone from 11 until the overnight shift came but she decided to stay with me.  I thought that was very considerate of her.

I'm only working 2 days this week because April's schedule had been done.  I'm glad for the break because I have some online classes that I've been neglecting.  I hadn't worked in 3 years and getting back in the swing has been a little rocky.  It takes me almost 2 days to recover from an overnight!  Next week I'm only working 2 days as well because I'm going out of town for 3 days. More information about that when I return.  Last Sunday, my oldest son, his girlfriend, Zorro and myself went to Maryland Live.  It was a birthday celebration for Donnie.  Tiffany and her friend met us there.  It was fun.  I won $3 on the penny slot machine and cashed it in.  Then Tiffany played a slot machine that we still don't understand.

The machine gave Tiffany all of these free games.  Then it began to shoot these coins in the air and playing a song.  We didn't know what was happening and the noise was annoying Tiffany so she stopped it.  At that point, it showed that she had won $38!  I'm yelling, "cash it in, cash it in!"  I didn't want her to lose it back. Had she not stopped the machine when it was making that noise though, who knows how much more than $38 she would have won!  While we ate Tiffany went back to play that particular machine again. She won an additional $16.  I tried my hand and won $10.  Donnie's girlfriend won over $300 on the quarter machine.  It really was fun.

I have an idea that I'm formulating.  It's inspired by something one of my Haitian friends on FB is doing.  It has to do with female empowerment of course.  I am excited because that is my passion. I'm in the process of putting a web site together. When everything is done, I will explain more.  I always have a lot ideas and that's where they stay; in the idea realm.  This time I am implementing what is inspiring me.  I started a FB page, Wild Women Gypsies, in early December, 2014 encouraged by Zakiya.  That page has over 1000 likes!  One thing can lead to many more if we just "Feel the fear and do it anyway" as the title of the book by Susan Jeffers indicates.  I am releasing old patterns in order to move forward. The release of old ideas and old patterns encourages the growth of new patterns and new ideas.  "Loss and growth are so often one and the same."  How true!

Allow the Christ consciousness that abides in us all to rise in you today and everyday. 

Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle