Merry meet Friends!
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"Living in the moment without attaching yourself to regrets about yesterday or worries about tomorrow, goes a long way toward cutting through the chaos of everyday life."....Eve Adamson, PhD.,Gary R. Mcclain~
"Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now." ~ Author unknown
"We are always getting ready to live but never living." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be. ~ Eckhart Tolle
"Life is a preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none." ~ Albert Einstein
"Life is available only in the present moment." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." ~ Dale Carnegie
"Be Here Now." ~ Ram Dass
When I read my "about me" and I come to the part about traveling from place to place as led by Spirit, I sometimes wonder why I'm writing this blog since I am not physically traveling. But then the light bulb comes on and I know, once again, that I am traveling as led by Spirit. I am traveling the path to higher consciousness, to enlightenment, to my center, to whatever we wish to name it...the bottom line is - I'm traveling and so are we all whether we know it or not.
My travels this week have taken me to a familiar place that I have been before but have not taken advantage of what this place has to offer. I feel that I have driven swiftly through it or stopped to linger for a while but didn't stay long enough. This place is called Living In The Present Moment. This place has many "cities" to see; the one that I drive through hurriedly is called "risk taking". I visited two places on the outskirts frequently. The one that I visited the most is called, "waiting"; another is called "someday".
What makes us/me so afraid of taking risks and truly living? Henry David Thoreau said it best: "If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." Some of us are afraid to dream because we think it will not happen or if it does we may fail. But life is about living and all that it implies..the highs, the lows and everything in between. Life is messy sometimes; it's not always neat and clean. It definitely is not meant to be placed on a shelf and not used. Use the good china, if only for yourself. You are special!
The fear of failure and the fear of success has kept me from truly living. There are things that I feel called to do but I allow fear to take root. I'm not moving "confidently in the direction of my dreams" and I am not fully trusting Spirit to get me to the place that Spirit is leading me. Hmm, that's really the same thing isn't it? If I trusted Spirit, I would move confidently. A perfect example of this is when I first started this "Gypsi Journey". I knew that I was supposed to go wherever led but before I went anywhere I allowed fear in its many forms to enter. I said to Spirit, "I can't see at night, and I don't have much money, I need to kind of know the direction and kind of, sort of, where I'm going. I said these things as if Spirit didn't already know them. I didn't trust Spirit to take care of me.
I have decided to drive straight through "waiting" and "someday" and enter Living In The Present Moment with wild enthusiasm. My first stop in this place is "risk taking" and I intend to stay for awhile. I am anticipating with excitement and nervousness (same root), to jump off this very high diving board and land in the pool of infinite possibilities and swim with them over to action. I've felt this before and probably said it also but I am determined to "live the life I've imagined", enjoy the present moment and BE!
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry meet Friends!
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"The wise do not buy into other people's perceptions of who they are and what they are capable of. Instead, they bypass a person's public persona and see who they are in their highest expression. When you see actions taken with integrity, instead of words only, you will then know a soul's worth." ~ Shannon L. Alder
"I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be, but most people are unaware that I am much more than what they see." ~Douglas Pagels
I work in a substance abuse treatment center for women. Each morning and evening the women recite the philosophy. At the end of the philosophy it says: If you treat a woman as she is, she will stay as she is. But if you treat her as if she were what she ought to be and could be, she will become what she ought to be and could be." These are powerful words which we all need to live by. Each day that I work I am reminded of these words because at work and outside of work, I see people treating people as they are instead of who they can be and in reality who they really are. We are all expressions of God/Goddess/All That Is, whether we believe it or not.
When we continue to treat people with the illusion of who they present, they continue to act that way. We don't allow people to step into their highest expressions. It is up to us to see ourselves and others in the way the Creator see us. How do we do this? We begin by realizing that we are one with the source of all life. I know that some spiritual traditions believe that we are not all children of God if we don't adhere to certain ideologies. However, we were all created by the same source. Are my children no longer my children if they don't follow my beliefs? Of course not! Regardless of their actions, they are my children and so it is with The Creator of ALL!
As I grow in consciousness, I notice things about people (and myself) that I had not noticed earlier. When we vibrate at a different energy level, everything changes or rather our "eyes" are opened to the masks that are worn. People can appear to be very superficial; only concerned with looks, money, titles, etc; surface things. Quite often those are their concerns. I have discovered that people are afraid to be who they are. Kurt Cobain says it this way: "I was tired of pretending that I was someone else just to get along with people, just for the sake of having friendships." People have a need to fit in with others and to be liked. So, often they hide themselves from themselves and others.
I see clients at work reciting the philosophy yet continue to act "as she is" because she has not seen herself as she can be or ought to be. Part of my job is to help them see themselves differently because I see them differently; because I treat them as they truly are and not as they present. My oldest son is in recovery and I notice that he is still treated by some as if he is using. The thing is, he has relapsed several times and may do so again, but I choose to see him as he is divinely created to be. Do I forget sometimes? I most certainly do; I forget to see myself that way sometimes. However I am aware that there is another way of seeing. Over Thanksgiving I noticed some behavior that was very superficial but when I look into the hearts of the people and not listen to their words, I see the essence of who they are. And who they are is generous and kind.
We are so much more than we and other people think we are. I realize that seeing people as they can be, or I really prefer saying as they truly are and not the illusion they present, can be daunting for some. We have all been hurt by trusting or "seeing the good" in people; we have hurt others as well. There comes a time when we must understand that we are one and we all carry parts of ourselves and others to each person that we meet. That time is now. If each person would help someone else know and see his or her worth, and that person in turn does the same thing, we may not be on the brink of a world war. Sure we have different cultures and beliefs but we are still one race; the human race. May we allow ourselves to be seen and to see with the eyes of compassion and love? May we honor the journey that we are each on separately and collectively? May we know a soul's worth and our own?
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be!
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"The wise do not buy into other people's perceptions of who they are and what they are capable of. Instead, they bypass a person's public persona and see who they are in their highest expression. When you see actions taken with integrity, instead of words only, you will then know a soul's worth." ~ Shannon L. Alder
"I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be, but most people are unaware that I am much more than what they see." ~Douglas Pagels
I work in a substance abuse treatment center for women. Each morning and evening the women recite the philosophy. At the end of the philosophy it says: If you treat a woman as she is, she will stay as she is. But if you treat her as if she were what she ought to be and could be, she will become what she ought to be and could be." These are powerful words which we all need to live by. Each day that I work I am reminded of these words because at work and outside of work, I see people treating people as they are instead of who they can be and in reality who they really are. We are all expressions of God/Goddess/All That Is, whether we believe it or not.
When we continue to treat people with the illusion of who they present, they continue to act that way. We don't allow people to step into their highest expressions. It is up to us to see ourselves and others in the way the Creator see us. How do we do this? We begin by realizing that we are one with the source of all life. I know that some spiritual traditions believe that we are not all children of God if we don't adhere to certain ideologies. However, we were all created by the same source. Are my children no longer my children if they don't follow my beliefs? Of course not! Regardless of their actions, they are my children and so it is with The Creator of ALL!
As I grow in consciousness, I notice things about people (and myself) that I had not noticed earlier. When we vibrate at a different energy level, everything changes or rather our "eyes" are opened to the masks that are worn. People can appear to be very superficial; only concerned with looks, money, titles, etc; surface things. Quite often those are their concerns. I have discovered that people are afraid to be who they are. Kurt Cobain says it this way: "I was tired of pretending that I was someone else just to get along with people, just for the sake of having friendships." People have a need to fit in with others and to be liked. So, often they hide themselves from themselves and others.
I see clients at work reciting the philosophy yet continue to act "as she is" because she has not seen herself as she can be or ought to be. Part of my job is to help them see themselves differently because I see them differently; because I treat them as they truly are and not as they present. My oldest son is in recovery and I notice that he is still treated by some as if he is using. The thing is, he has relapsed several times and may do so again, but I choose to see him as he is divinely created to be. Do I forget sometimes? I most certainly do; I forget to see myself that way sometimes. However I am aware that there is another way of seeing. Over Thanksgiving I noticed some behavior that was very superficial but when I look into the hearts of the people and not listen to their words, I see the essence of who they are. And who they are is generous and kind.
We are so much more than we and other people think we are. I realize that seeing people as they can be, or I really prefer saying as they truly are and not the illusion they present, can be daunting for some. We have all been hurt by trusting or "seeing the good" in people; we have hurt others as well. There comes a time when we must understand that we are one and we all carry parts of ourselves and others to each person that we meet. That time is now. If each person would help someone else know and see his or her worth, and that person in turn does the same thing, we may not be on the brink of a world war. Sure we have different cultures and beliefs but we are still one race; the human race. May we allow ourselves to be seen and to see with the eyes of compassion and love? May we honor the journey that we are each on separately and collectively? May we know a soul's worth and our own?
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be!
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry Meet Friends!
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"...your life is not a puzzle to be solved but rather a journey to be lived. You can rise above your mundane concerns and greet the profound with awe and admiration. You can rest in the benevolence of the great unknown. There are no mistakes, only lessons; whatever road you choose will eventually lead you home."
~Victor La Cerva, Worldwords
Funny How Time Slips Away...
Willie Nelson
"Well, hello there
My it's been a long, long time
How am I doin'?
Oh, I guess that I'm doin' fine
It's been so long now but it seems now
That it was only yesterday
Gee, ain't it funny how time slips away"
These are the words I heard when I knew I was going to start my blog posts again. I didn't realize my last post was August. Life has a way of getting in the way of your life sometimes. Between working and moving, I've felt too tired to think about writing; but writing is a love of mine and I intend to do what I love. So let's see, what has been happening?
Well, for starters, I fell again...this time on the treadmill. I was jogging and I placed my hands at the top to steady myself and the next thing I knew, the speed was on 10. It didn't occur to me to jump off. It did occur to me to hit the stop button but I didn't want to lose the time and calorie count, sooo I just tried to lower the speed. I forgot to mention that I didn't have lights on which meant I couldn't see. As I'm jogging "faster than a speeding bullet", my hands slipped and I fell to one knee. Then somehow, I was flat on my stomach with my feet extended past the edge. I had a horrible bruise on my thigh and I tore the skin from the front of my ankle. It took several weeks for the sore to heal and I have a scar to remind me to: jog in light. not to place my hands at the top, and to not be concerned about losing time. We can start over; lesson learned.
A few weeks ago I was going to the grocery store traveling down Leigh Street. I had to pass an elementary school and school was being dismissed. The school bus had the stop sign out to load the children. There were two cars in front of me. At first I had the usual reaction we humans have when a wrench is thrown in our plans but there was nothing I could do but wait. While waiting the car in front of me backed up and made a left turn. Before he was fully in the turn, the bus pulled off. Had he waited he would have been down Leigh Street sooner than his turn around. That incident caused me to think about life. I thought about the way people give up right before the breakthrough. No, we don't know when it's going to happen, but patience and perseverance wins. We give up before we see the light at the end of the tunnel. We stop our blessings.
Sometimes on this inward journey I get discouraged. I'm not sure where I'm being led or I know the end result but I don't know how to get there. I question myself and the decisions that I make or don't make. I am on a quest for myself and I have been for some time. I feel as if I don't know anything. But according to the quote above, that's okay. ...there are no mistakes, only lessons. I will get there. I just don't want to miss what's in front of me. Sometimes we aren't aware that there is a lesson. We are blind. Lord, help me to see, really see!
The Southeast Wise Woman Fall Conference was in October. I attended last year as one of the workers. I was doing the same thing this year but with an added bonus. I was asked to do a workshop and was identified on the brochure as one of the teachers. I was excited and nervous at the same time. My topic was: Embracing Our Natural Beauty. This is a subject that's dear to me. The conference took place on the same weekend as that terrible storm. I was nervous about driving in the mountains and I kept going back and forth as to whether or not to attend. When a state of emergency was declared in NC, I chose not to attend. I really do wish that I had braved the weather and gone anyway. It was wet, muddy, damp and cold but those who were there, felt the energy that I experienced last year.
Speaking at the conference would have jump started, what I believe is my purpose: empowering women. I feel this was a missed opportunity but there's nothing stopping me from doing a workshop here in Richmond. "Bloom where you're planted". As I empower myself, I am able to use what I have learned and experienced to aid others. Kifu Faruq, whom I met at the conference last year, is the woman who asked me to speak this year. When I asked her why, she said it was because she heard my passion in May when we were together in NC and she also heard me say how I stop myself from going forward. Once I committed, she felt I couldn't/wouldn't back out. If not for the weather, I would not have; at least that's what I tell myself.
As I approach the Winter Solstice and my 65th birthday, my desire is to "be all that I can be". If not now, when? I wish to be the expression of God/Goddess/All That Is that I was created to be. Hopefully, this is the year that I will.
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"...your life is not a puzzle to be solved but rather a journey to be lived. You can rise above your mundane concerns and greet the profound with awe and admiration. You can rest in the benevolence of the great unknown. There are no mistakes, only lessons; whatever road you choose will eventually lead you home."
~Victor La Cerva, Worldwords
Funny How Time Slips Away...
Willie Nelson
"Well, hello there
My it's been a long, long time
How am I doin'?
Oh, I guess that I'm doin' fine
It's been so long now but it seems now
That it was only yesterday
Gee, ain't it funny how time slips away"
These are the words I heard when I knew I was going to start my blog posts again. I didn't realize my last post was August. Life has a way of getting in the way of your life sometimes. Between working and moving, I've felt too tired to think about writing; but writing is a love of mine and I intend to do what I love. So let's see, what has been happening?
Well, for starters, I fell again...this time on the treadmill. I was jogging and I placed my hands at the top to steady myself and the next thing I knew, the speed was on 10. It didn't occur to me to jump off. It did occur to me to hit the stop button but I didn't want to lose the time and calorie count, sooo I just tried to lower the speed. I forgot to mention that I didn't have lights on which meant I couldn't see. As I'm jogging "faster than a speeding bullet", my hands slipped and I fell to one knee. Then somehow, I was flat on my stomach with my feet extended past the edge. I had a horrible bruise on my thigh and I tore the skin from the front of my ankle. It took several weeks for the sore to heal and I have a scar to remind me to: jog in light. not to place my hands at the top, and to not be concerned about losing time. We can start over; lesson learned.
A few weeks ago I was going to the grocery store traveling down Leigh Street. I had to pass an elementary school and school was being dismissed. The school bus had the stop sign out to load the children. There were two cars in front of me. At first I had the usual reaction we humans have when a wrench is thrown in our plans but there was nothing I could do but wait. While waiting the car in front of me backed up and made a left turn. Before he was fully in the turn, the bus pulled off. Had he waited he would have been down Leigh Street sooner than his turn around. That incident caused me to think about life. I thought about the way people give up right before the breakthrough. No, we don't know when it's going to happen, but patience and perseverance wins. We give up before we see the light at the end of the tunnel. We stop our blessings.
Sometimes on this inward journey I get discouraged. I'm not sure where I'm being led or I know the end result but I don't know how to get there. I question myself and the decisions that I make or don't make. I am on a quest for myself and I have been for some time. I feel as if I don't know anything. But according to the quote above, that's okay. ...there are no mistakes, only lessons. I will get there. I just don't want to miss what's in front of me. Sometimes we aren't aware that there is a lesson. We are blind. Lord, help me to see, really see!
The Southeast Wise Woman Fall Conference was in October. I attended last year as one of the workers. I was doing the same thing this year but with an added bonus. I was asked to do a workshop and was identified on the brochure as one of the teachers. I was excited and nervous at the same time. My topic was: Embracing Our Natural Beauty. This is a subject that's dear to me. The conference took place on the same weekend as that terrible storm. I was nervous about driving in the mountains and I kept going back and forth as to whether or not to attend. When a state of emergency was declared in NC, I chose not to attend. I really do wish that I had braved the weather and gone anyway. It was wet, muddy, damp and cold but those who were there, felt the energy that I experienced last year.
Speaking at the conference would have jump started, what I believe is my purpose: empowering women. I feel this was a missed opportunity but there's nothing stopping me from doing a workshop here in Richmond. "Bloom where you're planted". As I empower myself, I am able to use what I have learned and experienced to aid others. Kifu Faruq, whom I met at the conference last year, is the woman who asked me to speak this year. When I asked her why, she said it was because she heard my passion in May when we were together in NC and she also heard me say how I stop myself from going forward. Once I committed, she felt I couldn't/wouldn't back out. If not for the weather, I would not have; at least that's what I tell myself.
As I approach the Winter Solstice and my 65th birthday, my desire is to "be all that I can be". If not now, when? I wish to be the expression of God/Goddess/All That Is that I was created to be. Hopefully, this is the year that I will.
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry meet Friends,
Michelle here, sending lots of love and light!
"As often happens on the spiritual journey, we have arrived at the heart of a paradox: each time a door closes, the rest of the world opens up. All we need to do is stop pounding on the door that has just closed, turn around - which puts the door behind us - and welcome the largeness of life that now lies open to our souls. The door that closed kept us from entering a room, but what now lies before us is the rest of reality." ~ Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak
"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello." ~ Paula Coehlo
"When God gives you a new beginning, it starts with an ending. Be thankful for closed doors, they often guide us to the right one!" ~ A Woman of Faith
"When one door closes, another opens but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." ~ Alexander Graham Bell
Well no surprise here, as one can see, I'm pondering endings and beginnings. Life is a series of them....but as the quotes above state..we miss the openings sometimes. I'm transitioning into something else; someone else, or maybe not someone else but the "me" I've always been but am now beginning to manifest. Outer changes are happening because of inner changes. It is definitely a paradox because sometimes I don't recognize me yet I know this me. For sixteen years I've had a nose piercing. I always wore a stud. Three weeks ago, I had a second nose piercing done beside the first one. I took out the original stud and put in a nose hoop. It felt right, absolutely right. It felt and looked like a "me" I had forgotten. The winds of change are blowing and calling my name.
Last Sunday morning after writing the blog, I went to the bathroom to shower. I was meeting a friend for brunch. As I reached for my sponge, I slipped. I shower everyday so what caused me to slip? I fell down and then hit my head on the tile, pulling the shower curtain down along with me. I didn't black out because I remember asking myself if I were going to black out. LOL Anyway, my head hurt and although there was no knot, there was a red patch in the back of my head. I was very shaken up by the entire incident. I read the symptoms of a concussion and didn't feel as if I had one. On Tuesday, I felt woozy and went to the ER. The doctor checked my ears and discovered that I had fluid buildup behind my left ear. I mentioned to the doctor that I thought it was sinus and a fluid buildup; it usually happens to me once a year. I was given a CT scan and it was negative. Thank God/Goddess/All That Is! I believe the "craziness" that I felt that early Sunday Morning a few weeks ago, was because of the fluid...still I'm not drinking though.
After being off for nine days, I went back to work on Thursday for eight hours, Friday and Saturday for twelve hours and today for eight. It was rough. It's good to be off for awhile but hard to get back into the groove sometimes. I was supposed to have the same type of schedule this week but am working for a woman on Friday, then was asked by the director to work on the 17th. I have my daughter Tiffany's sewing machine and have decided to start sewing again. The Yoruba reading I had, said that I needed to engage my creativity which would eliminate the depression/oppression I had been feeling. I am also entering into a partnership with Mishi McCoy of Mishi's Gathering of the Wild and Mystical. I'm very excited to work with her and Beverly Loving. It's a time of newness; a time of endings and beginnings.
I like my job and the flexibility of the hours. I don't know if things will change when the new company takes over but for now it's fine. However the winds of change are calling this gypsi mama. I don't know why I am always so restless! I had to have been a gypsy in a previous life, I had to have been! I am always wanting change of some kind; always wanting to see another place, be exposed to other cultures. I'm not sure what's going to happen in my life, who does know?, but I do know that change is coming, things are ending and things are beginning. I will not stand and look at the closed door, I will turn around and "welcome the largeness of life that now lies open to my soul".
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, sending lots of love and light!
"As often happens on the spiritual journey, we have arrived at the heart of a paradox: each time a door closes, the rest of the world opens up. All we need to do is stop pounding on the door that has just closed, turn around - which puts the door behind us - and welcome the largeness of life that now lies open to our souls. The door that closed kept us from entering a room, but what now lies before us is the rest of reality." ~ Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak
"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello." ~ Paula Coehlo
"When God gives you a new beginning, it starts with an ending. Be thankful for closed doors, they often guide us to the right one!" ~ A Woman of Faith
"When one door closes, another opens but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." ~ Alexander Graham Bell
Well no surprise here, as one can see, I'm pondering endings and beginnings. Life is a series of them....but as the quotes above state..we miss the openings sometimes. I'm transitioning into something else; someone else, or maybe not someone else but the "me" I've always been but am now beginning to manifest. Outer changes are happening because of inner changes. It is definitely a paradox because sometimes I don't recognize me yet I know this me. For sixteen years I've had a nose piercing. I always wore a stud. Three weeks ago, I had a second nose piercing done beside the first one. I took out the original stud and put in a nose hoop. It felt right, absolutely right. It felt and looked like a "me" I had forgotten. The winds of change are blowing and calling my name.
Last Sunday morning after writing the blog, I went to the bathroom to shower. I was meeting a friend for brunch. As I reached for my sponge, I slipped. I shower everyday so what caused me to slip? I fell down and then hit my head on the tile, pulling the shower curtain down along with me. I didn't black out because I remember asking myself if I were going to black out. LOL Anyway, my head hurt and although there was no knot, there was a red patch in the back of my head. I was very shaken up by the entire incident. I read the symptoms of a concussion and didn't feel as if I had one. On Tuesday, I felt woozy and went to the ER. The doctor checked my ears and discovered that I had fluid buildup behind my left ear. I mentioned to the doctor that I thought it was sinus and a fluid buildup; it usually happens to me once a year. I was given a CT scan and it was negative. Thank God/Goddess/All That Is! I believe the "craziness" that I felt that early Sunday Morning a few weeks ago, was because of the fluid...still I'm not drinking though.
After being off for nine days, I went back to work on Thursday for eight hours, Friday and Saturday for twelve hours and today for eight. It was rough. It's good to be off for awhile but hard to get back into the groove sometimes. I was supposed to have the same type of schedule this week but am working for a woman on Friday, then was asked by the director to work on the 17th. I have my daughter Tiffany's sewing machine and have decided to start sewing again. The Yoruba reading I had, said that I needed to engage my creativity which would eliminate the depression/oppression I had been feeling. I am also entering into a partnership with Mishi McCoy of Mishi's Gathering of the Wild and Mystical. I'm very excited to work with her and Beverly Loving. It's a time of newness; a time of endings and beginnings.
I like my job and the flexibility of the hours. I don't know if things will change when the new company takes over but for now it's fine. However the winds of change are calling this gypsi mama. I don't know why I am always so restless! I had to have been a gypsy in a previous life, I had to have been! I am always wanting change of some kind; always wanting to see another place, be exposed to other cultures. I'm not sure what's going to happen in my life, who does know?, but I do know that change is coming, things are ending and things are beginning. I will not stand and look at the closed door, I will turn around and "welcome the largeness of life that now lies open to my soul".
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry meet friends!
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"When a path opens before us that leads we know not where, don't be afraid to follow it. Our lives are meant to be mysterious journeys, unfolding one step at a time. ...Don't be afraid to lose your way. Out of chaos, clarity will eventually arise. Out of not knowing, something new and unknown will ultimately come. Do not order things too swiftly. Wait and the miracle will appear. ~ Anne Mortifee, In Love with the Mystery
"You are the laboratory and every day is an experiment. Go and find what is new and unexpected." ~ Joel Elkes
I apologize for my absence the past two weeks. Two Sundays ago, I wasn't feeling well. I awakened around 1:00am feeling weird. I was in no pain but I felt "not right". My son and his friend were visiting. I knew they were going to church later so I didn't want to disturb him but he heard me. He asked what was wrong. I told him that I didn't know; I just felt "off" or crazy. (crazier than usual, I might add). We talked for awhile (I believe he was praying), I took an aspirin and went back to bed. My nose started running and at that point I believed it was sinuses. I immediately felt better, having an idea at least of what it could be, and told Jason. The rest of the early morning passed without incident. I took two sinus pills (I hate medicine) and felt somewhat better.
Jason's father and I were going to go to DC since Jason was stopping there overnight before heading back to New York. Traffic was horrendous and so we turned around. I was glad because I still didn't feel too well and I was having a reading later. Rev. DeShannon Bowens is a Yoruba Priestess and an Interfaith/Interspiritual minister from OSIS. I had two previous readings: one in 2012 or 2013 and another in 2014. DeShannon never asks what the issues are, she just does her thing. She has always been on point with me. Many parts of the readings have been confirmations and in some other parts new information comes to light. I am grateful that Spirit had me meet her through seminary.
Last Sunday I opened the computer to type the blog and my apps wouldn't pop up! The computer wouldn't shut down and I didn't know what was happening. I tried to type on my phone, I did that Mother's Day, but this time it wouldn't give me the font I wanted. When I got the geek squad on the phone, the solution was simple; I hadn't shut the laptop completely off the last time I used it. All I had to do was hold the power button for a few seconds, leave it off a few seconds more and then reboot. By that time though I had to go to work. My intent was to post later that night or early Monday but that didn't happen. I have learned to go with the flow...if it doesn't happen at the time then maybe it's not meant to happen at that moment. Last Sunday was the start of a new pay period and my last day working until August 6th. It's just the way the schedule was written. Usually someone calls out and I'm given a call but not this past week...so I took that as a sign that I needed to work on me.
I started exercising again this past week; walking, jogging, squats and crunches. Consistency is the key and as my daughter, Zakiya says, the body remembers. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I'm back to the way that I ate in bootcamp while in LA. I haven't been drinking because the night I felt "crazy", I had a glass of Prosecco before retiring and I don't know if that caused the weirdness along with sinus or if it was just the sinus but either way, it scared me. I'm headed to a wine festival on the 15th but I will just enjoy the band. I have also been meditating and contemplating more. A spiritual practice keeps me grounded and trust me, I need to be grounded. The insights and revelations gained from this practice are astounding. I am also practicing not becoming annoyed by anything or anyone; that can be hard but it's not the persons or situations, it's my consciousness.
My last post was about the restlessness and the one before about the sadness I've been feeling. Based on the reading I had and the above quotes, I am allowing the "mysteries" to take place as they will. I don't know what's around the corner but I'm not in fear of whatever it is. I had been feeling that I had lost my way and that I didn't know who I was, what I was supposed to be doing or where i was headed. My friend Celeste felt the sadness was due to depression but I didn't feel depressed, then DeShannon touched on depression as well. "Out of the mouths of two or three witnesses...." Maybe that's the trick of depression, for one not to know...at any rate, "out of chaos, clarity will eventually arise", as stated above. Life is a mystery and it is gloriously unfolding one step at a time. We, ourselves, are mysteries. We each unfold, second by second, minute by minute and so forth. We discover new things about ourselves and other things we've forgotten. We let some things and people go and embrace others. "Don't be afraid to lose your way......Wait and the miracle will appear." We are the miracles!
Until next Sunday, (hopefully)
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"When a path opens before us that leads we know not where, don't be afraid to follow it. Our lives are meant to be mysterious journeys, unfolding one step at a time. ...Don't be afraid to lose your way. Out of chaos, clarity will eventually arise. Out of not knowing, something new and unknown will ultimately come. Do not order things too swiftly. Wait and the miracle will appear. ~ Anne Mortifee, In Love with the Mystery
"You are the laboratory and every day is an experiment. Go and find what is new and unexpected." ~ Joel Elkes
I apologize for my absence the past two weeks. Two Sundays ago, I wasn't feeling well. I awakened around 1:00am feeling weird. I was in no pain but I felt "not right". My son and his friend were visiting. I knew they were going to church later so I didn't want to disturb him but he heard me. He asked what was wrong. I told him that I didn't know; I just felt "off" or crazy. (crazier than usual, I might add). We talked for awhile (I believe he was praying), I took an aspirin and went back to bed. My nose started running and at that point I believed it was sinuses. I immediately felt better, having an idea at least of what it could be, and told Jason. The rest of the early morning passed without incident. I took two sinus pills (I hate medicine) and felt somewhat better.
Jason's father and I were going to go to DC since Jason was stopping there overnight before heading back to New York. Traffic was horrendous and so we turned around. I was glad because I still didn't feel too well and I was having a reading later. Rev. DeShannon Bowens is a Yoruba Priestess and an Interfaith/Interspiritual minister from OSIS. I had two previous readings: one in 2012 or 2013 and another in 2014. DeShannon never asks what the issues are, she just does her thing. She has always been on point with me. Many parts of the readings have been confirmations and in some other parts new information comes to light. I am grateful that Spirit had me meet her through seminary.
Last Sunday I opened the computer to type the blog and my apps wouldn't pop up! The computer wouldn't shut down and I didn't know what was happening. I tried to type on my phone, I did that Mother's Day, but this time it wouldn't give me the font I wanted. When I got the geek squad on the phone, the solution was simple; I hadn't shut the laptop completely off the last time I used it. All I had to do was hold the power button for a few seconds, leave it off a few seconds more and then reboot. By that time though I had to go to work. My intent was to post later that night or early Monday but that didn't happen. I have learned to go with the flow...if it doesn't happen at the time then maybe it's not meant to happen at that moment. Last Sunday was the start of a new pay period and my last day working until August 6th. It's just the way the schedule was written. Usually someone calls out and I'm given a call but not this past week...so I took that as a sign that I needed to work on me.
I started exercising again this past week; walking, jogging, squats and crunches. Consistency is the key and as my daughter, Zakiya says, the body remembers. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I'm back to the way that I ate in bootcamp while in LA. I haven't been drinking because the night I felt "crazy", I had a glass of Prosecco before retiring and I don't know if that caused the weirdness along with sinus or if it was just the sinus but either way, it scared me. I'm headed to a wine festival on the 15th but I will just enjoy the band. I have also been meditating and contemplating more. A spiritual practice keeps me grounded and trust me, I need to be grounded. The insights and revelations gained from this practice are astounding. I am also practicing not becoming annoyed by anything or anyone; that can be hard but it's not the persons or situations, it's my consciousness.
My last post was about the restlessness and the one before about the sadness I've been feeling. Based on the reading I had and the above quotes, I am allowing the "mysteries" to take place as they will. I don't know what's around the corner but I'm not in fear of whatever it is. I had been feeling that I had lost my way and that I didn't know who I was, what I was supposed to be doing or where i was headed. My friend Celeste felt the sadness was due to depression but I didn't feel depressed, then DeShannon touched on depression as well. "Out of the mouths of two or three witnesses...." Maybe that's the trick of depression, for one not to know...at any rate, "out of chaos, clarity will eventually arise", as stated above. Life is a mystery and it is gloriously unfolding one step at a time. We, ourselves, are mysteries. We each unfold, second by second, minute by minute and so forth. We discover new things about ourselves and other things we've forgotten. We let some things and people go and embrace others. "Don't be afraid to lose your way......Wait and the miracle will appear." We are the miracles!
Until next Sunday, (hopefully)
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry meet Friends!
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"The song of your soul is longing to be sung. Let your own essence express itself freely." ~ Brandon Bays
"There is an immense, painful longing for a broader, more flexible, fuller, more coherent, more comprehensive account of what we human beings are, who we are and what this life is for." ~ Saul Bellow
"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself." ~ Dr. Maya Angelou
It's that time for me again...that longing time, that restless time, that tiger in the cage time. I don't think it ever really leaves me. I think it just plays hide and seek; then it sneaks up on me and yells, "Tag, you're it!" The yearning to be, to do, to travel, to explore, to live, is calling. I do believe that it is "the song of my soul longing to be sung". What is that song that wants to express itself? I hear it in the same way that the sailors of old heard the siren's song. It's distant but I keep trying to get closer. I don't think it's leading me to destruction as told in the myth, however.
I've been sad this week. I know it's due in part to my friend James' funeral on Tuesday. Many classmates have made their transition but he was a close friend. Death has a way of causing one to think about life and living. It happens unexpectedly even though we all know it will happen at some point. When it hits close to home, it causes a reevaluation of, well everything. Saul Bellow expresses it well in the above quote: "...more comprehensive account of what we human beings are, who we are, and what this life is for." As I've written in several of my poems, I don't want to only exist; I want to LIVE. Nothing makes that point more emphatically than death.
I've also been sad because of the longing. I seem to be fine but then an un-explainable sadness wells up in me. I get teary eyed and sometimes cry. I have even shouted out to Spirit, "WHAT?" I must have been a gypsy in a former life because I can't explain why I am always so restless. Things seem to be fine then BAM, longing! The desire to explore, have new adventures and meet new people excites me immensely. Living among different cultures and learning from the people broadens our horizons and increases our understanding. I believe it makes us more loving, compassionate and kind.
There are these tiny houses being sold now. People who don't need an enormous amount of space are buying and/or building them. They have wheels in order to travel. I don't believe they are expensive. I certainly would like to have one to live in and travel. That would be a way for my outward gypsy journey to continue. Dr. Angelou says that we all want "..to be at home wherever I find myself." I think that is true; we would like to feel at home, at any rate. The saying goes: Home is where the heart is. I suppose if we feel at home wherever we are, then our heart is there, at least for that time. Did Gypsies feel at home wherever they roamed? They did make camp wherever, so perhaps they did. They stayed until they were run off, grew tired of the place or heard a distant call.
For me, it is more about hearing a distant call. Something beckons me to follow the sound. I don't think I have really answered that call fully. That's the idea of the journey; to listen to the sound of the wind and follow wherever it leads. One of my favorite movies is Chocolat, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She plays a young mother with a 6 year old daughter. Johnny Depp is a gypsy. In a way she is one also, except she only travels with her daughter. There is a particular wind that she hears and it tells her when to leave and which direction to follow. I cried when I watched that movie because it spoke to the longing of my soul.
Until I follow the call, this longing will continue to return and return, because it doesn't ever leave really. I may go out of town for awhile and that seems to satisfy but it doesn't. My gypsy spirit needs to be free. I do know that freedom is a state of mind, in the same way that we can carry home with us. However, my heart, soul and spirit cries out for an outward expression of the workings of the mind. George Eliot says it like this: "It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them." I feel that I am starving!
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"The song of your soul is longing to be sung. Let your own essence express itself freely." ~ Brandon Bays
"There is an immense, painful longing for a broader, more flexible, fuller, more coherent, more comprehensive account of what we human beings are, who we are and what this life is for." ~ Saul Bellow
"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself." ~ Dr. Maya Angelou
It's that time for me again...that longing time, that restless time, that tiger in the cage time. I don't think it ever really leaves me. I think it just plays hide and seek; then it sneaks up on me and yells, "Tag, you're it!" The yearning to be, to do, to travel, to explore, to live, is calling. I do believe that it is "the song of my soul longing to be sung". What is that song that wants to express itself? I hear it in the same way that the sailors of old heard the siren's song. It's distant but I keep trying to get closer. I don't think it's leading me to destruction as told in the myth, however.
I've been sad this week. I know it's due in part to my friend James' funeral on Tuesday. Many classmates have made their transition but he was a close friend. Death has a way of causing one to think about life and living. It happens unexpectedly even though we all know it will happen at some point. When it hits close to home, it causes a reevaluation of, well everything. Saul Bellow expresses it well in the above quote: "...more comprehensive account of what we human beings are, who we are, and what this life is for." As I've written in several of my poems, I don't want to only exist; I want to LIVE. Nothing makes that point more emphatically than death.
I've also been sad because of the longing. I seem to be fine but then an un-explainable sadness wells up in me. I get teary eyed and sometimes cry. I have even shouted out to Spirit, "WHAT?" I must have been a gypsy in a former life because I can't explain why I am always so restless. Things seem to be fine then BAM, longing! The desire to explore, have new adventures and meet new people excites me immensely. Living among different cultures and learning from the people broadens our horizons and increases our understanding. I believe it makes us more loving, compassionate and kind.
There are these tiny houses being sold now. People who don't need an enormous amount of space are buying and/or building them. They have wheels in order to travel. I don't believe they are expensive. I certainly would like to have one to live in and travel. That would be a way for my outward gypsy journey to continue. Dr. Angelou says that we all want "..to be at home wherever I find myself." I think that is true; we would like to feel at home, at any rate. The saying goes: Home is where the heart is. I suppose if we feel at home wherever we are, then our heart is there, at least for that time. Did Gypsies feel at home wherever they roamed? They did make camp wherever, so perhaps they did. They stayed until they were run off, grew tired of the place or heard a distant call.
For me, it is more about hearing a distant call. Something beckons me to follow the sound. I don't think I have really answered that call fully. That's the idea of the journey; to listen to the sound of the wind and follow wherever it leads. One of my favorite movies is Chocolat, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She plays a young mother with a 6 year old daughter. Johnny Depp is a gypsy. In a way she is one also, except she only travels with her daughter. There is a particular wind that she hears and it tells her when to leave and which direction to follow. I cried when I watched that movie because it spoke to the longing of my soul.
Until I follow the call, this longing will continue to return and return, because it doesn't ever leave really. I may go out of town for awhile and that seems to satisfy but it doesn't. My gypsy spirit needs to be free. I do know that freedom is a state of mind, in the same way that we can carry home with us. However, my heart, soul and spirit cries out for an outward expression of the workings of the mind. George Eliot says it like this: "It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them." I feel that I am starving!
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Richmond, VA
Merry meet Friends,
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory that no one can steal."....author unknown
"In every shadow there is light, in every tear, a smile. In death I know there still is life that lingers for awhile."...author unknown
On Monday the 29th, I visited my youngest daughter Tiffany in DC. She moved into a new apartment which I hadn't seen since moving day. I love the building and all of the amenities. She still lives in NW, just a different section. We walked around the corner to Busboys and Poets for a late lunch. Tiffany knew that I would love the food because it's natural, organic and some of it is gluten free. The food is delicious! I spent the remainder of my time in DC catching up with my daughter and her fiance. I plan to go back to Busboys and Poets with some of the "Golden Crew". As Tiffany and I prepared to leave for lunch, I noticed a missed call and a text from Venetia, one of the crew.
The last time that I was with the "crew" was in Charlottesville, VA for a day trip. There were five women and two men. One of the men was my very good friend, James. We had a day filled with fun, food, drinks, laughter and freedom. When I called Venetia, I instantly knew something was wrong by the sound of her voice. I asked what was wrong and she told me that James was in the hospital with cancer. She was extremely distraught and I couldn't get a clear understanding of what had happened. She had just found out herself and called me.
Later that night, upon my return to Richmond, I called Wanda, another member of the crew and a very good friend of James. I was told that James had lung cancer which had spread to the liver and there were two lesions on the brain. He had known about the lungs and liver before Father's Day. He found out about the brain on Friday and was admitted at that time. On Tuesday, Linda (another crew member) and I went to see him in the hospital. I spoke with his sister, Alma, in depth. James called me "First Lady" and I called him "Mr. President". It was a private joke. He and I signed every birthday card that way. I went over to his bed and told him that the first lady was here. He was in a semi deep sleep but he heard me and opened his eyes.
Linda, his sister Alma and I spoke for awhile. The doctor came in and told Alma and James that they were moving him to Hospice for his comfort. He reached for her hand and shook it; always a gentleman. She asked James if this decision agreed with him and he said yes. When Linda and I were ready to leave, we went over to tell him goodbye. Linda grabbed his hand and told him that the hug was from her and Susie, his high school sweetheart. I took his hand and said, "Bear, this is Mickie...I love you." James grabbed my hand, and was lifting it. Linda said he's trying to kiss you. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. I almost became unglued. As Linda and I walked to the car, we prayed for him. We were both very emotional.
I spoke to his sister on Wednesday and there was no change. On Thursday I called the hospital and the nurse said that I needed to check with the family. My heart sunk. I called his sister Alma. She told me that he had made his transition a little before 12 am. I informed the crew. I was sad that day but it really hit home for me on Friday. James and I dated awhile in high school and for awhile in 2009. He was a very good friend. He was always the dance partner for us gals at most events. Man, could he swing! He once shared with me that Venetia, Belinda, Betty, Alma and myself all had different tempos when we danced and he had to adjust accordingly. When he and I dated, on slow songs I would put my arms around his waist. After we no longer dated but still danced together, he wouldn't say a word but he would open his jacket. I would say, "You want me to put my arms around your waist, huh?" He would smile and say yes.
James was a part of my childhood and my adult life. It's hard to imagine any event without him. He told Clyde, another crew member, that sometimes he wouldn't feel well but he knew if he didn't attend an event, we would have no dance partner. That was James. We started celebrating birthdays as a crew in 2009. In comparing another party later, James said the difference was that the other person was celebrating a birthday while I had been celebrating life. In 201, he called to see what I was doing for my birthday. I told him that I didn't want to do anything that year. James said, "Mickie, the party isn't for you, it's for your friends!" So I had to accept that (in my Richard Pryor voice) LOL. All of my children met him at my 2013 birthday party. My oldest said that from that one meeting, she could tell that he was a life loving person. He had that kind of presence.
Alma told Linda and I that the doctor said that as James transitioned he would sleep more and more until finally he would enter his last sleep. This quote comes to mind as I reflect on that hospital visit: "And life goes on, which seems kind of strange, and cruel when you're watching someone die." ...author unknown. Life does go on; we still work, play, eat, pay bills, dance, etc. We still LIVE but the person has made a transition to another type of life. I don't believe we die but that we just change suits. I feel James' presence. I hope to feel it for some time if nowhere else but in memories. Please cherish people while they are here, we don't know the day or the hour. RIP, my friend, I love and miss your physical presence.
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory that no one can steal."....author unknown
"In every shadow there is light, in every tear, a smile. In death I know there still is life that lingers for awhile."...author unknown
On Monday the 29th, I visited my youngest daughter Tiffany in DC. She moved into a new apartment which I hadn't seen since moving day. I love the building and all of the amenities. She still lives in NW, just a different section. We walked around the corner to Busboys and Poets for a late lunch. Tiffany knew that I would love the food because it's natural, organic and some of it is gluten free. The food is delicious! I spent the remainder of my time in DC catching up with my daughter and her fiance. I plan to go back to Busboys and Poets with some of the "Golden Crew". As Tiffany and I prepared to leave for lunch, I noticed a missed call and a text from Venetia, one of the crew.
The last time that I was with the "crew" was in Charlottesville, VA for a day trip. There were five women and two men. One of the men was my very good friend, James. We had a day filled with fun, food, drinks, laughter and freedom. When I called Venetia, I instantly knew something was wrong by the sound of her voice. I asked what was wrong and she told me that James was in the hospital with cancer. She was extremely distraught and I couldn't get a clear understanding of what had happened. She had just found out herself and called me.
Later that night, upon my return to Richmond, I called Wanda, another member of the crew and a very good friend of James. I was told that James had lung cancer which had spread to the liver and there were two lesions on the brain. He had known about the lungs and liver before Father's Day. He found out about the brain on Friday and was admitted at that time. On Tuesday, Linda (another crew member) and I went to see him in the hospital. I spoke with his sister, Alma, in depth. James called me "First Lady" and I called him "Mr. President". It was a private joke. He and I signed every birthday card that way. I went over to his bed and told him that the first lady was here. He was in a semi deep sleep but he heard me and opened his eyes.
Linda, his sister Alma and I spoke for awhile. The doctor came in and told Alma and James that they were moving him to Hospice for his comfort. He reached for her hand and shook it; always a gentleman. She asked James if this decision agreed with him and he said yes. When Linda and I were ready to leave, we went over to tell him goodbye. Linda grabbed his hand and told him that the hug was from her and Susie, his high school sweetheart. I took his hand and said, "Bear, this is Mickie...I love you." James grabbed my hand, and was lifting it. Linda said he's trying to kiss you. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. I almost became unglued. As Linda and I walked to the car, we prayed for him. We were both very emotional.
I spoke to his sister on Wednesday and there was no change. On Thursday I called the hospital and the nurse said that I needed to check with the family. My heart sunk. I called his sister Alma. She told me that he had made his transition a little before 12 am. I informed the crew. I was sad that day but it really hit home for me on Friday. James and I dated awhile in high school and for awhile in 2009. He was a very good friend. He was always the dance partner for us gals at most events. Man, could he swing! He once shared with me that Venetia, Belinda, Betty, Alma and myself all had different tempos when we danced and he had to adjust accordingly. When he and I dated, on slow songs I would put my arms around his waist. After we no longer dated but still danced together, he wouldn't say a word but he would open his jacket. I would say, "You want me to put my arms around your waist, huh?" He would smile and say yes.
James was a part of my childhood and my adult life. It's hard to imagine any event without him. He told Clyde, another crew member, that sometimes he wouldn't feel well but he knew if he didn't attend an event, we would have no dance partner. That was James. We started celebrating birthdays as a crew in 2009. In comparing another party later, James said the difference was that the other person was celebrating a birthday while I had been celebrating life. In 201, he called to see what I was doing for my birthday. I told him that I didn't want to do anything that year. James said, "Mickie, the party isn't for you, it's for your friends!" So I had to accept that (in my Richard Pryor voice) LOL. All of my children met him at my 2013 birthday party. My oldest said that from that one meeting, she could tell that he was a life loving person. He had that kind of presence.
Alma told Linda and I that the doctor said that as James transitioned he would sleep more and more until finally he would enter his last sleep. This quote comes to mind as I reflect on that hospital visit: "And life goes on, which seems kind of strange, and cruel when you're watching someone die." ...author unknown. Life does go on; we still work, play, eat, pay bills, dance, etc. We still LIVE but the person has made a transition to another type of life. I don't believe we die but that we just change suits. I feel James' presence. I hope to feel it for some time if nowhere else but in memories. Please cherish people while they are here, we don't know the day or the hour. RIP, my friend, I love and miss your physical presence.
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
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