i'm not sure where to begin
but my mind has been elsewhere
well no
sometimes i return to this present moment ous breath with a huge woosh
oomph
and land with a thump presently here
mind comes fluttering back in
calling into the winds my name, the seven directions
here here here here here here here
me me me me me me me
got hit on at the beach today
for the first time in a long time
i pretended i didn't know any english
he gave me a big smile and sweaty handshake and asked me my name
i gave as confused a look as i could
tried not to laugh
and said in shaky english
"no
eeng
wich"
and walked away
i could see his awed expression in my periphery as i walked away
he was awed at losing probably the zillionth hit-on-woman experience in his beach life
and i?
all i wanted was some quiet time with just me and mama pacifica
i stood on the road above the ocean
no time to get down to ocean and then come back and catch bus again in time before dark
also couldnt find a place to drop my bag
and so i watched mama ocean from above
and smelled the sea smells and felt the sea breeze
and promised to return sometime next week to actually take a dip and offer some gifts into her frothiness
realizing that pretty soon i will be on the other side of the world
looking at the same ocean
and missing the land on the other side again
this landscape
this covered landscape of concrete and human manufactured naturalness
teeming with avocados, guavas, pomengranates, and other sweet memories
why don't you get a real job
asks my sister
get a normal life
long held unspoken whipstraps getting gently untied and ripped open
inner doubts and fears getting exposing and painfully massaged
yup just rub me there yes right there where it's red already? yes right there
just rub me raw some more
and then pour in the salt water yes
oooh yes
halfway up the mountain
back up into these mountains i grew up in
looking at old plant friends with new eyes
my eyes now with more latin wedged into the noggin behind the eyes
with more latin, family name this and useful that
but still these plants are still the still same every changing still yes friendly same
you landscape have changed
more houses, cars, people
old fields and trees knocked down and replaced by human nature creations
like building legos and with one swift hand swipe down comes all the trees easy
same with building these houses that look all the same
and roads paved with concrete
instead of trails paved by years and years of barefeet running to and fro and fro and to
like in the gila
small trails leading everywhere
small trail from my camp to eric and amy's homestead farm
small trail from my camp to tom's cabin
small trail up the hill to visit shelley and scott and chickens
small trail well hidden yet well loved and well worn to visit wind building a new hooch
strong hands worn by time and loving molding of earth-dug clay and coal-burned spoons, cups, bowls
weathered hands aged and oiled by years of rubbing sticks together for fire
gently caressing small and large plant friends
breaking off fruits and twigs for foods and medicines
while saying thank you thank you thank you
and i love you so much
hands that know willow weavings and hide tannings
feet that know hard thorns, soft water, hot rocks, cold winds
crinkles around the eyes that laugh with stories
a voice resonant from hearing itself echoing in the wind, trees, stones, and water
ears sharp from listening to the fox family romping about in the evening time
sharp ears from tracking the coyotes at night
nimble ears listening to my own breath and consciously slowing it down to drift with my heartbeat
breath that rises and falls with the ups and downs of my feet as i softly pad up and down the trail
to the water, to the stones, back to the fire, back to my shelter
no telephone or computer for a couple weeks
very real
very present
so very very present
that when i touched the phone and computer again i could feel the electric surge
the electric wave tingling my hair and surging thru my skin
and here a decision to be made
where to continue walking
how to go forward
from here
i know this now
and that also
and also pretty well understand the true nature of
infinite possibility
well,
it's infinite
and it's all a matter of choice
yes?
yup
well, yeehah then let's buckle up
i am in transition
transition
woo!
transition
like instead of living old way
taking classes on it
reminders of how things used to be from someone transitioning back out into civilization
tell me about these plants you've known then, and know
my dad understands that
when out in the wilderness for a while you begin to glow
we glow with the light reflected from the reality of mama earth, her very yes self
and then come back to civilization and if you don't meditate--- or do something for self maintenance---
then that glow begins to fade
and fade
until eventually all that's left is just a corpse
a walking corpse
don't go there
not me not now
too much potential
i know the light
let's walk it all together yes?
such a beautiful walk in the light
much warmer too
i can see in my mind's eye bright blue eyes that reflect the morning sky
blue eyes shining from a sun-browned face
blue eyes glowing with clouds and sunbeams and shooting stars
wishes that come true over and over and over again
never too many wishes coming true
happy birthday moment by moment for me and you
a rolling river that runs thru the desert
hot springs on the side with warm exfoliating sands
i've been dreaming of this landscape for a year now
welcome back yes welcome back
surreal
walking backwards tock tick
moving so quickly that i can almost see my breath being left behind
contact improv my last night in massachusetts, with many old friends
i have been here so many times before
there are so many memories wrapped up in this place
walking into the kitchen, into a huddle of loving arms and gentle eyes
and heart melts into eye tears that pour
and shoulders that support do then support
and ears that listen do listen and mouth then reflects so lovingly and perfectly that i then look startled into eyes so bright
and i am reflected in them oh mirror
and we are all mirrors and
this is how it really is
this is how it really ought to be
for you to see me, really
and i can see you too
this is it
to support and hold and witness
no judgement
i can see your red holey holy spots
and i will give you sweet medicine to put on your wounds
and sing you lullabies to rest
and then when you are well and i am well
we will all come together to celebrate
sitting around a campfire watching the landscape change from earth-toned golden hues into the deepest darkest shades of black
sky going from the brightest of blues into also the darkest of blacks spotted with the brightest jewels i've ever seen
(besides your eyes of course)
singing songs old and new and
improvising words and rhythms fitting and unfitting
heartful laughter resonant and echoing, mixing and merging most perfectly (dance yes) with sacred
silence
i move thru this space
air contracting and expanding with me
every brush of wind so gently a reminder of presence
every contraction expansion of my chest and belly with each
sacred
breath
a reminder of being, gifting, receiving
grateful surrender like leaves falling unto a drunken land
ahhhh
ho
