HOPE: Si Se Puede!!!

Check out my sweet friend Simmy feeling the love, feeling his future, begging the nation to evolve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXTK2by8dLI

Here we are, 6pm PST election night. We got PA! I am hopeful and still there are butterflies galore in my belly. Remember the last few times? I thought we had it...and then we didn't. But who's to say? Who knows? Destiny is strong. Perhaps Bush had to make such a mess of things to wake up enough of those red folks. I mean, really, Sarah Palin? That feels like begging to lose plenty of those republican votes, you know? Is this where we get to a place in the VERY YOUNG history of the U.S. where the nation finally grows a few inches?

Its a hard day. One doesn't like to get our hopes so high to only be crushed by a nation of lie-believers. Come on, Barack Obama a terrorist? A crack-cocaine addict? A murderer? People....seriously? And you have the right to vote? Whew....scary.

Okay, I'll take my nervous excitement to the house down the road to a house with friends, a TV and some warm stew.

Before I go, a prayer:
Dear God....Sweet Spirit...All that is right, all that is just, all that makes a child giggle...that which binds us with love to ourselves and each other and all the critters hunkered down for the cold, rainy night....please, let freedom reign.

End of the Line

Well it's alright...riding around in the breeze
Well it's alright...if you live the life you please
Well it's alright...even if the sun don't shine
Well it's alright...we're going to the end of the line



We will to work together to reach our greatest potential.
We will support one another as we embrace our truth.
We will honor and embrace the challenges we pose to one another.
We will work together to envision the future we hope for and welcome the lessons that come.
We will seek balance between nurturing the self and nurturing our relationship.
We will celebrate life's blessings together and laugh together when shit happens.
We will work through our challenges and disagreements with respect, compassion and love.
We will apologize when it is necessary and accept apologies when they are offered.
We will make tradition, ritual and connection to Spirit an integral part of our lives and the lives of our children.
We will be tolerant with the parts of one another that are challenging and patient as we learn to embrace them.
Together we will plant seeds and sing songs.

Well, don't wanna make a big fuss or anything but I am now a married woman. Don't feel terribly different really. The process of becoming married was beautiful and special and does require words more meaningful than I have the time to write at this moment. In fact I am off tonight to go celebrate my marriage again. This is celebration number three. Cool right? Different facets of our worlds who want to honor us. Geez how incredibly lucky are we?

Give thanks.

Reuniting the Masses

And so it begins. The request has been dispersed for family and friends to join Pete and me on Orcas Island in September.

These invites took some time. I folded them from old National Geographic magazine pages. Lace helped a bit, but besides that I did them largely on my own. I loved folding them. Most of them were done watching August Rush and Darjeeling Limited (both really good movies) and flying to and from Tara's wedding in FL listening to Oprah and Eckhart talk about living a life that goes beyond our over-caffeinated minds. It was the best use of time in the sky ever.

The envelope folding was Zen. The print carving was super fun too. I messed up the first one but the second came out perfecto.

So now we wait until September for the gathering of the peeps. 

Just back from Jason and Nesreen's wedding on Sanibel Island. My oh my...sun, sand, mojitos, late nights with old friends, dolphins swimming near us as we lingered in the perfect temperature Gulf of Mexico. It has been probably 20 years since I visited this island and I look forward to returning soon.

So many highlights and I haven't the creativity at the moment to do them justice. The picture of Eva Luna Cohen, the daughter of my beautiful friends, Susie and Sean tells the tale well I think. Smiles and warm, melty chocolate. Nourishment, nurturing, indulging...a lot. So many friends I miss that live scattered around this country and others. 

Some of them have little ones and I am sad to not be a regular part of their lives. To see them grow and take first steps and learn new words. Sydney said 'bubbles' this weekend and 'yellow'.

Eva Luna (chocoface) told me a story about running and jumping into a pile of clothes she had just inherited from a bigger girl friend who outgrew them. She told me she squealed while she jumped and demonstrated the squeal. Priceless. She danced with us for hours to the movin' rhythm of the salsa and reggae beats. Amazing little expressive people they are becoming. 

I miss my friends that are scattered. There are those that come in and out of your life and you think of them on occasion. But some come in and stay, no matter where they are. Some you think of often, even if you don't speak often.

I've always hoped my wedding would be a time to reunite my masses...my people...my sweet and important roots.

The people that helped me be who I am.

Some will make it, some won't. I am from all of them.