A mind body conflict

Yes, it's been a long time coming. I apologize for my lack of contact. It's been very busy!

This photo was taken in early April in a small town outside of Seoul, Korea. The Mothers are in the middle of the photo, then the Fathers, and then the Children. We were celebrating our families uniting by the sacrament of our childrens' marriage. Korean style! It was a trip will we never forget. Engulfed in their culture through the food and and the rich history and our daughter-in-law's loving family, we look forward to our next trip.

Surprisingly, my body did very well keeping up, for the most part. My body and I don't always seem to agree on everything. I'm an expert at falling without killing myself, so far, but that doesn't mean I still don't sustain some bodily injury. I think falling last winter tweaked my right hip area, and I'm dealing with the consequences. Owie. Staying physically active seems to get a bit more challenging each year I'm blessed with life. But, I keep at it. Better to deal with the pain and discomfort because I'm using the muscles, rather than wasting away and becoming a lump. Oy, the vessels for our souls are indeed fragile and not always reliably healthy.

Moving here from the east coast eight years ago has had a profound affect on my life. There is a great deal that I miss not living where it's green with old forests and stone walls. Where precipitation of any form is usually something that happens on a regular basis. It's gotten to the point where I actually crave the sound of rain so much, I downloaded an app that lets me enjoy the sound of "free" water in its many forms, and that seems to calm me down. Even though the weather is just short of Paradise, it is still really dry. The overcast marine layer is welcomed, at least by me. Dry in one sense of the word, yet still humid enough to make my closet smell like a musty basement! I miss "home" although this place is very slowly becoming that. Except that I'm entertaining the idea of being cremated when the time comes and scattering my ashes on both coasts.

At least my mind is staying rather active. I love learning new things. I'm still in school, and will be for the rest of my life. This time, it's to gather knowledge about the green world. The world of Flora, of plants, and gardens, and how to nurture them. What began as curiosity and wanting to know about what grows here, has bloomed and blossomed into a real serious interest. Not sure where I am headed, but there have been some noteworthy guides along the way.

So, there's been this concept that has been floating around me for the last several years, and it finally seems to be taking recognizable shape. I'll call it "Flora" for now... like a new daughter. A concept centering around the Roles of Teacher, Healer, Guide, and Woman of the Earth, kind of like the Empress in the Tarot. Expanding upon my work in Connecticut, but in an entirely new shape and form. Focusing on the Health of the Soil, to Improve the Health of the Plants, and of all Life that is in that Space. Making a Sanctuary; a Space where Sacred Healing can take place. TLC for Your Garden and You. There will be more to follow, I promise!

While I've been busy attending class, and meeting new people, expanding my network, and starting to make a name for myself, I've had this gnawing and annoying pest in the back of my mind. Nothing physical (not that I'm aware of anything there), but more on a spiritual, soul-ful level. As in: will I have enough time to do everything I want to do? Can my body and mind keep up? Will they?

Sex is already a joke. Why aren't people honest about that fact of life?? Things happen to one's body that certainly affects how something so pleasurable isn't always as much fun as it used to be! I never heard Dr. Ruth really talk about that. I miss those days of old when the body could pretty much do whatever it wanted, and there were fewer consequences! Now the notion of You Gonna Play, You are Gonna Pay really gets driven home. Taking a couple of days to get over a hangover makes it not worth drinking so much. Even if it feels good while you're doing it. I can't sit for long. I can't stand for long. I can't walk miles and miles. Kneeling is fun. Not looking like a laughingstock as I try to get up is a challenge. I laugh at myself as I get up in the morning. At least I'm getting up, though.

The path lies ahead. May we all be blessed with as much time as we need to say what we came here to say, to do what we came here to do, and to share as much of our love as we can.