September 12, 2015, Prescott- Several things happened today. One of my brothers turned 60. I made my usual morning visit to the Prescott Farmer’s Market, and had my usual cup of coffee with a sweet treat. After buying a few vegetables, I encountered my good friends, Happy and Johnny. Since they had a booth at the Market, with foraged goodies from a nearby forest, I spent close to an hour, talking with them, nibbling on things like manzanita berries, sweet acorns and prickly pear fruit. I even peeled and sliced a prickly pear fruit- if you ever get the chance, first double check the rind for small spines. I caught a tiny nub of spine in my finger, but got it out, without any hassle.
This afternoon, lunch was a grilled hot dog, courtesy of a Recovery Group, so I gave them a small donation. Soup from Shannon’s Deli also filled the bill. I went to a memorial service, in mid-afternoon, for the parent of a friend. So many elders have left this year- and many babies are coming, to take their places in this world. I was pleased to see at least seven infants and toddlers, in various places. They are all so busy. I wonder, at what do we start to lose the focus we had as infants, mastering mobility and as toddlers, absorbing so much data about the world all around us.
Happy says, “Breathe in bliss”. I notice that, no matter the constraints put on me, I can do that. Breathing mindfully clears a lot of tension and confusion. It can have an effect on those in one’s immediate surroundings, as well. I am as at peace, right now, as I was when at Tuileries, in Paris, or walking a trail in El Dorado Springs, Colorado.
Sadly, it doesn’t affect everyone. I lost a friend, this evening; but as I heard her voice fading, over the phone, and said my goodbye, a strange calm came over me, and I sat, in perfect stillness, for several minutes. A message came to me: “You are a threat to no one, and if they perceive you as such, perhaps it is a reflection of their own view of the Universe.”
Breathe in bliss. Doors are opening.
