Love the one(s) you're with

"... You are in the process of becoming aware of, and clearing away, the tendency of your current social experiences to mimic those of the past, seemingly to no end. Yet you must claim your space, and your right to organize your world in a way that consciously suits you. The question on one level is about patterns; though, on the visceral level, it's about attachments..."- Eric Francis, Scorpio, July, 2018 

The words of the Crosby, Stills and Nash song have been playing in my head most of the month. "Love the one you're with ..." A year ago Pete and I hooked up the trailer and prepared our golden wagon, the Vardo for Two, for our first journey in many years. We'd settled into the woods to reassure ourselves that it was possible for rolling stones to gather some comfort and surety after searching for a place to ground, at least for a while. In those woods we found a spot to sniff out the mystery Cedar, Pine, Raven, Huckleberry, Rat and Mouse all know as intimates of this Salish Island. For a time in those woods we hunkered down refueling, as the second-half of life made sure we were not only refueling but attending to the attitudes and beliefs that might be operating us out of habit where they (those habits) might be better traded for something else.

A year ago our belief and our goal was to return, with our wagon home, to Hawaii. It was Hawaii Island we imagined and envisioned as a place to bring our rolling stone version of life. More than anything it was being close to the ones we loved that was motivating our move. Our years in the woods, with friends who supported our quirky and mcs-laced lifestyle, bouyed our confidence and our resilience but to get all the way back to Hawaii was not the hand we were dealt.

Instead, we showed up yesterday in the late afternoon for a three-hour steward shift at the Whidbey Island Fair. "The Steward keeps an eye on the exhibits, chats with visitors, helps children stamp their Passport cards, encourages voting for the People’s Choice awards of the Critter Creations and answers questions about the exhibits (you’ll get oriented about those when you arrive). There is also a table set up with vegetables and fruits for children to make their own Garden People or Animal Creature." - Prescott

We had such a fun time!

Pete's Fav

One of my favorites.

Chuck Prochoska checked-in to take a count on the Garden Critter voting yesterday while we were there. 

The fair was crowded with people of all ages and every one we met came with attitudes of positivity. In fact, tacked to many of the telephone poles up and down the streets of Langley were just that  PositivityPropaganda. I've Got Your Back (the Universe). I loved that one! Being in large groups is an increasingly 'can do' activity on my list. It's a change for me over the years of living with MCS. Slowly, but, with a readjusted attitude of positivity I have made this change. Clearing space and giving myself rest before and after engaging with the energy of many people, I can be with the ones I'm with.

The original lyrics and the original time when CS&N sang Love the One You're With meant something different to me in the 70's. Being 70 now, the meaning expands and to love the ones I'm with takes on a transformative and lightened meaning. Freedom to organize my internal space gives me room to walk in, and walk out of a space where Garden Critters attract youngsters and people of many ages to a table I'm at. 

Our friends who had the steward shift just before us asked, "Can you be in this place?" I said I was gotta try. For most of that three-hour shift I was comfortble or tolerant of the smells within the space. When I needed a fresher air time I took a walk, looked around, had a change of venue. While inside I set down my papale my sun hat and enjoyed the company of a tiny girl who asked if she could leave her critters with me while she went on a ride. 

"Sure, I'll take care of 'em while you're gone."

When she and her dad came to reclaim her creations, I asked how her ride was.

"We went on the one that throws you against the wall!!!" She was jubilant.

"Yikes, you made it though." I reassured myself (she needed no reassurance) and gently squeezed her arm.

"I didn't," said Dad still reeling.

We commiserated. "I can't do those," I said. I have never been able to do those.

If we could be with those loved ones we love, we would be. If we can't be with them, we can love where we are, love the ones we're with and in the process, with the Universe having our backs, become the loves people love in return. That's big.

And, to those people and that place where Na Kai Ewalu (the eight seas of Hawaii) connect the culture that we love with everywhere else, we send big aloha to travel those currents!! 

xoxoxoxo Mom/Mokihana and Pete/Aunty Titi and Uncle Pete