TeacupYoga

Free living

yet never again wild

swimming through the jungle

with grace and ease

as I stumble

out of place.

Foraging endlessly

yet leaving no trace

these mountains birthed their ancestors

millions of years before humans came.

You and I, we only go back a moment in time.

She inquires with her trunk.

With no bones or joints,

this tongue is an arm that senses;

a muscle that tears down trees,

yet can be as tender as the hum of bees.

She hovers the gentle tip near my face.

Her soft breath

makes dew on my skin

blessed I am.

To understand:

Imagine being able

to smell with the palm of your hand

at the end of an arm with no bones

undulating into your frontal lobe.

Or imagine being forced into submission

enslaved by selfish creatures

forced to exist for their pleasure.

Can you imagine why they don’t kill us all?

They walk a path of peace.

Imagine being an elephant, please.

A pause in her body

unequivocal stillness

like silence

yet she listens

with the soles of her feet.

Their awareness extends far beyond

what ears can hear and eyes can see.

their rumbles move through the earth.

Their awareness is seismic.

To be a humble witness

to these free living elephants

I become less human,

thankfully.

Hello dear people,

It’s been a short while since I have reached out to you. I am back home caring for the critters, harvesting the fruits of the earth, planting seeds, reflecting on what has transpired, and planning for what is to come.

I have just returned from a tender trip with family. Family is like a puzzle with pieces that can fit together in many ways. I have four siblings; two brothers and two sisters. We span 14 years from youngest to oldest. This gathering was the first time we had been together since my father died in 2016.

I didn’t realize how much I had missed our togetherness. We are a crew of strong headed, big hearted individuals who all live very different lives. Our uniqueness, curiosity, and willingness to let Love umbrella all activities and situations is something I am eternally grateful for. Each of us makes the decision to expand rather than contract.

We grew up in the summers at my grandparents place on a lake in Western New York. This tradition continues to this day and we all returned to a place with memories that weave through generations. I am now one of the elders where once I was the carefree child.

During a blustery sunset eve, the swollen clouds tinged with maroon and tangerine orange light witnessed our ritual of releasing our fathers ashes into the lake. The bleached wooden planks of the dock creaked under our feet as the white capped waves pushed on the pilings that held the dock above water. After sharing tears and truths about this complicated man who we all loved and struggled with, we huddled around my youngest sister who poured the powdery remnants that once was the man who made us all into the dark waters. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust slipped into the water and spiraled out from a center, undulating and unfolding, forging a shape, growing into a form, a body, as if my father was returning for a moment, dropping in to say his final farewell.

We all come and go…..and come again. I am my father’s daughter and I also see him in my children. It is Love that weaves life into the bones of every being. It is Love that expands in all directions.

This magical, courageous, beautiful, powerful, hilarious, compassionate, creative soul blessed my life 23 years ago today.
Digging through photos upon photos seeing how many mama daughter selfies we’ve taken over the years and loa’s vibrant playful shenanigans and all her love for the animals…how’d I get so lucky???
I have been in awe of you since the moment we met. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️happy birthday baby!💋🎉🥰