Thursday, January 21, 2010

Benefaction and Grace


The Universe has seen fit to bless us with warm, almost tropical weather (for the Cariboo!) for the past couple of weeks. Even during the worst onslaught of the Bug's war on my body, I could not help being aware of it.

It is strange. I'm not sure what to make of it. Snow, which was piled up against fences, which had been ploughed and left in huge piles, has completely melted. Mud is the name of the game at the moment, with long swaths of Ice still lying about...making walking slippery and treacherous.

The warm Southerly Winds blow, sometimes with a ferocity which calls to me.  Come out, Wind moans, come out and feel my balmy greeting.  I speak to you of Spring...can you not sense it?



But it is the middle of January, I answer. I cannot fully trust your temperate and hospitable message. But I will enjoy it, for a time, and with great gratitude.

Gingerly, I walk about in the garden, avoiding the melting sheets of persistent Ice. I see the tips of Bulbs, bright, perky green...they seem full of wonder at seeing daylight so early in the Season. I check the Shrubbery. I see, with delight and foreboding, buds beginning to swell.


My greatest desire is to go out and rake the detritus from the lawn and gardens. I want to start seeds, I want to order mulch, I want to begin the gardening season. This is the message contained in the very gentle breezes from South Wind which caress my cheeks.


I am wary, however. Last year, it was May before Snow completely melted. It is still relatively early Winter...and I feel sure North Wind will have a rebuttal to South Wind's promise. Also, the Soil is still frozen, albeit barely.


And so, instead of finding shovels, rakes, hoes and wheel barrows, I fight the urge to plunge into the garden. On the Island, I would be outside in full force, knowing any Storm would be brief and rarely dangerous to plant life, even at this time of year.



Instead of launching myself into the plant world, where I can be completely immersed into a different space and time, I wander and think about the problems associated with the World today.


I send Reiki...a small, sincere offering...to the victims of Haiti.  I send gratitude to Spirit for delivering the seventeen High School students and their ten chaperons from the Kootenays  home from Haiti, safe and sound, into the arms of their parents. I cannot begin to imagine how I would feel had I sent my child off to help build a well and a Goat farm in an impoverished country, only to watch and wait helplessly as that same country was devastated by an earthquake, barely twelve hours after their arrival.



I send gratitude on the arms of the South Wind that the World's heart has opened...has unlocked...and that Nations have come together to send aid and financial help to a country in dire need of it. 


Closer to home, I ask Spirit to help family members who lost a parent, a grandfather and a great-grandfather just last week. I know, having experienced the death of my own parents, just how devastating and strange it is when parents follow the natural order in life and die...leaving one on the front lines, so to speak. I ask for understanding and acceptance and forgiveness to be sent to my family; I ask for a lessening of the stranglehold Death holds on one's heart, splitting it wide open, leaving it ever so vulnerable.


I ask for help for Graham, who is still very ill. The Bug has attacked his bronchial tubes, swelling them and making it very difficult to breathe. I send my extreme thankfulness that the nurses and doctors at the hospital here were able to move and shift the blockages in his throat, were able to lessen the violent coughing fits which hurt so badly, and were able to help him breathe.



My prayers are taken on the arms of the soft South Wind. It is as if I can actually see the words and feelings spiral up...up...up far into the Sky...into Spirit's receptive ear.


I see an Eagle fly high above...a messenger from the Gods. I know my prayers and emotions have been received.


The weather forecast promises a few more days of this oddly warm and friendly weather. And yet, I see at the end of the forecast period that the temperatures will cool again, after this weekend.


We'll be back in cold temperatures soon; this warm interlude a distant memory.


In the meantime, I will enjoy Spirit's benefaction. The weather Gods have smiled warmly at an area of the country where Cold and Ice generally reign.


And I find it such a blessing!




19 comments:

  1. I thought it was high time I paid you a visit Marion! I like the way you write and I like your heart and kindness.
    I hope the bug leaves you and Graham soon.
    And I see that you're not letting January pull any wool over your eyes. You know her so well ;)

    ~Blessings~
    Laurel

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  2. Good for you to enjoy the warm interlude. So many people just think about the cold that is to come and don't enjoy the now.

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  3. Marion this post was one long beautiful prayer from beginning to end and I feel blessed to have read it. I will be praying, as I started joining you in prayer with each name you mentioned.

    xoxoxo

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  4. a lovely post. and thank you for the reminder about sending Reiki energy. I will do that. Also practice Tong Len (breathe in pain, breathe out comfort)

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  5. Thank you for this beautiful post Marion! You always capture the heart of the Cariboo with your words. It is such a pleasure for me to read your blog, so thank you again.

    Love & Peace - Nicole

    PS: The cold weather has returned now ... I don't know about you, but I'm waiting for more snow now!!

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  6. A perfect post, Marion, just beautiful. I, too, have been sending prayers to the people of Haiti. I hope your Graham is better soon. We've had warmer weather, too, (in the 70's) and it fools me every year into wanting to head for the garden or start sprouting seeds. But my husband went outside this morning and came in and said, "I just saw some Geese flying South..." I think that's a sure sign of more cold to come since are ARE South. LOL! Love & Blessings...

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  7. Laurel,

    Welcome! The Bug continues to give Graham grief, but has left me for the most part. And this wonderful warmer weather has helped, since I love seeing what was UNDER the Snow...my memory not being what it once was, lol! There will be some super surprises once Spring really hits!

    Jan,

    Much better to enjoy the day I'm in, then worrying about when the Cold will return, as it will, sure as anything!

    Renee,

    Thank you for joining in my prayers, Renee! This is how I pray for you...during my very early morning walks!

    Suki,

    I must look up Tong Len...I have not heard about it before. I am in contact with a number of sites which are sending long distance Reiki...we all sent at the same time yesterday. There is power in numbers...thank you for sending Reiki to Haiti, as well!

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  8. Nicole,

    I just heard on the forecast that there is Snow expected for Sunday. I'm with you...in the Cariboo, there should be Snow in Winter. I miss its beauty. There is beauty in the Winter brown as well, but going outside in the evening and watching the silent Snow fall is nothing short of miraculous!

    Marion,

    In the SEVENTIES?!! wow...I can't begin to imagine. I thought it was warm when the temps were in the forties or 2 or 3C. lol One day we even went up to 8C, which is about 48F. It was beautiful!!! But if I lived where you do, I would be out doing something in the garden, for sure!

    We are back in the Cold...it was -10C this morning and we are expecting Snow. A short interlude, but very welcome in the middle of Winter. It will make Spring seem not so far away!

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  9. So much to be thankful for Marion and so much more to plea for in prayer. Haiti, Graham, your own health, and thankfulness for the safe return of the students are all carried in my heart today. Love, Annie

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  10. We're in the midst of a January thaw just now, too. The cold will return by the end of next week but for a few days we've been lifting our faces and grateful hearts to the sun.

    I agree with Renee; this post is one long, lovely prayer.

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  11. I hope Graham recovers soon and am glad you have come through the worst of it. Today, it's raining here instead of snowing. Maybe we will have an early spring--if nature sees fit. I'm ready.

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  12. 'the world's heart has opened.'

    marion, my heart sister. you are so wise. so aware. so spiritual. so kind. so respectful.

    this was a pleasure to read. it was like a chant, a prayer.

    i have a friend who owned greenhouses in vermont. she told me she still loves this time of year because it was when she began Spring, planting seeds and bulbs, planning her moves from inside to outside. i like thinking that way. i too will have snow around me until marchy and i too can't wait to get in the garden.

    marion, i am looking at your slideshow as i type. beautiful.

    i hope you and graham are better if not best as i write this.

    you are an awesome heart sister, marion. i am truly glad we are friends.

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  13. Some lovely, lyrical thoughts. I like finding blessings in everything around us...it makes the world and life that much richer.

    I hope Graham gets better soon.

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  14. Annie:

    You're a sweetheart, Annie...thank you for carrying my prayers near your heart!

    Pauline,

    Some of your posts are definitely prayers...your blog is a haven for beautiful writing. Thank you!

    Sheila,

    I love it when you come by. You and I go back such a long way...perhaps we will yet sit in our rocking chairs and post, as we decided a few years back. Hope you're feeling well, other than your hankering for Spring!

    kj,

    I was thinking the other day about how it was very close to the time where I sit and plan which seeds to start for the garden this year.

    For the year of the Tiger, I am going to plant some Tiger Lilies in the top garden bed, just to honour the Tiger a little! And then there are tomatoes and cucumbers, sunflowers and snapdragons, geraniums and.....

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  15. and zinnias. don't forget the zinnias, marion.

    :)

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  16. "Indian
    Spring" maybe it be your having.
    Your cold has shifted to down here with ice and sleet and frozen lake (except where ducks live in their tiny pool).
    I hope that Graham is on the mend.
    I do so long for the warmpth of spring and the sun on my face.

    I have not yet seen or heard of why the villagers of Haiti were living in such concrete/weighty dangerous
    structures? Perhaps because of the frequent hurricanes? Maybe rethinking the living quarters is in order??

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  17. kj,

    I could never forget the Zinnias...last year, I was able to get some of the purest red Zinnias I have yet to grow. They were so bright they actually dazzled my eyes in bright Sun.

    They seem to grow well here...I shall check for photos of Zinnia in your garden. I'll bet they'll be earlier than mine, lol!

    Goatman,

    The weather is still just amazing, Goatman! I am so enjoying it. I'm sorry you are having such a bad time of it, though. I've been following the weather in the USA, and have been marvelling over the change in weather activity for different areas.

    I am almost ready to drag out the gardening supplies. But I think Snow is in our forecast for today and the next while.

    The Olympic Torch arrives in Williams Lake this afternoon; I hope Snow holds off until the festivities are over. There are huge community celebrations when the Torch arrives...there'll be many people here who could be inconvenienced by it.

    With reference to Haiti, there were no building codes in place...and so everyone built however they wanted. There's an article here...http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122547242

    ...which just amazed me as to how everybody was building. In an earthquake zone yet. Here's a huge example of pure poverty at work, with no codes or inspections of any kind in place, and no instruction.

    I would certainly agree that rethinking living quarters are in order!!!

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  18. The universe is always filled with suprises. Just when the cold starts to play with your bones along comes a little warm to remind you what lays ahead. The ideas of green growth and God enter your brain and your soul has a shot of sunshine.
    I too welcome those days sometimes hours that give us a boost.

    Love your post

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  19. Dave,

    I love the line...your soul has a shot of sunshine...it's perfect! One can continue on, battling the cold temps, with a shot of sunshine in your soul. Thank you!

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