Notes from the field on Christmas
First holidays abroad. I would say alone, but that would only be an ego-driven projection seeking some sort of comfort – still, I feel compelled to say ‘alone’ because it seems like the ‘natural’ thing to say. Oh, the stories we tell ourselves! And although I am sitting here ‘alone’ writing this note, the moment I reflect on the richness of even this solitary moment the invisible web of love and connection again shows itself, as luminous as ever. Wearing one of my dad’s old hunting shirts, which my sister so thoughtfully sent across the ocean so as to give me a magical hug from a person whose lineage and life I carry in my heart. Burning a bright beautiful lavender candle, just opened from Mom, shipped across mountains and deserts and continents to brighten my day. Its scents are associated with the crown chakra, and the label states the simple yet magical truth that through meditation and prayer we surrender and experience whole body happiness. Sunlight shape shifts through my wi...