Laughter Backwards R Us

I am SO grateful for the folks at Pathways.

Today I took a class on 'Healing Through Laughter' with several other folks, and it was really good for me in several ways. Yes, we laughed, and yes, we talked about lightening up a bit, and we played quite a bit, but I also got some tools to use that I think will be useful with my craftwork and I got a rather delightful idea of what to do with our poor useless back yard. It won't necessarily be attractive, but it would be fun, and a gift to Scott and Bren, which is even better.

My feelings have been up and down a lot lately. I'm a bit stressed about the decisions I have to make, and stressed about the changes to come, and stressed about all the things I have to do in order to prepare for both the short and the long term future. But I'm excited about the upcoming trip and retreat, and happy about all the lovely people I've been meeting along this journey, and grateful to all the people who have been supporting me on both an emotional and a practical level this year. I'm sad that I may be leaving this world sooner than I would wish, but joyful that it is so very beautiful and full of wonders.

There was a huge flock of sparrows on my lawn and steps and rooftop this morning when I came home. Such small, unremarkable little balls of fluff, but when they took flight with a drumming rustle and a flourishing swoop into the clear blue sky, my heart took wing with them, they were so joyous and free and alive.

(and hungry, too, but then... aren't we all?)

Now

My dad doesn't think it can happen. The cards are already stacked, and what happens now is just noise.

He may very well be correct - it's more likely than not. But right is right, and I can't just sit back resignedly and wait for the worst to happen to my neighbors and my child, any more than I can just sit back and wait for the worst to happen to me. They may say I'm doomed, I may even think they are probably right, but I'm not going to go quietly.

So. Here's a bit of noise, and I've written to my representatives in D.C. to make sure they can hear it. They can plug their ears, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't speak the truth.