Getting Ready…
We’re all about holidays in this house: Solstice, birthdays, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, and Hangover (New Year’s) Day. It’s all good, and all cause to light the house with shiny, colorful things.
Yesterday we headed to Deborah Oak’s place in San Francisco to celebrate the Solstice with old friends and great food. John Sulak was there, still knee-deep in his book about the Zells and about to swear off Pagans for good (present company excluded, of course). The lovely Robin Dolan gave us all a Victorian fashion lesson by wearing a gorgeous red satin corset over…a black cotton turtleneck. What Would Dickens Do?
Thorn and Jonathan were there too, and from them I got an update on the brouhaha at the Parliament of World Religions. Naturally, I am shocked and appalled. But also strangely comforted that (a) we care enough to go to these things, (b) we keep building bridges and talking with other traditions, and (c) we keep talking to each other.
Meeting up with former circle brothers and sisters gave a special glow to the evening, and I came home this afternoon warm, happy, and sated. Meanwhile, Jojo and her friend decorated the tree in our absence, and the house is now ready for the next festive event in a jam-packed week: Jojo’s 17th birthday on Wednesday!
And on it goes. Another season of cold and warmth, squalls and firelight. Tomorrow morning I am being interviewed on someone else’s radio show: “Questing—Where Is the Path?” on KWMR, 90.5 Pt. Reyes Station, 89.9 Bolinas, and streaming on the web here. I am sure we will talk about dreams, but probably also about paths and quests. Those, it seems, are never-ending.
The other night I had a dream about returning home from a teaching trip, and deciding to take the last leg of the journey up the coast by bicycle. Cycling through the verdant green hills under dark storm clouds, I glanced to my right and saw an amazing scene: there was the City in the distance, its white and gray skyline clearly etched against the broad snow-capped hills of the East Bay. Geographically it was ridiculous, but that little glimpse through the clouds was so stunning that everyone on the road pulled over to gawk, get out their cameras, and take in the breathtaking scene.
As I was ready to go, two other former circle sisters came to greet me with big hugs and encouragement, and I mounted my bicycle again, still dry in spite of the rain, and headed home.
I take this dream to be a good sign for the year to come. May it be so. May all our dreams bear full fruit, and may the bridges we have built be strong enough to bear the traffic of many years of commerce, conversation, and communion. Blessed Solstice, everyone.
January 9th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
is that a real tree, cut and brought inside or an artificial one that only looks real?
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January 10th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Definitely a real tree—they smell better.
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