Happy Birthday Brother David. May God continue to Bless you abundantly!

I’m participating in a Soul Collage class this afternoon. I can share my current experiences with them: walking through the emotional trauma of the aftermath of the death of George Floyd & the carnage / destruction in my neighborhood.

I would add my now deceased, Uncle Ken. He never seemed to sweat the small stuff. He served as a rural priest in Nebraska. Mary Oliver & Maya Angelou also come to mind. Even when I heard or heard them speak of feisty times they exuded Grace.

I was quite ill yesterday from heat exhaustion. Today the humidity is nearly gone! I could hang clothes on the line for a fresh scent. Tonight there’s a gentle summer breeze & I’ve eaten my meal outside while waving to neighbors.

The ability to listen attentively is invaluable. Mutual investment in hearing out the other’s goals, dreams, hurts, deaths & spiritual resurrections. Willingness to journey with me for the long haul of many years; appreciation for humor & ability to challenge me to grow & see & do more. To be faithful & loving.

When I am fully present I am 100% focused on the “now” event I’m involved in. I feel a spiritual tingling roll through my body; my senses heightened all the way out to my edges.

Caregiving has taught me to give without counting the cost; to companion with someone to the best of my ability on any given day, being led by Grace & supported by Spirit.

My Internal Gift of spiritual tenacity that leads me to seek “more,”

I’m trying to garden a few vegetables this summer, tomatoes, squash, lettuce & spinach, all in pots. Remembering to visit them with care & water is a new daily discipline.

I’m becoming able to be patient with myself as a response to cope with the egregious events that have happened & continue to happen here where I live, Minneapolis. What happened here, completely separate from anything I’ve done; has become a tidal wave of conversations, radical action, and new boots on the ground for long over due change. These organic byproducts of long overdue actions are taken as a response to George Floyd’s visible lynching.

By accepting that I am right where I’m supposed to be in the Universe’s Dance; God directs the spiritual teachers that cross my path as well as my daily experiences. We have stardust in our bones.

Last Sunday was my birthday & a neighbor created a booklet for me with kind greetings & thoughts from about 10 neighbors who live near me. I wept. I value “community” & realized I’ve helped to build It here the past 25+ years. There’s a nurturing group of unrelated people nearby, with good boundaries & supportive presence with each other.

I’m finding when I’m out driving for quick errands, I’m more tolerant on the road; it’s also easy to have expressive smiley eyes at the farmers market.

I’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time safely visiting my back alley way neighbors. There is a support system we’ve built for each other. Two of us sing w the 31/2 & 1 1/2 year olds several times a week. We shop for the 80 yr old. We adults talk values & are developing a trust we’ve never needed before. It’s good to belong to a budding community.

Michele, good luck in finding a new job that will use all of your talents & skills. TGIF

Birthday Blessings? May you trust the Divine Surgeon who’s assembled a wonderful team of humans for your procedure.

Amor fati, the West Bank thrives! I smiled seeing your post, as I’ve been working in the WB now for 7 years. WB is more often called Cedar Riverside or Little Mogadishu; home to thousands of refugees / immigrants from East Africa. Augsburg now has University status. Wonderful multicultural shops & cafes line Cedar & Riverside Ave. Young people organized themselves at night to watch the shops. Blessings upon you in Mexico! Vaya con Dios. ?carla

Michele, I hope you’re feeling better & stamina is returning as you’ve gone back to work from being ill.

Thank you Manuel. Namaste