Catch up...

Leaving San Francisco...

I will never fly during the holidays again. I will either be at my destination early or be content with the offerings of whatever fabulous sunny isle or ski getaway happens to house me at the moment. San Francisco didn't want me to leave. A Russian hippie demanded an impromptu gallery show outside of the Revolutions Cafe in the Mission and bought a painting. This attracted a man from Peru who is starting a healing center there. With both of them begging for more conversation, I tore myself away only to get lost three times on the way to the airport and make it to my plane in time to find out it was delayed two hours. After one failed attempt at making a flight, another late flight and missed connection the next day and a night spent hunting birds that live at the Denver Airport and riding the elevator amidst (literally) crying families camped out on the floor, I finally made it to Houston.

I was there to visit my Stepmother's family. They're my family too, but they hadn't seen me for years and years. They are magical people, originally from Guanajuata, Mexico--they found out that they are related to a clan of Hasidic Jews who immigrated there years ago. There is a cousin who writes books on spirituality and teaches at Neuropa, there are Buddhists, there are karate teachers, there are nurses, there are Republicans...

My grandfather is loosing his memory and I was warned that he wouldn't remember me, but as I met eyes with him, I saw every observation, every conversation, every laugh we had had together and the quiet strong way that this brilliant man had borne witness to me and everyone else in that family throughout our lives. My father says that he has never seen a person sit still longer than grandpa. Though the details are fading, I felt an immense love pour out of him as he hugged me; I felt the presence of an emotional connection that we had when I was a child and the way that it would never leave him or me. What an honor to be remembered like this!

It says a lot about a person's essential being, to be stripped of their memories. Grandpa probably doesn't know where he is or who we are half of the time, but his basic element is pure joy and so he is happy to be alive and around people who love him. I asked him how he was doing when I first arrived and he said, "I'm alive here today." and started laughing--this from a man who has never read Be Here Now.

This family genuinely enjoys each other's company. They laughed and laughed and laughed--for days they sat around the table and laughed. People didn't even seem to care about the subject matter of the conversation--only to find the humor and love and to react....

This was a wonderful pit stop for me. Not only did I get to be in the presence of my father, stepmother and beautiful princess sister, but I got to be nurtured and protected by a clan of people who have experienced much deep tragedy--and have healed each other through loving and finding joy. Such a wonderful, inspiring example at the gateway of my adventures. Each person told me to be careful and I listened as hard as I could to that.

We all piled in the mini-van and went shopping in Houston on Christmas eve and on Christmas and it wasn't even scary (I hadn't set foot in a mall for about a year prior). We played contractor and explored houses that were in the process of being built in the suburban neighborhood where they lived. We got all ready to go Christmas caroling--complete with electric keyboard and then just sang to each other instead. We sat around and talked about healthy dietary habits while eating cookies. I gave everybody paintings for Christmas and they piled me with presents. My grandmother gave me a beautiful teapot so that I can drink dragon spit tea in the mornings. I didn't expect or really want any stuff.....but recieved such nurturing in every way--this is what Christmas in Houston is supposed to be about!

My cousin, sister and I sat up late at night together,, watching movies, working on our respective computers, talking on the phone and playing video games all at the same time while not speaking to each other--I suspect that this ability to be multiple places at once might me mirroring the siddhi (special power to be many places at once that we attain through a level of enlightenment) and we're all yogis here on earth to save it....we just haven't admitted it yet....

And then I flew away....For a while these last years, I haven't been able to cry. The months leading up to my recent departure definitely reminded me how to cry....I tested out my newly recovered ability as I left these beautiful people. They live in my heart always.