THE CAMINO They came by two’s, no, not just the animals and creatures, but, the tables, the suitcases, and even the BIG RIGS It was never all about Adam and Eve. It was always about our evolution THE TWO TABLES We are given ancestors whose trinkets and shells are placed in front of us on tables, so that we see who we are and from whence we have come. We do the sorting as we learn what generates life and what spells decay and death. THE TWO SUITCASES Far too large to be helpful, we recognize the enormity of the oversized suitcases we carry. We imagine that traveling on that straight path we will embody all we need for the journey. Yes, the stations along the way look hopeful, but the inner voice points out the real way. THE TWO BIG RIGS And so often, we feel sure that the big rig we were trained to drive must require a rigid grip. Yet, if we are blessed with another chance, we hesitate but start to release control, and to our surprise we realize that we were always held and guided by an invisible force leading us on.

 A BLACK and WHITE  COOKIE

                         Seems like such an apt description of our treks through this life.

There’s a sweet childhood (for many), yes, the base of the cookie is vanilla and though

the chocolate can be sweet, the darkness, in subsequent bites of life, is problematic,

and there’s often that bitter lemony edge. Experts say that one should take bites that

include both the chocolate and vanilla icing as one experiences the delicacy. Simple, yes?

Well, hold on.  As we promenade along the boardwalk of these lives, we are always just

a slip or mis-step away from torrential waters. We might find ourselves drowning in

violent waves of oceanic proportions that are dangerous, or we might be sliding and

rolling down treacherous hills. But, as we age, we can acquire the wisdom to better notice

what we encounter, be it a large empty arena, or even a simple slice of pizza, can shift our notion

notion of what it means to be alive. We may discover that a quiet place around us, or that slice

of food in front of us is an opportunity to embrace that precious still empty place inside of us.

There, we might accept the balance between light and dark, joy and grief, even life and death,

Then, we can celebrate the flowering beauty all round, but most of all, walk beyond the shadow

of the church that once suited us toward the self that we were meant to be, separate from the

one that had steered the vehicle of our lives. Most importantly, you need to be the one to learn

how to live your life joyously, so “don’t be board” as you “walk” along, eating that cookie.  

                                                      Bruce/Lenore/Dan/Bill/Jenna and cohorts