conform

Hi Mags,

I remember your gown, and it was off the shoulder, and it was beautiful. I also remember you commenting that you had lost weight and tugging at it.  You were a gorgeous bride.

I'm glad you and B-in-law had a nice day.  And I'm sorry about the dog.  It is going to be hard to lose her.  It is always hard to let them go.  But I always think the joy of having them outweighs the pain of losing them.  Their loss reminds us to be tender.

I'm holding you and your puppy in the Light.

I do not remember a raccoon stealing Pop's wallet.  Was that when I was older, and no longer included in family trips? And we never really went to Twin Kiss or out to dinner when I was at home. I think it was too expensive to take all nine of us, and hard to take toddlers.  In my memory, it was when you younger ones were a little older, Mom and Dad started taking you all out sometimes.

I remember ice cream cones in the back of a station wagon on a hot day. They melted and we started sliding around in the mess.  We thought it was funny.  I remember catfish swimming in the sink. I do remember the hammocks. I remember each pair of kids got a pup tent to share. Some chose to set up a tent, others opted to divide it in half and put up hammocks. I didn't have to share mine, since I was the odd man out, so I set up a tent.

I remember that during those camping trips, I would hike the few miles back to the village and spend many days day with Grandma, and to be frank- with her flush toilet.  Annually she would pull out the old family albums and go through the pictures with me. I remember really listening, asking questions, trying to memorize.

I remember that on the rare occasion Dad would sing, he had a strong, rich baritone. But he would never sing.  Except the early morning camping anthem - Jeremiah was a bullfrog...

We did have a nice, long weekend, lots of fun. I can't believe how fast that made it to social media.  I didn't bother to check for two days, and was greeted by...us. The lake is always a healthy place to go.  S#3 was doing great, relaxed until she realized her daughter was ditching her and not coming, that she was stuck with the 3 kids she had with her. Then she seemed more stressed.  Plus keeping an eye on kids at the lake is stressful. The lake is fun, but it can be dangerous.

Had a strange thought while I was cooking this weekend. I made potato salad, and noticed that every single potato was exactly alike.  I realized this is what I expect, but that is never what I get in my garden. I know, but suddenly I felt, the poisons are meant to used conformity.  Then I started thinking about kids and their desperation to conform. I'm considering all the toxins in our daily culture necessary to produce such mindless sameness, or such tortured sameness. We say we value diversity - but it's only true if people conform to the norm. Interesting paradox!

I had a dream the other night, I don't remember exactly what was happening, but I looked up and there were many, many, many birds way high in the sky, joining together, I think to begin a migration.  I have not been able to find a complete idea in any of the dream dictionaries, but one line give me a place to begin analyzing...(http://www.dreamdictionary.org/b/) says: A flock of birds soaring over you donates total freedom.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Love and hugs and Light...from Clare