THE PSYCHIC

We have been very exhausted at school preparing for our ACCET accreditation. Sweet, growing-up Kristin....kind, honest Antonella....insightful Deborah in charge of scanning and whatever she notices needs care, our activity leaders dealing with our group of Chinese students, our wonderful intern Pablo, and of course our dedicated teachers. Our binders are beautiful and museum ready for after the big day, and our school looks great.  But just to make sure, as I was walking toward that much needed bloody mary in Seaport Village this afternoon, I passed a psychic who appeared highly credentialed.

For the record, the following are among Dr. Iris' predictions from cards and crystals and other channeled abilities:

*Our accreditation will go great!  Smooth sailing!  Lots of strengths!  No worries!

Therefore, on to the good stuff....

*This move to my new apartment will be the last of many moves and will usher in a well-deserved upswing in my life

*I will be doing a lot of writing  (perhaps someone will discover that this scenic route of a life has some worthiness to download on the new iPAD?)

*Between this January and next January I will be making a trip to Israel

*Between this January and next January I will meet a man named Isaac with blue eyes who has two grown children and a dead wife  (did you see "It's Complicated?"  A dead wife is a good thing!).

*My mom is happy, busy, and looking very young.  She has been helping me a great deal this past year.

*Meri is pregnant with another healthy, beautiful, baby boy  (Let's find out on Thursday...)

*I will become financially stable in the coming year.  (Can I repeat that again?)  I will become financially stable in the coming year.

*I wil lose weight and get healthy and I must convince my doctor that bio-identical hormones ARE the way to go.

*My final 3 cards were the Ace of hearts, the Ace of diamonds and the Five of diamonds.  She DEFINITELY said they were the cards of love, wealth, and health.

Guess what!  I feel better already!

Childhood Innocence and 20010

This past week was a joy to me.  Meri and Jeff drove down from Orleans for the week with Sam, who is now two.  They stayed at the Island Inn, and Sam stayed with me!  He has the same delightful, sweet, loving personality of Meri at that age. 

Watching life through the eyes of a child really permits you to experience the miracles of the world, even the simplest things:  like water squirting out of the fountain (surprise!), or sliding down the sliding board on your tummy (It's fun, Bebe!!), or waiting for the trolley ("here it comes!  It's our turn!), or savoring ice-cream (it's yummy!), or drumming at my djembe class (I can do it, Bebe!).

When I say "I love you Sam" he takes his little hand and pats my cheek and says "I love you too, Bebe."  (Bebe for the two b's in barbra).  When I say "I will miss you Sam,"  he says "It's OK, BeBe, I will miss you too."  A million kisses, Sam!  Don't forget to play your harmonica!

Meri and Jeff are so easy going and patient with him  It's very satisfying to see.

All children should have that joy of experiencing the miracles of childhood and follow their curiosities without fear or worry.

If not for anything else, I pray that 2010 is a peaceful, joyful, healthy and prosperous year for the children in the world. 

Did you see the Depak Chopras site "I take the vow"  http://Itakethevow.com ?  "I take the vow of non-violence in my thoughts, my speech, my actions."  Please check it out.

Happy 2010!

Peace, Christmas, and International Education

This is the thing about an International English Institute....when you get students together from all over the world, the only way they can communicate is in English.  This takes effort, deep listening, eye contact, charades, thought, laughter, and compassion.  What a lesson in communication!  If we all, who speak the same language, gave our conversations the same care.

It is unbelievably touching to see a Korean, male, 24 year old cry at our weekly graduations as he bids farewell to his friends he made from Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and more.  It is moving to hear the students speak of how the teachers have taught them more than English and have given them the memories of their lives. 

Yesterday we celebrated the upcoming Christmas holidays.  While not everyone celebrates Christmas, part of the experience of coming to America is to be immersed in all the traditions of American life.  And truly, what does "Merry Christmas" mean, but a greeting of peace, joy, love and hope? 

We like to sing an American song at our Friday graduations, and yesterday Marcia's class came up to help lead "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."  We followed this with  "Silent Night" in English, and then invited the Brazilians to sing the song in Portuguese.  They were so happy and their voices were bright and joyous.  A realization:  we sing the same songs, all over the world, in different languages, but with the same meaning. 

I learned a new quote yesterday:  "Begin anywhere.  But begin."

Happy Birthday Mommy

Dearest Mommy,
How I wish I could call and hear you say "Hi Bobs." 
Always a wise listener, always knowing how to make me feel loved and special, always instilling in me the strength to keep marching onward with trust and a life-affirming belief.  Please give me a sign....Happy Birthday.

WOLF

I have always been drawn to the wolf, especially since visiting a 'shaman' in Half Moon Bay and discovering that the wolf is my animal spirit / guide.  Maybe it is the way the wolf howls from the bottom of her heart as she stretches toward the full moon.

Lately, I have been holding onto some uncomfortable feelings.  So, it was fortuitous that I picked up a book by Pema Chodren, one of my favorite Buddhist authors, last night while sitting at Borders.  Her book began with a story....

"A Native American grandfather was speaking to his grandson about hurt, sadness, and cruelty and how it comes about.  He said it was if two wolves were fighting in his heart.  One wolf is vengeful, bitter, and angry.  One wolf is understanding, open, willing and kind.  'Which wolf will win the fight?' asked the child.  The grandfather answered, 'The one that wins is the one I choose to feed."

KEYS

Yesterday I set my keys down on the counter at CVS Pharmacy while paying the friendly cashier.  "Wow, you have a lot of keys," he said.  I stopped.  I was clearly moved by this comment.  My mind flew back in time....

In 2003 I was left with an "empty nest" and no clear direction of where life would take me.

Then, I discovered a certificate program in teaching English as a Foreign Language at San Diego State.  Within a couple of months, I scattered my belongings among friends, emptied my apartment, donated all of my self-help books to the Los Gatos library, graduated the class at SDSU, and prepared to leave for Mexico....and the unknown.  Only one key left, to my little Dodge Neon.  Linnie, my constant companion on my wanderlust adventures , drove with me to Frontier Ford to dispose of my car and hand over my final key.  I was keyless.  I didn't have a key in all the world!

I moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico for what turned out to be an almost two year journey of self-reliance, survival, new connections, learning, peace, growth and fulfillment.

I returned to San Francisco in 2005.  Since then, I have lived so many places as I continue to trust that the universe unfolds, exactly as it should, and I am exactly where I should be, and that everything I need will find its way to me.

So here I am at CVS Pharmacy, in San Diego, December 2009, once again with lots of keys. 

I look back with awe at that special time when I had no keys at all.

Joshua Tree National Monument

Today I drove to Joshua Tree. Unlike other National Parks that I have visited, there are no concession stands and no visitors' centers inside the park. And because it is the end of the fall season, the park was empty. Silence. Only the sound of the wind. And the strange beauty of the Joshual trees against the jumbled rock formations that tumble out of the earth.

I took the 'Boy Scout Trail' which I followed until I could no longer see the road....a 360 panorama. I bought a 12 month pass ($15 for the day, $30 for the pass) so I can come often, especially in February to see the wildflowers. Linnie, can we camp there in April for our birthdays?

On the way home, I stopped at the Harley store in Yucca Valley. I have been trying to discover just the right token to carry in my car. I found just what I was looking for...and to my delight, the perfect Chanukah gift for my father. It is a 'guardian bell.' The legend goes that the sound of this little bell dispels all evil spirits on the road and keeps you safe on your journey (especially if you are on a motorcycle). I bought two exactly the same: on one side there is a wolf, and on the other side two feathers. My bell is hanging from my rear view mirror.

It poured on the 2 1/2 hour ride home, but I listened to disc 5 of Deepak Chopra, and an hour of my old friend Howard Stern on Sirius! It is comforting to know that some things never change....