I met God at the Cowley festival

I went to a festival recently, and the most extraordinary thing happened.

There I was, minding my own business, listening to a reggae band with ex-boy. The band finished and ex-boy wanted to go and congratulate the djembe player, which we did. He was about 40ish, hippie-ish and very smiley. As we turned to go, he gave each of us a great big bear hug..

OH

MY

GOD

Something happened in that bear hug...

All I felt when he hugged me was love. Huge, all encompassing, unconditional love. I couldn't let go. When I eventually did, thinking he must think I was a nutter.. I walked away and burst into a flood of tears.

I have never, ever, felt love like that... it was pure, it was huge, but most of all it was unconditional. It felt like that no matter what I did, what I said, or who I was.. I was loved..

Was he God in dreadlocks?? .. an angel in human form? .. an ordinary but exceptionally loving person..?

I don't think it matters.

What matters is the experience, and me never forgetting it, taking it with me and gripping it tightly to never let it go...


Today's song: Joan Osbourne, 'One of Us'

Three Beautiful Things

Three beautiful things for today..

1. Afternoon nap with my boys.
2. Cuddles with my sister.
3. Snuggling in bed as it's cold outside.


Today's favourite song: Ulrich Schnauss, 'Blumenthal'

The Extra-ordinary Life

I just love it when I come across a piece of writing that takes me out of the ordinary and deposits me in the extra-ordinary...

These are two such examples...

Taken from 'A Return to Love' by Marianne Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I read this paragraph when I'm feeling frightened, insecure, unsure of what lies ahead and it always, but always, gives me peace.

Taken from 'Stargirl' by Jerry Spinelli
"She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew... "

I read this book just recently and want to give it to every person I pass on the street. It is a book where, after reading it, you are never quite the same again. It embraces you, cocoons you, then sets you free to be your own 'stargirl'.

Today's favourite song: Ralph Vaughn Williams 'Lark Ascending':

IF you are looking for hope, if you are looking for inspiration, if you are lost in your darkest hour, you will find peace in the above...


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