Okay, I need your help! If you run into The Muse, please don’t mention that her brilliantly inspired blog post for today is now next in line for Wednesday! (She’s already insisting that I pack a photo so she can keep me up to speed on my upcoming adventure!)
For this moment, though, a couple of new voices in my world.
I went to church in Canada this morning! (Well, virtually…) Bedford United Church in Nova Scotia was celebrating this third Sunday in Advent with a Christmas Cantata a’ la current context. And a member of my chosen family was singing!
What a wonder-full place for me to be!
With a welcome lack of formality, and a large dose of community, my new friends lit candles and sang songs and miraculously included everybody with language and images and sounds, both familiar and fresh. And, perhaps most of all, with smiles.
Smiles we could see because the choir had been rapid tested and given the go-ahead to sing sans masks.
Miracles are, indeed, in the eyes of the beholders!
Time out for a funny…
Someone typed into the chat, during the service, that it was “Church with many Newfies”.
Given the context, I suspect they meant 2-footed visitors from Newfoundland.
What they didn’t know was that there were also two of the 4-footed Newfies enjoying from Atlanta!
And, while we’re talking about bear-ish beasties… some wisdom from another new teacher. Maria Yraceburu is an Indigenous Elder who is helping me learn about star constellations and ancient myths.
It is, as I may have mentioned, a bit of a challenge as stargazing is an adventure in Atlanta. Suffice it to say that I’ve had to find new ways to do my homework.
A star chart for Atlanta skies in December of 2021 helps a lot. (Which is something of a wonder right there!)
The Muse decided to get involved, too, and sent me a dream. It was filled with bear-ish beasties of the more traditional variety.
A bit of research revealed that the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are home to the only two constellations I’ve ever really known consciously with my eyes and heart. (The big and little dippers.)
This, according to Maria, is because I am Bear Clan.
I’m still learning what that means. What I can tell you, for now, is that I feel like I belong.
I can also tell you that I like learning new things!
So, meet some “new” members in the fam photo, all of whom have been living here for ages!
Not really so hard to wrap my head around bears when you consider that I’ve also discovered among the uncles a Catholic Pope, and an Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as a couple of distant grandfathers, beheaded for their faith, and a great aunt hanged as a witch.
Fascinating. Tragic, some of it. But, for me, the bigger issue is what I do with all of this learning in order to be a force for better in the world my girls are inheriting.
I’ll keep you posted!
For now there’s a dog-bear barking out back and a whole batch of Forest of Grandmothers paint videos to watch.
ps… still haven’t taken the Intentional Grandmothers Archetype Quiz??? Yep… click the pretty colored link! It’s fast, easy, fun, and free!
pps… when you take the quiz, it would be great if you’d confirm your email. That way you’ll get way more info and some goodies!