My trip to Santa Cruz was sublime. No, honestly, it was truly a trip that was chock full of love and goodness. I am a girl who is, above all else, well loved. I don't always truly appreciate just how well loved I am nor do I understand exactly how this actually came to pass, this well loved business?
I do love with abandon, it is true. I always have. If I love you, I give you everything I've got and I never hold back. I sparkle with it, shine it on you, beam it all in your direction.
Still, I am not that awesome. Nor am I someone who has ever been very good at the accepting of praise or kindness or love thrown in her direction. I'm working on it, I am. I want to be much better at it, I do. Because I know that this love expression is a two way street. I can not just keep beaming it out, shining it all over, splattering it about without actually scooping it up and letting it rain down on me, as well. It's just hard, sometimes, to take off the galoshes and the rain coat and put away the umbrella and truly wallow in the love.
But I did just that over the weekend in Santa Cruz. Oh did I wallow. Soaked and sopped and filled myself to overflowing. The people of Santa Cruz, my dear and lovely friends, they love well. They truly do.
I was also the recipient of many beautiful gifts.
Again, I love giving gifts, but all those who know me intimately will share with you that I'm not so very good at receiving them. I'll gush and make a huge fuss over the fact that you've thought of me, insist that you shouldn't have, thank you profusely and then....I'll leave the very gift you've given me right on your dining room table. Completely forget to take it home. It is TERRIBLE, I know. Awful. I'm a horrible recipient of kindness and love and all things beautiful. Don't waste it on me!
One gift I did receive didn't need wrapping in fancy paper or even un-fancy paper. The good and kind and lovely large hearted Max (who I am tempted to tell you is a savior dressed in every day clothes) has been my friend in Santa Cruz perhaps the longest of all my friends. No, really. We've been friends for what feels like forever plus another day after that.
He provided me a very soft bed, a softer pillow and chocolates on this visit. Max and I are always sharing the latest and the best finds on the Internet as we're both fans of things that open our minds and our hearts. This time he had a beautiful present for me.
The Moth.
I can't believe that I had not heard it before. I'm sure most of you probably already know all about it and shame on all of you for not telling me sooner. Of course we receive the gifts we're to receive exactly when we're to receive them so I'm certain The Moth came flitting into my life at precisely this moment because this was the moment I needed it to arrive. However, that doesn't let you off the hook for not sharing. I'm all about the sharing!
The Moth, for those of you who don't know, is a not-for-profit story telling organization that encourages people to tell real stories without notes to an audience. It is fantastic. No, truly. It is superb. I can not get enough of it. It is available on a podcast, but it is also available on many public radio stations nationwide. Of course, I'm going to be lobbying those good people up at KUER to start broadcasting it for these fine beautiful people in Salt Lake City, but in the meantime, I can always listen to the podcasts. Thank goddess for the Internet. Isn't it just a beautiful thing?
I'm sharing with you one of my most favorite stories that I've heard thus far. Honestly, this woman, Bokara Legendre, well, I can only hope to be as fabulous as she is one day in my life in the not so distant future. Let's face it, I'm a divorcee myself. With an outlaw for a lover at the moment. I believe in the healing powers of potions. Can my own story such as this be too far away?
Do give it a listen. I promise, it will give you a smile, a delight, some love. From me to you. Because we all know, I really like to spread the love around.
