Over the years, I’ve noticed that the best things I’ve done in my life were things I never planned. They came from out of the blue, in the organic flow of life. This has happened at least 7 times!
I wound up taking flying lessons in 1992 as a result of an experience on vacation in the Adirondacks.
In 1995, my yoga instructor got a job offer she knew she couldn’t take because she planned to move. She asked me to think about it. Instead of becoming nervous thinking about it, my body actually became calmer.
In January of 1997, I went to a large yoga center for 3 days to attend as many yoga and meditation classes as I could. On one of those nights, a Native American Women’s Full Moon Circle was scheduled. Attending that circle changed my life in so many ways. It was a powerful 2 hour event and before it was done, I made the decision to bring it to the Bennington area. I didn’t know how or where I would do them; I just knew I had to do them! 28 years later, I am still doing Women’s Circles.
In August of 1997, I attended a presentation at the local museum about Archaeology being done in town. After the slide show, we went to the dig site. While listening to the PR guy talk about what they were finding, I felt a very strong ache in my gut and decided to volunteer, which I did the next day.
I was the person who volunteered the most and, as a result of that, was taught more than other volunteers. I’m pretty sure this was because when the crew stopped for their afternoon break, I stayed in the unit focused on learning how to use the trowel. I volunteered so often that when the crew returned the next year, I was asked if I wanted to get paid for my work this year. I was in utter bliss doing archaeology!!!
In August of 2009, I was given a gift of attending a 5 day retreat to meet the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers at Omega Institute. This was a life event for me and led to doing circles to Honor Grandmothers in 4 locations over the span of 10 years!
In 2017, my landlord asked if I would be willing to help her 92 year old Mother with projects she couldn’t do by herself. It was such an enjoyable experience, I continued doing Elder Companion work for three other women.
As I look at this list, I can see that these unplanned events have formed the greater part of my life.
A few weeks ago I received an email from someone who works at a local library. She asked if I’d be interested in co-hosting a podcast about local stories. Now, podcasting can be added to this list. This invitation came because of a flyer I hung at the library about a workshop I offered in town called “The Healing Power of Storytelling.” In about a month, I will start this new adventure.