Category: Crone/Wise Woman Stories

A selection of shadow/soul stories wanting to be shared with other shadow/soul dancers who may relate.

Crone/Wise Woman Stories/

A 2nd Quarter Recall

2nd Quarter

In 1979, with significant encouragement from a professional who did NOT believe in prescribing Valium, some new and unusual ideas were presented. Instead of Valium there were some recommended readings (via the Bhagwhan Shree Rajneesh / Osho / guru). My perception of those readings, at the time, was that they contained underlying themes about:

  • being present in the moments;
  • living to the fullest by just dealing with each day as it arrived; and
  • considering options to change the way people, places and things were viewed.

Letting go of the past, giving up control and extensive planning for the future, and just being present! Pretty lofty and unique ideas for a somewhat naïve farm kid. At the time, the concepts were so far removed from the old BS (Belief Systems) that they were sometimes difficult to even grasp.

In retrospect it’s not so difficult to see how others may have perceived some type of duping/brainwashing taking place – via both the professional and the guru. Perhaps though, it’s also important to consider that stepping outside of “acceptable behaviours” attached to the times and family dynamics was not an easy process, for any of the players involved.

Small confession here…. yes, it DID cross my mind that perhaps I could travel to India to meet this guru.

End result of that small three-year journey?

  • Dissolution of 21-year high-school sweetheart and marriage relationship.
  • Undertaking to become super woman…. does anyone out there relate to three jobs, gonna do it all and not ask for any help!
  • Followed by what has become a continuing, life-long effort, to help heal the wounds visited on those I loved the most by giving it my best shot to walk a path of honesty, integrity, and kindness.

A significant realization today is that the path that was unfolding at the end of that three-year journey was NOT sustainable. In fact it very likely would have ended in full-on destruction and failure. But then again, with a willingness to embrace some positive daily routines and practices, over an extended timeline, NOW, it’s clear that everything, even then, was “perfectly on time”.

May 9, 1981 – what is clear in hindsight is that the universe stepped in to save this little soul #1 from certain disaster.

The suggestion of a blind date had been presented by a co-worker – seriously! There was absolutely no room in the life being mapped out by this human-suited, earth-school participant for such a ridiculous idea. Of course, you’ve probably already surmised that even though much, much, much resistance was expounded upon that date occurred.

And once again in hindsight, the importance of the event was that this other human-suited, earth-school soul #2, was also walking a newer path … similar to the one that little soul #1 was exploring.  

Hoping you will humour me and try to visualize this picture.

Following some fine dining, little soul #1 and soul #2 stepped onto the dance floor and ‘voila’ the magic simply erupted … not a step or a beat was missed, and it looked to their friends as though they had danced together forever. And the next phase of their “stories” began (which may or may not unfold in more detail in the weeks/months ahead). Small teaser here – there truly are some fairy tale romance moments involved.

And now I want to change tracks slightly…. although not directly related to this 2nd quarter recall, in other ways, the decision to sign-up for a 3-week webinar with Mark Nepo (author of The Book of Awakening) is also a further unfolding of sorts.  Those early 1980’s “new ideas” became an integral part of the journey those little souls shared and the webinar series, titled Surviving Storms reinforces the value of those old / new ideas.

Back in the days of the “guru”, mental health issues were not mainstream. In fact, there was a lot of “hiding” taking place and stepping into a therapy situation carried a certain stigma. Thank goodness changes continue to evolve! I’m so grateful for those opportunities to connect with people like Mark. Sometimes, (in my own journey) it can feel like walking through sludge here in the earth-school. People like Mark offer a bucketful of hope and encouragement to anyone who may be looking for new ways to process and walk through their story. 

Referencing Mark, his webinar and book may not seem to quite fit with the beginning of this blog and I hope you’ll stay with me anyway.  One of the reasons I enjoy him so much is his recognition and understanding that each of us is walking our own journey under whatever modus operandi we find ourselves and he simply accepts that we are all “perfectly on time” (of course those are my words not his…LOL).

When this web site and blog came into being it was, in part, a result of Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections. It seemed that a voice of some sort was prodding to at least “try” to somehow get “reconnected” …. with friends and family but perhaps also with people who hadn’t yet crossed my path. Mark had “suggested” we begin a practice of two ancient tools/medicines that have been effective for thousands of years:

HOLDING AND LISTENING
Holding is restorative
Listening and being listened to is healing

And….as can only happen when the universe wants to show me something – serendipity happened at Pickle Ball Orientation today. It only took about 4-5 words for one of the participants to suddenly break into tears. Unknown to the speaker of the words this young lady was/is just six months into her grieving journey. What was the beautiful thing that unfolded? She was held and listened to, and a small piece of healing took place. There are no coincidences (to my way of thinking) and another “perfectly on time” experience unfolded…pretty powerful stuff me thinks.

A few additional lines / suggested practices from Mark that resonated with me…. hoping they may carry a little weight for you as well.

  • Storms dissipate when the forces that ground us are greater than the forces that excite us. How do we look for the forces that ground us and spend more time with them than the forces that excite us?
  • Catastrophizing – we don’t have to stay in it. We can right size it. How do we practice that?
  • There are more years behind me than ahead. How do I let that deepen the preciousness of the days I have left?
  • Unfolding from in to out versus going from here to there is a spiritual journey AND both a personal and universal process. A kind of turning inside-out that requires hard work. Am I up for that adventure?
  • What kind of commitments and practices help me to stay aligned, to stay authentic, to stay present, to lean in and hold nothing back, to stay open hearted and open-minded
  • Like the redwood trees – we need a spiritual practice to deepen our roots and widen our trunk to endure the force of unexpected storms.

It would be heart-warming and heart-healing to think that some of these words may be beneficial, in some small way, to even one person reading. As always, thank you for your encouragement and support.

Crone/Wise Woman Stories/

Pollyanna Syndrome

Happy Sunday friends and family – multiple “thought tracks” chasing around and a reflective and conscious decision was made to set aside a sad news experience (for now) and see if a step into a bit of lightness might become the main thrust for this week.

One of my daily readings today talked about The Pollyanna Show. Suzanne Giesemann’s new Awakened Way app often presents much “food for thought” and todays was no exception. The reminder at the end about “what I put out is what is likely to come back to me” suggests that leaning toward participating as a Pollyanna might be a worthwhile practice (at least on occasion).

Some laughable moments….

The Dancing Queen

The first dance class was so much fun and the connection with other happy dancers resulted in such a boost of energy and laughs. A little post was made at the Crone Chronicles FB Group and there were many cute gifs and clips in support of this Wise Woman (in training).

New shoes were obviously a must for this somewhat “A-type personality”(more A-type personality?) ….Ginger Rogers and Shirley Temple are not going to outdo while these cover the dancing feet….

Pickleball for a past ping pong champion

Pickleball hasn’t quite come to fruition although the application, acceptance of the application and moneys paid and received have all taken place. It was the 8am on Sunday morning orientation option that put a slight hold on everything. I mean, really….8am and Sunday! Ah well…the thoughtful president of the Chilliwack Club acknowledged that there are others who also aren’t available for that time slot so I’m sure something will unfold in due time.

Timeline challenge x 2

The use of an online service to send birthday and anniversary greetings fits quite nicely here (more “A-type personality” stuff?). It allows for finding the cards that “feel just about right” while also scheduling their delivery in advance. All of that works well IF a mindful and being present approach is employed. My brother Teddi, who will be 83 on February 17th received his card on Friday! What’s to be said! It ended up being “perfectly on time” because it meant we got to have a phone call, chat and laugh together about this business of “Grey Matter”. I suggested that because we’re both in the fourth quarter why not begin celebrating two weeks in advance and just continue with the party indefinitely. Sounded reasonable to me…he seemed to like the idea as well.

Income Tax Time isn’t all that far away right? Does anyone else avoid this event for as long as possible and then find themselves scrambling to pull it all together 24 hours before deadline? That level of avoidance was my modus operandi for a LONG time. Every year I’d say the same thing….”I’m going to do up my own bookkeeping records EVERY MONTH next year….this last minute stuff is just too painful”. Of course, the next year April 15th or so would arrive and there I’d be scrambling to pull it together…one more time!

Don used to just shake his head while making smarty pants comments like….

  • “I thought you said you were going to do this every month?” and….
  • “Aww honey, I’m sorry you’re having a bad time…maybe next year you can do it every month”…and
  • “Is there anything at all I can do to help (while laughing out loud).

This year I am so very proud to say I will have it all finished this coming week and that’s a big accomplishment for this human-suited soul. I’m impressed even if you’re not…LOL

Siri, Alexa & Spell-check

The laughable changes made by Siri, Alexa and auto-spellcheck in our world of “everything needs to be instant”. Even this Wise Woman (in training) has taken to “speaking” into that cell phone to relay a text message and/or respond to an email. Good grief!

That exact scenario was about to unfold the other day and then a thought popped up….when was the last time you picked up the phone to talk and listen to this person ? The new options to connect through technology are NOT to be discounted but sometimes I DO wonder.

I listened in on a webinar yesterday with Mark Nepo and he talked about two words. Listening and Holding….that perhaps we could be just a little more mindful in extending those actions. Particularly if we find someone crossing our path who could really benefit from some listening and/or holding (either physically or just holding space).

Well….that just took a slight left turn didn’t it! Back to Siri, Alexa and auto-spellcheck! Here are a few recent laughs:

  • Letting a friend know I had sent her a poster but Siri changed it to “oyster”….now she wants to know if there’s a pearl included
  • Just wrapping up a couple of “glass” (supposed to be “last”) pieces at work
  • Me: I think I’ll hang on for the ride
    • Answer: LOAD AND CLEAR….just cracked me up – perhaps it IS about loading!
  • Me: I think I’m still vibrating [reference to having actually made the ferry]
    • Answer: He just tried calling and it went to BM…oops that was supposed to be VM

Of course there are many more….just thought it would be a bit of silliness to put a few in writing.

“Blonde”? Bombshells

Last night a good friend and I decided to do a short notice dinner and visit at Milestones. Food was great – young waiter was even greater! Of course the two of DO tend to get carried away with Shareables and Desserts while chatting through a multitude of stories and experiences (convert that to time-consuming). Our reservation was for 4:30pm and it truly felt like “a blink” when that very cute waiter came and kicked us out (truth be told he was apologetic). A bit of past truth time here….we’ve been asked to leave places (possibly because of unacceptable behaviour and probably within our 1st and 2nd quarters of earth school). To be noted that the ask wouldn’t have been a request as much as a demand AND it would have been much, much later in an evening. That’s why this current scenario felt quite laughable….it was only 6:30 pm! Proposed new persona from Star the accomplice …. “blond?” bombshells

The Sassy Cat felt like a cute windup AND … enjoy whatever you get up to in the coming days/week AND trust that it’s all “Perfectly on Time“.

Crone/Wise Woman Stories/

Be Yourself – Everyone Else is Taken

As this past week unfolded there were multiple points of “new awareness” with “pokes” from the universe that included a few serendipity/synchronistic and A’ha moments. That’s how the blog title came into being for this week…..even at this 4th quarter of life it’s a good thing to be reminded to “Be Yourself”. Why? Because, even within the 4th quarter it’s still easy [old belief systems] to forget there really is NO requirement to fit into that box/mold that seemed like such a necessity in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters.

A Lee Harris workshop titled “Rebirth 2023” crossed my path a few weeks ago and Friday was the last day. It was one more attempt to step forward, explore and be curious about what else life may have to offer and turned into an exceptional experience. No magical “re-invention in a nano-second” but this idea to “be yourself” was contained in much of the content and practices. Additionally the multi-generational community welcomed and encouraged us 4th quarter participants with open arms. It was also a further confirmation that although different words, approaches, and presentations may cross my path, my mantra of “perfectly on time” continues to resonate as was evidenced by much of the information that was gifted throughout the workshop.

Three little serendipity stories

POTLUCK AND BINGO was attended with some of the Chilliwack Probus Club members. I know, I know….BINGO? Truth is I had a blast….it was delightfully entertaining to engage with this group of fun-loving individuals – many of them in the 4th quarter and of course it didn’t hurt at all that most of those sitting at our table were bingo winners (me too…LOL). There was a little bit of scuttlebutt about the game being fixed and a few small cat calls (all tongue in cheek and with much laughter). There were also a few comments, subject to interpretation, that will remain within the walls of the gathering place, but which again resulted in lots of giggles. It was so good to discover I can still laugh and be goofy…..

PICKLEBALL. No, I didn’t play – BUT – step-son Doug had talked about it with me some time ago and suggested it would be a terrific way for me to get in shape and stay fit (thanks for the encouragement Doug…you sounded like your Dad…). Anyhow, as we were leaving the Bingo event what do you think we passed by? Yep…. the Pickleball Court. And, who just happened to be outside the door? An inviting and knowledgeable individual from the Chilliwack Pickleball Club who encouraged us to join up, go through their orientation and a basic introduction of the game and then to attend their Skills and Drills session. They have a terrific YouTube about “How to Play Pickleball” – perhaps it’s one more opportunity to lighten up?

FOLK DANCING. Sandy (bingo partner and winner as well) was talking about this group and encouraged me to join them. Great exercise and lots of fun as they explore a variety of cultural dance steps/reels. Dancing has always been a happy place for me. Dance was the magic that started that most memorable story and journey with Donald James the prince. So, this new idea that I could go and just dance, for fun and as part of a group suddenly had a whole lot of merit. Another small step outside of the self-imposed box that has surrounded me for over 4 years now. Perhaps more to be revealed in the weeks/months ahead….first class will be Wednesday this week!

A brief tussle with the word ageism

The possible new adventures took me on another exploration, looking for information. For awhile I started tunnelling down an old-age/seniors/elders rabbit hole and was actually moving into a rant. Suddenly that just didn’t suit this idea of “be yourself” so I’ve shelved it. Maybe it will come back one day and maybe not. Suffice to say that ageism is alive and well in our world and what I choose to do with and/or about it is “perfectly on time“! Perhaps it will be a new idea to just lean into identifying our 4th quarter participants as “Wisdom Goddesses and Warriors”….LOL!

What’s the takeaway today?

The idea of undertaking to “be yourself” was totally foreign in the generation I was raised up in. In fact it wasn’t part of the next generations where I continued to TRY AND GROW UP! It’s probably only now in the 4th quarter that growing up isn’t terribly significant. I’m reminded of another saying I’ve heard over the years….growing old (oops – let’s make that wiser) is mandatory…growing up is optional.

For today though, something seems to be speaking loud and clear about “be yourself” – perhaps more for the beautiful young souls coming along behind me. Sometimes, I perceive levels of expectation being presented through media over-load and it raises flags and concerns for our next generations. Johann Hari in his book Lost Connections talks about “junk values” …. I hope we find a way to move beyond.

In truth, this human-suited journey can, at times, appear to be pretty short. While it may “look” as though the earth-school provides a myriad of experiences and opportunities to figure out what “be yourself” means wouldn’t it be delightful to simply know that at any and every given moment we are all “perfectly on time“? And, from there, simply walk forward on this journey with the knowledge that nothing is etched in stone and each of us (at whatever age) has the option to revise that “be yourself” persona to fit the moments.

Crone/Wise Woman Stories/

The “A’ha P’tend” Story

Always new reflections, gifts, and experiences. Always shaking my head at how “time” seems to be escaping/traveling/unfolding at “the speed of light”! AND, still this nanosecond/blink of yet one more week, continues to surprise me.

Initially it seemed that the calendar didn’t look incredibly busy but then every day was full from beginning to end. Our weekly gathering with our beautiful Gladys; work interspersed with webinars and esoteric explorations; connections with family, extended family, and friends; and for this week the highlight of the the “meet and greet” with James William Thom who arrived to join the Thom Clan on January 2nd at 8:40pm and weighing in at 6.9 lbs.

With the arrival of, and first visit with, this latest great-grandchild a memory of another grandchild surfaced and I felt compelled to share it. Not only because it still makes me laugh but also as a reminder to cherish the memories because these most wonderful little souls arrive and turn around to produce the next generation in what truly feels like nanoseconds… AND…every little piece of it is “Perfectly on time”.

Brendan

He looked at his Mom square on, not pulling any punches at all, eye to eye and what he said was to become one of his Grandma’s most very favourite sayings for many years.

“Baby Boy”, as his Grandma T loved to call him was by all accounts a charmer. With double dimples and a smile that never stopped, people often turned around just so they could somehow be part of the lovely and exuberant energy he gave off.  Of course, Grandma T just knew, at a very deep level, that her “Baby Boy” was an old soul who had come to give us all lessons in honesty, laughter and genuine joy.

So, what was the favourite saying? Well, here’s the story….

Some summer days are just naturally more tranquil than others – you know – that lazy, slow, warm kind of day with sunshine and soft breezes that simply inspire a feeling of blissful contentment.  It was that kind of day that the favourite saying was born.

Baby Boy was two years and four months old. Not very old in some respects, but of course because we already knew that he was an old soul, the earth-school timeline didn’t necessarily equate so was kind of unimportant.  What was important was how he was about to convince his Mom that he had done something she didn’t want him to do.  What was also important was that he would convince her so thoroughly that she would actually yell at him out of fear and disbelief (being yelled at was NOT part of his world at the time).

My belief today? That at a soul level we have all planned and agreed with one another to come here and occupy the human-suit so we can be both teachers to, AND students of, one another.  The 20/20 hindsight vision of this story suggested that the agreement between Baby Boy and his Mom (for this particular event) was to teach her that not all is what it may appear to be and that even a Mother’s eyes can be deceived.

So, here the two of them are – at the picnic table – where they are sitting and enjoying the afternoon.  Suddenly… this big, shiny black summer fly appears and begins hanging around.  You must know the kind – really shiny and really big but also kind of dopy and slow – buzzing and flying close to your face and just generally being bothersome.  Pretty enticing for a little one to consider grabbing it which was exactly what Baby Boy decided to do….try and catch the fly.  Every time it came near, he tried to capture it in his little hands – clap together – oops missed – clap together – oops missed.

Of course, as this entire scene is unfolding Mom is getting a little concerned that Baby Boy might actually catch this big black dopy summer fly and asks nicely “please leave it alone Brendan” and says “you don’t need to catch it – it’s dirty”.

The smile and the dimples are presented while completely ignoring Mom and of course the little hands continue with the – clap together – oops missed – clap together – oops missed experience.

Mom, sees that on a couple of the “clap togethers” he’s getting a little too close for comfort and with a slightly sterner and louder tone says “Brendan, stop trying to catch that fly”.  But Brendan continues in his happy pursuit of chasing the big black dopy summer fly and just as his Mom is about to reprimand him one more time that big black dopy summer fly is in exactly the right spot at exactly the right moment and – clap together – and Baby Boy looks at his Mom with this huge triumphant grin on his face.

Now Mom REALLY yells – “Brendan, let that fly go” and Brendan just keeps looking at her with those eyes that reach right into your soul.  As he starts to raise his hands toward his mouth Mom now SCREAMS “Brendan, don’t put that fly in your mouth” but it’s too late and now Mom is screaming even louder “Brendan, spit that out, spit that out” at which point Grandma T’s Baby Boy opens his little hands to display that there is nothing in them and says “A’ha P’tend” with such joy and such laughter and such honesty that all his Mom can do is start laughing too!

And the very most favourite saying was born!  “A’ha P’tend” may well be what this entire earth-school is really all about. IF we are able to remember that – why then – Baby Boy probably did his job of teaching us about honesty, laughter and genuine joy. 

Being in the Moment

The approach of using the phrase “Perfectly on time” is one that’s been practiced for some time now – pretty sure the collective of children and grandchildren attached to me will attest to it. It’s a phrase that has also been said with “tongue in cheek” more than once. For some reason, today it just seems that “A’ha P’tend” and “Perfectly on time” might actually be interchangeable….just sayin’ LOL

The “Perfectly on time” doesn’t necessarily mean that someone “got it”….rather it might mean “great if you did” and “not a problem” if you didn’t because the experience can always be presented again for a second/third/fourth chance to laugh and finally say “A’ha P’tend”.

 

So….to sweet James William, AND to his parents Jeff and Laura AND to his grandparents Steven & Meera….seems to me that ALL of you are “Perfectly on time”. My wish is that you simply grab and cherish all the moments that are about to unfold. Blinks and nanoseconds truly happen in blinks and nanoseconds.

Crone/Wise Woman Stories/

The Shadow & the Soul

The more this human-suited individual endeavours to establish a “writing practice” the more there are two distinct voices that come out to play. References have already been made in earlier posts. Perhaps it’s the “perfectly on time” opportunity to more clearly define/look at/consider their identities.

Hey there little “shadow”!
What’s up in your world today? Feeling a little left out, lonely, unappreciated, and forgotten?

Would that be the reason you recently presented that old phrase….
“I may not be much, but I’m all I ever think about”… to sit front and center and play over and over like a broken record?


A little background here readers. That phrase was often used by a dear friend when several, like-minded souls, would be gathered together, undertaking to explore old and new ideas. Making light of “ego” helped all of us recognize the human-suited condition we were enmeshed in and laughter invariably followed. What a fun and beautiful memory and what a special recollection that every single person in the “gathering” would relate and then somehow feel lighter.

Adding a type of identity to “shadow” versus “ego” seems like a comfortable fit. New understandings [ideas] suggest that ALL of us have a shadow side – established to protect us from whatever past demons/traumas may have been presented at a time when we could not emotionally translate and/or understand them. With that new idea comes an interesting option. Why not embrace that little “shadow”, acknowledge its presence, and let it know it’s perfectly on time and no longer needs to protect the child because the child is finally growing up.

Of course, understanding that this little “shadow” is still going to have a voice should also be just fine. In my own experience, the practice of “pausing” when “shadow” starts to take center stage, has over time, reduced the volume to a much lower decibel. There’s a story about “The Two Wolves” that’s been around for a very long time and seems to contain elements of what I’ve tried to capture in this blog. This interpretation resonated with me and is a lovely read…. https://lonerwolf.com/two-wolves-story.

So, what about the little “soul” identity?

  • A voice that’s quieter, gentler, kinder, more compassionate.
  • Can it compete with little “shadow”?
  • From where I’m sitting today? You bet!
  • How? … Take the pause, settle in, get quiet and listen.
  • What might happen? …An entirely magical presentation of wisdom and guidance that’s heartfelt, loving and generous…. all through sitting in a state of silence.

Such a journey! AND … maybe, just maybe, the questioning that continues to play out and sit at top of mind (attached to “I may not be much, but I’m all I ever think about“) is actually my “soul” asking me to take a closer look at who I am today, who might I become and how I might be of service as I finish up my earth-school training for this lifetime.

So, now back to Thursday and how that phrase led to the theme of this blog.

I’ve mentioned my mentor, Gladys, in a previous blog (also fondly known as “Our Queen” and “Our girl”). She’s been a participant in my own earth-school journey for 40+ years and I’ve laid claim to her being my very own Wise Woman / Spiritual Giant. She’s the one that taught me about “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Interesting that more recently that phrase is being “spoken” via multiple videos, YouTube presentations and webinars. I used to think it was unique to the mutual network Gladys and I are part of but now I’m thinking it’s been around for a very long time – perhaps it’s simply more acceptable to speak it out loud in our world today.

The “I may not be much, but I’m all I ever think about” phrase was playing loud and clear as I was driving out to have my weekly visit with her. She’s now 96 years young, traveling through the maze of dementia at times, wheelchair bound as the result of a broken hip two years ago and in a care facility in Agassiz.

I go to visit because I love her dearly – it’s difficult sometimes to view her condition as being “perfectly on time” and yet there are moments when I sense some type of movement between here and wherever as she talks about “helping”. If (as seems to be the story now resonating with me) we’ve all agreed to come here to have this earth-school/human-suited experience then perhaps this part of her story is to serve as a “transition buddy” for others needing a little assistance to move to their next marvelous journey.

So – back to the phrase and acknowledging that whatever “shadow” was up to was kind of escaping me in the moment. BUT…. maybe this is the catch / pause / gift.

Our girl seemed to be elsewhere for the earlier part of this visit, but we still engaged and listened to music. Two of her favourites are “It’s An Irish Lullaby” and “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” and she continues to amaze all of us when she remembers the words. Then she just dozed off and as we sat in silence the idea that we might be “communing/connecting” on some other level crossed my mind. Of course, when “shadow” plays devil’s advocate, it can be a challenge to discern which voice is loudest. Thursday, during those minutes of silence, it felt as though it was “soul” speaking and I’m going to go with that.

Is there supposed to be a profound message in here today? Nope. Just the idea of cherishing ALL the moments we’re presented with. Seems to me we all have a pre-destined “shelf-life” so living joyfully and to the fullest every single day might then result in no regrets when that shelf-life date arrives.

Our little Facebook Group now has 27 members and I encourage everyone to use the group to safely connect to exchange thoughts and ideas. Isolation is a word that’s become very prominent since 2020 and one of my hopes is that this group may provide one small space to engage and not feel alone.

Also, this clip just made me laugh out loud and from my perception also speaks about “soul”….I mean, really! Pretty sure it will give you a giggle as well.