DRIVING TOO
I’m driving down Interstate 40, already late for an appointment.
It’s been a while since I’ve had to be anywhere on time. My usual routines are in shambles. It takes me two hours to shower. That’s because I have to shave my legs, which I haven’t done since the summer.
The mat of leg hair is so thick I’d be better off using a machete rather than a razor. And shaving is a must. I’m wearing a suit with a skirt. I don’t think I’d make a good impression if I walked in with hair sticking out of my nylon pantyhose.
I have to eat something before I leave. It could be distracting if my stomach starts growling in the middle of my meeting. Besides, eating for me is like meditation for a yogi — not something I can just dispense with.
I can’t eat in the car. I’ve never perfected the art of “lap” dining. Ketchup gravitates like a magnet to anything white I’m wearing. Crumbs unerringly find the slightest crevice to fill — like the one between my camisole and blouse. And forget about take-out coffee. I haven’t figured out how to bend back a plastic lid so it doesn’t bounce back in my face when I’m drinking.
Wolfing down a power bar and glass of juice, I check my makeup and head out the door. I get into my car and turn the ignition. I check my driver-side mirror before I pull out.
That’s when I notice I no longer have a mirror.
It’s destroyed. Someone must have sideswiped me as they drove down the street. Maybe it was a bus. Or maybe it was a kid on a bike with a baseball bat. In any case, I don’t think I can drive all the way to Raleigh without a mirror.
I go back in the house and bring out masking tape. Some of the mirror’s plastic housing is intact, but the mirror itself is smashed. It dangles precariously by a single wire.
I rail at the Gods for their bad timing. Why couldn’t this have happened on a day I didn’t have driving obligations, like most other days of the week? Oh no — that would be too easy.
Carefully, I hoist the mirror onto the housing and tape it back into place. Though the glass is cracked, I can still see cars in the reflection. The images are just distorted and blurry, like those in a fun house.
Getting back into the car, I shift into gear and head out. I drive slowly, checking the mirror to make sure it’s not coming loose. Nothing happens so I hit the accelerator pedal, zooming up to thirty miles per hour. That’s when the mirror starts shaking.
I’m driving over a bridge. I can’t just pull over to the side of the road. So I slow down. I open my window and reach for the mirror to steady it. But by this time, it’s doing a shimmy like a belly dancer.
I inch down my window, trying not to be distracted. Distracted drivers cause accidents. And I’ve already had one.
I get the window down and stick my hand out in the freezing cold and wind. As I touch the mirror, it breaks free. I watch it in disbelief as it does a perfect swan dive. It sails over the railing and off the bridge into the murky waters of the Cape Fear River far below.
If you're enjoying this over coffee, tea, or whatever, please consider buying me a cup!FINDING A HEALER
Yesterday I discussed being a healer. In my thinking, a healer is one who assists in removing blockages within another person that trap the healing energy naturally available to all of us. This energy fuels the physical systems already existing within our bodies that actually perform the healing.
When afflicted with some malady, it’s great practice to seek out healers. If it’s a physical condition, like disease or a structural defect that requires correcting, then it’s critical to see a doctor. But even for physical conditions and especially for those which disturb the emotional and spiritual balance, finding a spiritual healer can be of value. Healers help direct the flow of healing energy to where it’s needed.
How do you find a healer? Doctors are easily found in the Yellow Pages. There are many alternate practitioners who advertise, too. But the surest way to find a healer is by observation.
Do you know someone who you just feel good being around? Seeing them or even thinking about them brings a smile to your face. Certainly that could be a significant other or a family member. We all possess the qualities of healers at different times. But I’m talking about a person who you seem to like for no apparent reason whatsoever. Their very presence makes you feel happier. That’s a healer.
Many healers aren’t even aware they are healers. They might realize that people like being around them. They may also see that people naturally confide in them more than they do in others. But all they really know is that people like them. That is a gift.
Some people are healers. Others inspire people. Some are service providers. Others are teachers, thinkers, doers, guardians, problem solvers, etc. We all have different gifts. Plus, each of us possesses all of these gifts, to some extent. But there’s usually one or two that are most highly developed within us. Those are our special gifts which define who we really are.
Perhaps it was easier finding a healer when we lived in tribal societies. It may have been evident through occupation or calling. For example a thinker may have been chief; a doer became a carpenter; a guardian was a soldier; a healer might have been a shaman. Every person in the tribe was known to each other. Everyone’s special gift was understood and shared when needed. It was a society which valued interdependence. Barter ensured a thriving community for all inhabitants.
In modern society, our occupations are often chosen by circumstance, rather than by aptitude. Someone might wish to have a certain lifestyle, so he or she chooses a career based on that desire, rather than utilizing their special skill. It’s more difficult now to recognize each person’s special gift. It requires keen observation.
When you find a healer, it’s a good idea to recognize it. Cultivate a friendship. You will offer your special gift and utilizes the healer’s. Again, it’s an interdependence that provides mutual benefit. Most likely you’ll also develop a friendship without even having to try, which is a bonus.
So, finding a healer relies on observation, but requires openness to trusting your judgment. Do you trust yours?
If you're enjoying this over coffee, tea, or whatever, please consider buying me a cup!
