I met a woman a few weeks ago…
At the nursing home…
Where the “near” person I know who has MRSA went.
Her name is Cassie.
I’d been hearing the haunting melodies of a Native American flute…
Coming from one of the hallways of the nursing home.
And so I followed the music.
After introducing myself and some conversation…
I queried why she was even at a nursing home…
Being that she looked younger than me.
“I’m recuperating from hip surgery,” she told me
“Oh?”
I wondered why she wasn’t home being taken care of by family.
“My family disowned me,” she said, reading my mind.
“That’s awful. Why?”
“Several years ago I sold most of everything I had…
Bought a Honda motorcycle…
And went on a journey across the country.”
“By yourself?” I asked, shocked. That seemed so scary to me.
“Uh huh. Took me eight months. I’d never ridden a bike before.”
“And? Did you find what you’re looking for?”
“I was transformed…
I meditated in the desert…
I climbed mountains and got closer to God.”
I was in awe of Cassie. All alone? Doing all these things?
I almost kill my self daily tripping over my own feet…
Let alone taking the many paths she must have taken…
In the desert and climbing mountains
ALONE!
“She then showed me her photographs.
“Is that you?” I asked. The woman looked different.
“Yeah, that was me the day I started my journey.
I was forty pounds heavier. And wearing make-up and jewelry.”
The woman I saw now was sans all that, but more beautiful…
I looked at her whole album…
There were many pictures of nature…
Mountains, rivers, prairies…
And Native Americans.
“I stayed at several Indian reservations.
They understood my need for a spiritual journey.
A shaman gave me this flute.”
“Really? Had you ever played the flute before?”
“No, but he said this is what I needed for my journey.”
“And so you taught yourself?”
“Yeah.”
I left Cassie and went home wondering about my journey in life.
I live with all the creature comforts I need.
I feel I sacrifice a lot for my writing.
But it’s nothing compared to what Cassie gave up.
I don’t know if I have the courage to do what Cassie did…
Nor do I think I need to do what Cassie for my journey.
But I still wonder…
What am I willing to do…
How much am I willing to sacrifice
To walk this journey of mine…
And fulfill my dreams?
Below is the link to Cassie’s journey
Take a look.
What journey are you on?
Always, Em-Musing
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