Today’s blog
Lynn Murphy Mark
Kindred souls
Yesterday was my first full day in Santa Fe and it did not disappoint. I was up bright and early and had two delightful cups of Newman’s Own dark roast coffee. Nothing like a kick of caffeine to get things started! As though I was at home, I checked personal emails and work emails and answered a few of those. First, however, came Richard Rohr’s meditation, this week being about how to live in both darkness and joy.
I had a couple of hours before the citizens of this lovely house got up. As always, I appreciate the quiet of morning, before dawn ushers in the big sky lit up by the sun. I had a goal beyond just checking emails and cruising through Facebook.
Last week I discovered an “early bird” 12 step group of Overeaters Anonymous. I’ve written about my addiction and recently was slapped upside the head by the Universe delivering a message. If I truly want to live a 12 step life, going to Al Anon is not enough. I need a group that addresses my actual addictive state of being. This group meets at 0700 Central Time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. So, last Friday I attended my first meeting. There seemed to be a lot of recovery among the participants. For the first time in a long time I feel hopeful about recovery. At the appropriate time I joined yesterday’s meeting and heard just what I needed to hear.
Breakfast was freshly baked bran muffins and fresh fruit. We ate outside on the portal, enjoyed the early morning breeze, and talked about what the day might bring. Sheila had some work to do – she is an educational consultant with several gigs going on – and I wanted to start on a 12 step workbook. The section I will be working on addresses my character defects. It is preliminary research to work on Step 6, “Were entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.”. What I learned from my several hours of work was just how differently I present myself to the outside world versus the way I behave in my own home. Lots to face up to and work on there!
I realized how bone tired I am. Being at 8,000 feet of altitude slows me down anyway, and I laid down to read a book that Barrett gave me. Next thing I knew, it was 2:00 and the book was open on my chest. Sheila was in a zoom meeting and Barrett was running errands, so I continued to read. When Sheila was finished, we sat on the portal again and talked as only the two of us can do. Sheila said she was ready for some Lynn and Sheila laughter, something that happens effortlessly when we get together.
Yesterday was also an anniversary. On June 28, 2006, my friend, Kemet, Katie’s husband, made his transition a short time after getting a cancer diagnosis. Being in Santa Fe on this date was something special, since I associate New Mexico with Kemet and Katie. I checked in on Katie. Kemet appeared in a dream to her a couple of days ago – nothing special happened in the dream, he was just there, hanging around and then strolling through the dreamscape. Katie said this year was mostly made up of happy memories.
The day ended with a dinner out at one of the best restaurants in New Mexico, and that is saying something. Eight of us met at Rancho de Chimayo for drinks and dinner and conversation, all of which happened. As I sat at the table with the women I felt right at home. We may only see each other once a year, but it is always a happy occasion. The good news is that there is a dominoes game planned for Sunday so I’ll get to see them again. I am blessed.