As we in America have a weekend of remembrance dedicated to those who’ve served in the military, our family history has had many who have served, survived and gone on to live good lives after hardship and war.
Our Academy is about 80% women and 20% men, I do not have a good sense of how many have served in the military, but I do know that many have endured hardships and gone on to later live wonderful lives filled with loving connection and joyous abundance.
As I snap a photo of a gorgeous, huge, very healthy milk thistle today on my afternoon stroll, I thought of the blessing and hardship of the milk thistle as it relates to humanity. Milk thistle is known to cleanse and restore the live. However if you went to grab a bunch of it and munch it down, you’d be in a lot of pain, as it’s spiny and thorny. You’d want heavy leather gloves and a cutting tool to secure some, then you’d need to dry and pulverize or steep it in 97% proof pure grain alcohol to make a tincture. Both the drying and tincture take time. And if you had the skill, knowledge and patience to reap the benefits of this magical plant you would indeed be very blessed.
It’s a little like that I’m sorry to say with the adoption process for us. 3 days ago we learned the birth mother had disappeared, 2 days ago we learned that she is selling her baby for a large sum of money through a disreputable attorney who is likely going to be disbarred for his actions. And I’ve taken all the steps to put our life back in order rapidly, not wanting a repeat of the previous loss. We are in good shape, spending the long weekend loving each other, with projects and quite shared moments of grace and ease. I’m grateful (if this was going to happen that it happened now) not when we had become attached and bonded to the little one.
I asked Adelia if it was okay if we wait a while for Arianna to come, maybe fall or winter, she said okay mama.
With this shift in timing for the baby’s arrival I’ll be able to do the media tour, I’ve heard from PBS and we’re looking for a date, we’ll add back the 6-day retreat in my home in the late summer, and gosh there’s time to put more fun and playfulness into the Academy which has been doing stellar these past months. I’m so grateful for your loving support, your attendance and active participation. Together we will change the face of humankind! We are better together.
