Conversation with my Guru

And my guru sat down beside me. 

“Oh, where have you? been," I ask. “We all cry for peace. 

We all cry for peace.”

 “Stop for a moment and I will dry your tears. I have come to you today . Your bodies are temporary but your spirit and soul lives on. I speak to you now while you are still young and contemplative. Gone is the joy following in my footsteps.” 

"What can I/we do?"

“Quiet, calm, peace and love. Quiet calm, peace and love is my tiding. 

“It’s 4:44am and I am tired but I can hear you calling. I must say this holiday is almost over but you still linger on. It is early morning. The only present I want is sleep. Pure unadulterated quiet, calm sleep so I can only hear my heartbeat. It beats for thou. My weary eyes are heavy.”

“Let it go. Let it go, for silence is precious and the music in my heart unyielding. You do not dance today, but sing songs of pious joy. Live on even though I suffer seeing your anguish in a weary body. Stewardship should prevail and the toil be yours. The mud you leave on the coffin  has seeped into the ground. How many must perish? Joy forsaken. Love lost. Thee land is forsaken peace. Your quest is forsaken. Give me a restful sleep so the doves can fly overhead as the oceans crests to the heartbeat of our mother earth. Do not bury your head in the sand. Cry you must. The music will stop and your feet be bound for tomorrow may become just a dream if you do not take care of mother earth now.”

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Our Time Together

I come to you old friend 

and see how our seeds have flourished into this beautiful forest 

Oh I say to thee

Where have you been 

I have been banished by the ticks and bitten with fear.

Why must I be forsaken 

In you I can see my source of love, beauty and support 

My tears have been dried  

My voice
your voice 
together 
join in harmony 

My heart longs for your gentle touch 

Your warm breezes kiss my cheek. 

Here is where I belong  

Oh thousand year old tree 

Today you may die 

but I am thankful that you have been able to shelter and inspired many 

Together we have bloomed in springtime and
celebrated in summer  

Breathe Joan breathe
continue living moment by moment 

One never knows when you shall fall my dear tree 

but for now that ancient seed has left us with your grace 

and no one can take away the past

I mayn’t remember all 

but you are etched in my memory and may I never forget our treasured time together 

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It's Nutts on the Canal Restaurant, Lambertville

How often do you have some stranger dressed in a crazy Christmas sweater come up to you, hold your hand and recite Lord Byron to you?

Well, my best friend, Elaine and I went to see the unbelievable Christmas light display in Peddlers Village this past Saturday night and afterwards we decided to head to Lambertville for a bite to  eat. One of my favorite towns to get a special meal.

We decided to be adventuress and stop at a new restaurant, It's Nutts on the Canal.  It was delightful. Elaine ordered a half rack of baby back ribs and I ordered some wings with chili sauce and of course a half bottle of wine.

It was a big mistake. We should have ordered a whole rack of baby back ribs and a full bottle of wine. They were absolutely delicious and the meat just slipped off the bone and the bbq sauce was so good that we pack that up to for another dinner at home. It was one of the largest half rack of ribs I'd ever seen. We couldn't imagine what a whole rack would look like.

How does all of this lead to the Lord Byron recital?

Well, we ordered another half bottle of wine to go with our meal. It was so full bodied,
crisp and refreshing. I highly recommend the house white wine.

As we were eating another party came to the table next to us and one of the guys was wearing this ugly sweater he bought from Macy's, of all places.

As we drank the second half-bottle of wine we decided to share the wealth and order a bottle of wine for "crazy sweater".  You only live once.  Why not share the joy"?
Then "Crazy Sweater" came to us, bent down on one knee, held both of our hands and started reciting Lord Byron to us as his thank you.

We were overjoyed! As I looked around for our waitress, Mariah, a funny, beautiful and pleasant waitress, I looked around and noticed some hooks on the wall but no pictures. I said to Mariah that every hook deserves picture and I'd like to donate four photos with my meditations on them for the hooks. I am a photographer and writer. I do very unique exhibits combining my photography with quotes from  my gratitude meditation journal blog: joanseashell.blogspot.com.

I've been meditating since the late 70's and have been teaching and journaling for numerous years. As a meditation teacher,  people often ask what that is. I say that I teach a one-of- kind guided,  gratitude meditation for group classes as well as having on site corporate and private clients.

Back to the restaurant, needless to say we had the time of our lives! Before we left I spoke to the manager and mentioned my donation to the restaurant and to take a look at my blog,

joanseashell.blogspot.com

for samples of my work. In it I have meditations, an occasional yoga studio review or just spiritual experiences I'd like to share with others.

"My favorite place is where the waters meet the sun." is the most recent entry.

And I must admit the waters met the sun this past Saturday night. and for that I give thanks.