Day 9 New Friend- Housekeeping

Today feels like a housekeeping day. I have heard from a few folk about journals and have yet to put it here on the blog. So here is the skinny:

• The Open Heart Letter which was sent to Salt Lake City with 12 days journal #15 was received. My good friend Matthew said he was speechless, which while heart warming, doesn’t make for great blogging. (You know I love ya brother)
• Chris, my partner, was hand delivered an Open Heart Letter with 12 days journal #16 inside. He has sent it away to Manitoba to a dear friend who was in our wedding nearly 12 years ago (can you flippin believe that? I still feel 22 how could I have been married 12 years?!)
• I had been keeping this project a bit of a secret, slowly coming out with it. I had wanted to keep it a secret from my kids until they got their Open Heart Letter and 12 days journal #19, but yesterday My eldest let it slip that she knew about the experiment. She saw a journal in town, recognized it from the ones hangin round our house, read it, and found the website. There is no keeping secrets from a 13 year old. She didn’t however remember which journal she had seen. Bummer. Incidentally their letter and journal still sit in our mailbox, I haven’t had all 3 kids in one place all week, I want them to discover it in the mailbox together.
• Just today I FINALLY mailed the Open Heart Letter containing 12 days journal #14. It took me till now to get her address as she was off in Europe being her fabulous self.
• 12 days journal #21 which was sent to yours truly by...well yours truly, arrived today. I have not opened it yet, I want to wait until my children are asleep. I want to be alone, perhaps in a warm bath, when I open it. When I can really take in what I wrote to me just over a week ago.
• I started a facebook group where you can find out about events, and updates. You can join here.

Yesterday was the first day I came out with this project full force on facebook. It also is the day I received more views of the blog than any other. So the blog side of things is going well. I admit to getting impatient on the journal side of things though. I want for the answering of the daily question to be a big past of this. I WANT PARTICIPATION! I would love to hear from YOU! Ya you, who is reading this right now. It would be easier to be patient in waiting for the journals to return home if there was some back and forth right now about the questions being asked....SO...PLEASE use the comment section below each entry to write comments or better yet answer the daily question. I know a very important part of being able to answer freely is anonymity so I have set up this blog to allow anonymous posting if you prefer. Just don’t post anything you will regret...SPEAKING OF REGRETS....(how's that for a cheesy segue?) When I outed my eldest daughter last night on knowing all about the experiment I did so by asking her what she thought a good question would be. She came up with a great one; “Is there something in your past you would like to make amends for?” which went inside 12 days journal #30. which brings me to today’s stranger. First off I have to say...this stranger thing is hard! It wasn’t in California but has been since I got home. Like yesterday I fretted all days and just when I thought I might have to give up.....

I was in the office supply store buying journal labels when I heard an acquaintance and a TOTAL STRANGER, talking about purchasing journals, discussing which were best. I butt my nose right in and and sang the virtues of my beloved moleskine’s, the only journal I use for the 12 days journals. The womyn asked “Really? what do you use them for?”. Right there in my hand was 12 days journal #30, we chatted briefly about the project and I asked if she would take the journal. She agreed...phew! Only 3 more strangers to go...

Day 5 Open Heart Letter- Pulpit revisited

So many metaphors! After grappling all morning with how to follow my calling, how to commit. I find that the pulpit rock trail had been revamped since I was there last. I had committed to hiking it as it was. The entrance of the trail was through private property, it is steep and dusty, not very safe. Yet this didn’t stop me. Then I return once the commitment has been completed and there are the men putting in the infrastructure. No word of a lie, a stream of men in hard hats, reflective vests with pick axes thrown over their shoulders. It was all I could do to stop myself from singing out, “Hi Ho! Hi Ho! it’s off to work we go!“ The message I take from this Universal offering is to commit to what is in my heart regardless of what infrastructure or societal worth is placed there, commit, walk the path no matter it’s condition and just trust that some day soon the line of workmen will show up and build what is necessary for others to follow.

Today's letter will be sent to another friend who lives in Portland, Oregon. I found her In California a couple of years ago. She has grace and confidence and wisdom. She sought me out, could see how I was struggling with an open door, one I was afraid to walk through. She advised me to either walk through or shut it, said it didn’t matter which I chose, that it would be how I felt about my choice that would help me find the answers. I would so like to deliver this letter in person, sit in her home, talk, laugh, and leave like I always have with renewed clarity, and less judgement around who and what I am.

12 days journal # 14 is going off to Portland tomorrow with the question ”What are your greatest gifts?“, written inside. I plan to follow it soon. To go visit my sweet friend there, her and her hot tub ;o)