Day 12 Listen- Samhain

Samhain, is the time of year when the veil is the thinnest between the living and the non living, between us and those who have come before, and those who have yet to come, if there is in fact a difference. It is a time to honour our ancestors, past and future. We give thanks to the generations of shoulders we have stood upon, and prepare our own to be mounted by those who will take what we have done, learned, and dreamed, and decide for themselves where to go with it all.



Halloween as we culturally know it, the eve of the Holy, has become a festival of costumes and candy. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Halloween; an unrivalled festival of community and fun where without any emails or newsletters everyone knows just what to do. As soon as the sun goes down the festivities begin, all the kids (and those adults lucky enough to have kids) must do is walk out their front door, go find someone else's and sing “Trick or Treat!”. My kids sing other songs too, ones learned from me, from school, from friends. They spend hours traipsing from door to door and, every year it seems, announce to me at the end of the night that “Halloween is the best day of the year!” Yes I do love Halloween, but it doesn’t really resemble Samhain any more.

Usually we celebrate Samhain on November 1st, which technically is still a holy day, until the sun goes down. (Pagan festivals run sun down to sun down). I have to tell you though, things are not looking good. I am feverish again, shaky and uber tired. I admit, I ate some candy, terrible for the immune system. I have a feeling tomorrow I will pay the price. If I am sick, there will be no official celebration of the ancestors this year.Ugh.

“How do you honour your ancestors?” is the question in 12 days journal #202

Day 11 Listen- Easy Peasy

My fever finally broke today. After much tea, toast and tenderness from so many members of my family, I was finally able to venture out of my house...ok I know I was only home bound for a day but it really was terrific to get out! I had no expectations, I wanted to drink a coffee, and get some expectorant tea. With no expectations or check list to adhere to I just sort of floated. First down with Michael to Oso Negro, then visited with Kim and Sage. Chris came by and picked me up so we could go get Rose from school and kiss Lily before horseback riding. Chris, Rosy and I went for spaetzle, then walked down to buy my tea. We stopped in a Jill’s shop to show her Rosy’s Halloween costume, and got a yummy surprise, Michael was there. Rose and he growled and hissed at each other, playing like they often do, I kissed him and Jilly Bean good bye, we made our way to Sidewinders to get tea. By this time I really needed to come home and sleep, while the fever is gone and I am on the mend, I know tomorrow is going to be a big day so I need to rest up...Halloween is NO day to be sick!

I got home, made tea, wrestled with the fire (wet wood teaches patience I continually tell myself) and am now sitting on the bed in the living room working, no not quite sleeping, but I am on a bed. Today was just one of those easy days...God I love easy days.

“If you could have a day to yourself to do whatever you wanted, what would it look like?” is the question in 12 days journal #201