Lily in the field

Usually, I don’t have a casual meeting with a person more than once while I am on my personal quest.  In the past years, I ran into Jeannine and H& H several times and then we started to have planned meetings.  This year, I am more focused on meeting new people all the time and meeting myself most of the time.  My life pattern leaves me open to the now, and when I feel I need to connect, I am open to it, and it happens.

A few weeks ago, I met a young woman at Dada’s, and we shared cereal bowls and chatted.   She will be here until June and is taking the time out of college to travel.  We have now had a second breakfast, and a coffee, and I will probably be making contact with her throughout her stay. With Facebook buddies and phone number exchanged you're practically family.  (I have five numbers in the phone contact - Henry (H&H), Jim A. (mustache man), Jeannine (gypsy from Edmonton), Fred (swim/yoga) and now Lily.

What is so rich about Lily is her openness as well as her sense of confidence and wonder at all she sees.   I am learning from her, as you do with most people who pass through your life.  In a small nutshell, she is the daughter of Nancy and Dave, who separately live in Burlington Vermont.  Lily, named after the flower, was raised Jewish and is well versed in her faith.  When she was 12, her family split, and both remarried bring step-siblings into her life.   Twelve is a hard time and harder when the family is in a messy termination.  What I have learned is how strong and independent this has made this young woman.  At 18, she has taken a year away from the second yr. of college in Colorado to study the world.  While she would have family backing, she made her money working at the Boathouse in Burlington and other jobs. In Thailand, she is living in a dorm room with two others at a Wat and working with AIDs/HIV folks.  When she gets oriented, her task will be to teach English to male sex workers.  Other people teach little children, help at the orphanage, rescue dogs, Not Lily.  

She is 18,  loves food and coffee and clothes and can overdo on wine occasionally.  She takes care of herself and is ready to walk anywhere.  Reads a book a week, is thinking of shaving her head – too much hair and too many curls and wants a tattoo..- not sure of what, but the ink artist is reputable and from Chicago and I will go with her for that. 

She makes me smile.  I think we are friends because she has a good relationship with her grandmothers (she is 18 and I am 76) and maybe she sees a little of her sense of adventure in me with hope that an older Lily will be similar.  

Today, we met at the Iron Bridge and scooted to breakfast at Better than Butter.  I suggested this since they have Blintz and Lox/Bagels, but we both had buckwheat pancakes.  After I gave her a ride to the North Gate, pointing out Cooking Love, Joy’s hair salon, and the Jok place for the best rice soup in town.  She is encouraging me to go to Burning Man in August.  Who knows maybe we will meet for breakfast in the desert.

I once heard an expression; I want to be the person my dog thinks I am.  Since I have abandoned my Max, I am not sure he has the best feeling about me at this time.  But I have arranged to have him well cared for and loved, and if he loves me, he will sense a change when I come home.  

Here,  I am only dragged into pettiness occasionally, and I am getting very protective of my good feeling and positive outlook on life.  Lily is the sun.   Everything happens for a reason.   I am much more aware of what is passing, or I am passing by since everything is moving and changing.

My life is better every second and I find I need fewer people as constants and more people as fuel for my learning.   And it is all good.