Tis A Gift To Be Simple

I am turning. And, whatever that means, it feels quite awesome! Of this I am certain. The dictionary defines “turning” as the act of altering one’s position, changing or rotating. But how am I changing, I wonder.

This Great Turning of mine began as I stood, face-to-face, presenting my piece to our audience/guests at the Abkhazian Dinner. If I asked them to tell me what they saw then and perhaps before and after, could they tell me what they witnessed? Could those who bore witness help me now to know? Was there some kind of magic afoot such as the goddess or Merlin could create or a Houdini-like act taking place? Who can tell me? I wish I knew.

From "Turning..
The Great Whirtling Dance"

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Whatever it is and was is truly momentous, nothing I will ever easily forget. So here I am, now, five months and one day past that event that was far more than the simple occasion billed, knowing full well that I have significantly changed my position – whatever it was -- if I stay true to the definition. But from what to where I cannot tell. Clarity eludes me.

Ever my traveling companion on my ongoing hike up the Mountain of Awe, Sue offers me the Shaker song, "Simple Gifts," as an image. (I/we often reach the peak of our mountain ascent. And soon after another trek seems to take us to a new starting point and a fresh climb begins once more.

The song was originally written “by Elder Joseph.” The lyrics are below: Soon after finding the words to the song on the internet, the gentle lyrics and tune began turning round and round in my heart and my head. They haven’t yet stopped. Perhaps they are my simple gift for today, elegant as simplicity can often be.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.”

I cannot quite see the path ahead of me on this turning. Yet I find myself “in the place just right.” From what I can see, I envision myself turning from face-to-face with our Abkhazian Dinner audience/guests to about half way round now, heading to wherever it is that I will stop when this cycle completes.

Of major importance to what is presently occurring is Murat’s new forthcoming book, Ahmsta Kebzeh: The Universal Science of Awe, Volume II. So please stay tuned to what will happen next in this regard. Whatever is ahead must surely be in the realm of “awe.”

Sue and I have just submitted an article for the book. We look forward to its publication some time before year’s end. This can be no accident. Our Abkhazian Dinner was about honoring Murat. Now this book publication is not far off and we are included in it! Surely, on our horizon as we, once again, scale our Mountain of Awe (which we are blessed to have a definitive map for climbing, as it happens, from Murat), magic is afoot.

One must certainly take note of this bit of wonderment. Wouldn’t you say?

That’s where my writing time has been for most of the past month; authoring our article for the book (Topic: “New Horizons Bus Ride Story Adventure,” written by Murat Yagan.) I hope I was missed here. I certainly missed being here. .I was absent, as well, from the New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” Project blog.

But I am back now, hoping to be welcomed, with every anticipation of offering interesting updates that will soon come forth from New Horizons present behind the scenes activities; reports on the Possible Human, Possible Society Study, our Bus Ride Story Adventure plans and what our being included in this book means for us and more.