Glasgow Weekend -April 30 - part 3

Continued from Glasgow Weekend -April 30 - part 2

Hello again, travel companions. It is now actually late Monday morning (11:30am-ish) and I am sitting in the Heraklion airport arrivals area. awaiting Chris and Judy who will arrive at 2:05pm. They are in Athens now and their plane to Crete departs at 1:10pm. 

I notice how comforting I find exact times when I am in transition and in unfamiliar surroundings. The precision of numbers gives a comforting illusion of certainty and control. That thought makes me smile. 

And my mind segues to the scarf that the Glasgow girls gave me as I left: a bold pink and green scarf that proclaimed Celtic club. As I was going through passport check after my flight from Glasgow a fellow traveler noticed the scarf and gave me a big grin, thumbs up, and fighting fists. What a sweet funny experience of belonging to a club I could not imagine belonging to. Here’s a photo of Callum and Lydia celebrating the Celtic victory over the Rangers (sent by Natalie). 

Between their beds is a house they made for Freddie the cat. Freddie is a lover of boxes - he especially likes to squeeze himself into boxes that seem too small to contain him. 

Do you think I am a wee bit homesick for my new Glasgow family? A good reminder to hold them all in hands of light for a moment, and pray for healing. I will use one of my favorite prayers, learned from my friend Susan: “ I give thanks for help unseen already on its way.” I imagine that whole small family held in big strong hands of light - sleeping, eating, working, playing, laughing, crying. The other prayer I keep thinking of is Julian of Norwich’s “ all shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well“

My memory has already mixed up what happened when, Saturday or Sunday, and in what order. 

We visited Katie’s mother’s pub and I met her mum and her stepfather and she seemed to know and hug everyone in the pub. The warmth and community impressed me even though I well know alcohol has a destructive side and I believe Katie that a lot of fights happen in the pub. Still I enjoy the warmth and welcome and ease of the place. 

Katie loves to cook and to nurture and to help people. When we were walking in Edinburgh a man stumbled and almost fell - Katie was at his side steadying him before I even could register what was happening. She says that as long as she can remember it has made her happy to help people, ever since she was a wee girl. 

Natalie took me to see Glasgow University. This was my favorite picture. 

Having just learned that the official national animal of Scotland is the unicorn - and having loved unicorns since I was a girl, I had to get a photo of a unicorn before I left University of Glasgow. 

Maybe just one more to give you a sense of why I’ve decided to take my best degree there. 

Saying goodbye was hard. Katie waved from the window of their flat (the green striped shirt is for the victorious Celtics!) as Natalie drove me to the airport. 

If I can go to visit women I barely know - and without even knowing they have two children I am going to fall in love with - if I can tumble into a miracle like that then I know a miracle healing can show up for Katie in her struggles with the inner demons. Once again I ask you to hold her in the light. May all be well and May all be well and May all manner of things be well. And May those who give love so generously receive all that they need to be at peace and free of suffering. 

Thank you with all my heart for your prayers for this precious Mum and her family. And thank you of course, and again, and again, and always, for walking with me. 

I don’t know if I will be posting blogs in Crete and Klobenstein since I did that last year. Although -  if Judy and I draw, it might be fun to post what we draw and where we found inspiration. So it’s a definite maybe. 

Until we meet again, then, in the land of Maybe, I send you my blessings and my gratitude and my love.