Green cloud

Y'all ready for another crazy dream?

I dreamed I went to the beach with a friend.  We got there near dusk so decided to attend a party happening at the hotel pool.  After greeting people and general horsing around I curled up in a corner of the pool and fell asleep.  Everyone left at 10pm when the pool closed but I slept until 1am. 

I decided to take the long way back to the room so walked through a field.  The moon was full so I tried to take a pic.  When I stopped walking a bunch of cows came running down the hill toward me, I suppose thinking I was there to feed them.  There was a fence between us but one calf got out and tried to eat my phone.

At this point the sun came out and seemed very close to Earth.  It was a rare cosmic occurance, and during the event the clouds were a rainbow of colors.  I walked around the hill chasing the chance to capture a pic of a pretty green cloud when I came upon a parking lot.  There a lady with her 4 girls were sitting on a couch watching tv, completely oblivious to the cosmic show going on, and the youngest girl started screaming at me to feed her.  Her older sister stood nearby and instructed me to "run, as she does this with everyone."  I nodded to the older girl and turned to walk toward the hotel.

And then I woke up.

Totality

Finally home.  Praise God for traveling grace.

I cannot explain just how awesomely amazing watching...experiencing a total eclipse is.  Totality is...incredible.  Words nor pictures of the event do this day justice, truly.  I cannot speak about reactions in other places but the park where we watched was jammed packed with people of all types and from all places, but once totality was achieved every single person was on their feet and cheering like we'd all just won some lottery.

I want to believe we all for about 2 minutes forgot everything except that moment and just reached with our souls to truly see how awesome and magnificent this....thing outside ourselves truly was.  Nature and science melded into this most beautiful event, and I completely understand why people chase total eclipses now.  I am so happy and blessed to have been able to see it, and to stand with friends to witness it.

My favorite part was watching the corona appear.  There is something magical and mystical about those tendrils whipping about the circumference of the moon.  I could truly stand there and stare at it, memorize every single bit forever.

Falling asleep at dawn

The mist pulled up, slower this time  but darker, and Becca realized she had been dropped again:

This time was a little different.  She felt slight, and shorter.  The darkness stayed a bit longer and she realized she had just been given instruction.  Then she saw a dark shoe.

Footprints.

Flowers.

Her eyes adjusted and she realized she was wearing a dark uniform.  And holding a child.

As they walked slowly forward more details came into play.  A classroom.  A white teacher and Hispanic aide.  Children quietly putting together puzzles at tables.  Becca looked down again.  She had her arms around a little Black girl whose eyes were open but the child obviously could not see.  Becca was leading the child toward a small back room, one step at a time, as the teacher's aide called out colors corresponding to the painted figures on the floor. 

Once they reached the room, the child perched on the edge of a hard chair, annoyed but patient.  Becca looked around and realized this was an office full of supplies.  The opposite door stood open to a bathroom.  "I have to pee," the girl stated flatly.  "The teacher sighed as she ripped open a packet of needles. "You know the rule.  Medicine first, but you have to learn your colors.  You took longer than you should have today so you don't get lunch."

Becca was stunned.  The girl was blind, around 8 years old.  The child didn't move, nor did she cry.  Then Becca realized that this had happened before.  The details slowly flooded in - she was a security guard in this New York classroom, and one of her duties was to guide this girl to recess, the bathroom, lunch, and to the bus.

The details of the room shifted and became hazy.  Suddenly Becca was in a busy hallway, and she realized she was downstairs from the classroom.  She was herself, but not yet fully fully formed.  No one saw her staring at the ceiling but everyone heard the shouting.

"She's a kid!  You are her teacher!  How dare you deny her food??!" Diane shouted.  She was the real guard, and she had her arm protectively around the girl.  The teacher, shocked, shouted back "Know your place.  You know the rules.  I don't have time to accommodate her so if she has to go to the bathroom before her time then she loses time elsewhere.  I'll have your job for insubordinance..." The yelling faded as more authorities came.

Becca felt confused.  Why was she here? 

Fast forward in time, and Diane was being escorted down the stairs.  She left the school in a huff, and Becca hurried to catch up.  Diane was muttering to herself as she stomped down the sidewalk.

"I never should have come to New York.  These people are cruel.  Awful ass bitch.  She is just a blind kid!"  Diane was livid.

"What would you have done instead of New York?"  Becca asked.  Diane whirled around, eyes blazing.  "I should have finished my degree.  I wanted to sing so I came here."

"They have night school..." Becca started
"I work nights sometimes," Diane snapped.
"What about class before, and switching to all nights?"  Becca suggested.
"I didn't finish high school."
"We can work toward a GED."
"I hate my job," Diane moaned.
"Let's see what else is out there." Becca slid her arm around Diane's shoulders and slipped some brochures into her hands.  "There are options.  We get better then we come back and help her."

Diane smiled, her fear and relief making her eyes shiny. "We won't forget her?"

"Oh no," Becca assured her.  "We won't forget."

Happy - a dream

The shroud lifted, and somewhere in dreaming Becca's mind she knew she had been "dropped in" again:

She found herself sitting on a front porch surrounded by young people.  She could tell by the looks on their faces they were uncomfortable, though they tried hard not to show it much.  She felt shell shocked.  She knew it showed on her face.

"You look beautiful," she said, probably again for the hundredth time, to a stunning girl with smooth dark skin and short afro.  The girl sat opposite her, near the edge of the blue porch, in an almost too big for her wedding gown.  There were diamond gems blinking down her bodice.  She seemed ethereal.

The dress crinkled under a blue denim coat.  It, along with skinny brown arms belonging to a young man barely twenty, wrapped protectively around the girl.  The girl smiled grimly at her surprise guest but said nothing.  Her groom leaned in slightly and responded "thank you."

Becca gave it one last shot:  "Will you dance?"  The girl answered quickly before thinking, "after you leave"  Blood drained from her face but she did not bite back her words.  The smaller kids sitting around her briefly stopped their fidgeting, but they chose not to respond to the command.  Becca nodded sadly, understanding.  The girl could see.  Everyone could see.

Becca rose clumsily to her feet.  "I'll go.  This was... lovely." How did she know?

She was halfway across the yard, not sure where she was going.  There was a road so some primitive thought said follow.  She wore slim pants and a thin coat, and felt a purse over her shoulder.  Perhaps there was money for a cab.  Perhaps there were keys.  Having just "arrived" in this body, as often happened in her dreams, she'd figure it out later when she was away from prying eyes.

Laughing, an older girl and her mother rounded the corner of the house.  They had been singing and dancing.  Noticing Becca's departure, the girl reached and grabbed Becca's arm. "Where are you going??"  She spun Becca and regarded the porch occupants, her gaze softening.  "It's a wedding.  won't you stay and dance?"

"Oh, no, I..." Becca faltered.  "I don't want to intrude.  They seem so happy, and I..."

"You what?  You don't want happy?  You don't want them to be happy??"  the older girl's grip tightened on Becca's jacket.  Becca sensed the connection just as the girl's voice sharpened.  "You don't want my sister to be happy?"

"No, of course I do!  She has her whole life, and I..." Paranoia gripped Becca as she groped for the right words.  She just wanted to get away, find her bearings.  Who was she?  "She is so young but she has made her choice to be happy.  I want the chance to do the same."

36 Becca Truths

Facts and opinions of yours truly

1.  I was born in Detroit, MI
2.  I was adopted when I was 15 days old.  
3.  For the first 5 years of my life I lived with my aunt (I called her my grandmother), her husband (I called him my dad), her daughter (I called her my sister) and saw my mom and Papa on weekends.
4.  I am a huge Mississippi State fan.  I am also a USM fan.  I will probably cheer for any school in Mississippi EXCEPT for TSUN. 
5.  I cheer for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints, but I’m not really an NFL fan.  I did pay more attention to the Cowboys this year.
6.  I’ve been in college entirely too long lol.  I spent 3 years at MS State, 1 year at UAB and… 6 years at Jeff State.  In my defense, I am paying for the Associates myself so I can only go when I have money :-D After this last class I will have an Associates in Art.  I do plan to continue my Sociology degree at Montevallo.
7.  As long as they aren’t playing State I’ll cheer for Auburn.  I'll ALWAYS cheer for UAB (Go Blazers!).  I’ll also cheer for South Alabama, UWA, UNA, AAMU, and ASU.  I’ll probably never cheer for that school in Tuscaloosa.
8. I am a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, the best co-ed band service fraternity in the world.
9. I LOVE coffee. 
10.  I LOVE dark beer.  Coffee stouts & oatmeal stouts are favorites.  
11.  One time, long ago when I was still in junior high, I had a poem published in a compendium that was bound and sold.  I do not remember the name of it and I don’t even remember which poem I submitted.  
12.  When I was younger I would watch Star Wars every year when it came on network TV.  I had a huge crush on Darth Vader.
13.  I want to open a video game lounge, or barcade as I call it…but I’m not a gamer.  I don’t even really have a favorite video game character.  There are two console games I used to love:  Dinowars and Dr. Mario.  Anything else past those two and I’m clueless
14.  I have 5 favorite colors.  In order of preference:  gray, fuchsia, silver, orange, blue
15. My second favorite flower was my mom’s favorite:  sunflowers
16.  My favorite flower is any type of lily
17.  The first family pet I remember was Dan.  He was a mutt who lived at my grandmother’s house.  He was the best ever
18.  I have a rap name!  I haven’t produced anything under it yet but I still think I might form a girl group one day.  My rap name is Bex B-Wrecka
19.  The name of my girl group is going to be BoyShort. 
20.  I rarely drink Starbucks, but when I do, I almost always go for a Cinnamon Dolce Latte
21.  I want to travel out of the country one day!   My first stop is Morocco.  I also want to visit Belize and Tibet.
22.  My dream sports car is a Bentley Continental GT convertible
23. Pancakes, peanut butter, potatoes, and steak are food groups for me.  But I’m not a picky eater :-P 
24. My favorite cake is birthday cake – no sprinkles.  
25.  I don’t like peppermint candy but I love peppermint tea
26. I’m allergic to cherries and mushrooms.  Every once in a while I’ll have a weird reaction to fruit.  A lot of times my skin will react to air.
27. Coca Cola is better than Pepsi.  It’s my birthday and I say so, so end-o story-o  :-D
28.  I really do believe that being kind does not always equal being nice.  As I get older that has become an interestingly complicated lesson to master.
29.  I do not want kids.  I actually never wanted any.  When we first got married Reg and I discussed having up to 5, and even came up with names.  Now we can barely keep up with the two cats and the turtle we room with :-P
30. I really only go to the movies for the popcorn.
31.  I sometimes miss living in the country but I do enjoy the conveniences of the city.  I also think Jones County and Oktibbeha County, MS are truly God’s Country.  Pass the sweet tea, please.
32.  My favorite story of all time is The Wizard of Oz.  A close second is the book Clover by Dori Sanders.  
33. I am discovering a love for hot tea.  On a good day I have 4 cups – 1 on the drive to work, 1 after coffee, 1 after lunch, and 1 before bed.  Good way to get water in, too.
34.  I LOVE puns.  The cheesier the better.  
35.  My favorite insect is the dragonfly and my favorite fish is a minnow.

36.  I love to travel and really enjoy coastal areas.  I’m not the biggest beach person but I do love being near water.

Fun fact:  I was going to do this last year but I couldn’t think of 35 things that were interesting enough to pen.  Now I can actually think of more than 36 things.

There's never enough time

https://youtu.be/Was9guQJ-0g

One of Mom's favorite stories - the Geese

Another treasure uncovered in Mom's lit:

A Lesson from the Geese - honking on the back pew of the church

‘The next time you see geese heading south for the winter flying in a "V" formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it  creates an uplift for the bird immediately following it.  By flying in a "V" formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

Christians who share a common direction and a sense of unity can get where they are travelling on the thrust and uplift of one another.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the draft and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the uplifting power of the bird immediately in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going. When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates to the back of  the formation and another goose takes the lead.

It pays to take turns doing hard jobs with others at church, as with geese flying south.

The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.  What do we say when we honk from behind? ...

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it.  They stay with the wounded goose until it is able to fly again, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation, to catch up with their original group.  If people knew we would stand by them like that in the church, they would push down the walls to get in.’

That is the image that we, as a fellowship, would always want to project?  …. And that is precisely what we are striving to do!     We are a congregation, led by the Holy Spirit, (symbolized in Celtic theology as a ‘Wild Goose’) in the direction, God wants us to journey in faith; always seeking, as a team, to share our God-given gifts and talents - encouraging one another; caring for the weak, and displaying our togetherness in Christ Jesus.

The apostle Paul put it this way:  ‘Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you.  You have fellowship with the Spirit and you have kindness and compassion for one another.  I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind.  Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble towards one another, always considering others better than yourselves.  And look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own.  The attitude that you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had.’  (Philippians 2:1)