Wuthering Maracas

In the life guard booth at Maracas
*

On Friday I went to Maracas with my friend Tamara. Our last jaunt, as she returns to Toronto tomorrow. It was a grey day and the waves eventually got so huge that they were coming up the beach and partway up the little red plank leading up to the Life Guard hut where we were 'camping out'. One English tourist even thought we were life guards and asked for advice on where he could swim and what the red flags meant.

I love the colours in the above photo. Moody and windswept, like the tropical, ocean version of Wuthering Heights. I was thinking that ... then googled Wuthering Heights and found the Youtube video of Kate Bush's song of the same name, which I used to love. Ironically, the colour scheme is very similar to that of my Maracas Day photo.

A Synchronicitous Thanksgiving Conversation

Last night was the opening of a friend's first photography exhibition (Robyn Cross: Breathe). I went with my friend Glen, who was driving. We are not Americans, hence we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I thought it would be nice to celebrate anyway by giving thanks for things as we drove into town.

I said to Glen: "How about if we gave thanks - like a conversation? You say something you're thankful for, then I say something I'm thankful for and we go like that until we get into town." (i.e. about a 20 - 30 minute drive).

So we did that.

Glen began by saying: "I'm really thankful for having you as a friend."

I followed by saying: "I'm thankful for having you as a friend also."

We continued, listing different things, situations and people (ourselves included) that we were thankful for in our lives. Sometimes we would just say the thing, situation or person. Sometimes we would add an explanation or give a little story to flesh out why we were thankful.

Sometimes we can have long conversations with people and at the end wonder what we spoke about and why (i.e. empty chatter to fill space and time). But the Thank You conversation felt meaningful and intimate. As friends we were learning new things about each other and our selves through what we were thankful for and why.

At one point there was a lapse in our Thank You stream. Everything fell silent but the radio in Glen's jeep. In that space, the Universe joined our conversation as the synchronicitous words of the song on the radio wafted to our ears ... Alanis Morisette's Thank U!

THANK YOU

How about getting off of these antibiotics
How about stopping eating when I'm filled up
How about them transparent dangling carrots
How about that ever elusive kudo

Thank you India
Thank you terror

Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

How about me not blaming you for everything
How about me enjoying the moment for once
How about how good it feels to finally forgive you
How about grieving it all one at a time

Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

The moment I let go of it was
The moment I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it was
The moment I touched down

How about no longer being masochistic
How about remembering your divinity
How about unabashedly bawling your eyes out
How about not equating death with stopping

Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment

Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you thank you silence

yeah yeah
ahh ohhh
ahhh ho oh
ahhh ho ohhhhhh
yeaahhhh yeahh

Inspiration in Cancellation

Altered screen shot of part of the introduction of mon roman.

*

Hier in French le professeur told us that the Language Centre's Christmas concert/dinner has been cancelled because the person who was organising it is ill. So ... I won't get to read mon roman.

It would have been enjoyable to share some of it in that forum ... but I'm actually glad about the cancellation. I now have a great idea of what to do with my French novel once je suis finis. It is exciting and full of possibilities and I don't think it would have occurred to me had the Christmas concert not been canceled.

Albeit on a much smaller scale, this kind of reminds me of when I went to Canada in May last year to do a course in reflexology (which got canceled unexpectedly 2 or 3 days after my arrival) ... and I ended up receiving a totally different opportunity ... working on a film ... and having a greater overall experience (not only work, but play) than imagined. I was so glad the reflexology didn't happen.

The point I'm making is ... whether large or small, there's inspiration in cancellation. Be open to the great things that are waiting and wanting to happen in its aftermath.

My first Amazon Wishlist

Early morning at Macqueripe
*

Yesterday I left home before dawn to go and help my friend Emilie with an early morning experimental video shoot at Macqueripe. Upon returning home I was so absorbed in writing my French novel that I forgot to blog.

However, I did take time before my (unusually) late bedtime to make one small addition. If you look to the right you will see an Amazon Wishlist. The books aren't listed in order of preference ... just in the order in which I added them. I may add more in time.

I was inspired to create a wishlist when Girlblue added one to her blog some time ago. It looked like something exciting to have. I already have a Cosmic one posted on the intangible Universal webpage ... but this Amazon one is for anyone who feels inspired to buy me a gift for Christmas or a belated birthday gift or a "just-felt-like-giving-you-a-gift" gift at any time of the year.

My debut: reading some of my French novel

A photo I took in October - of small decorative lights on the trees during the Greenlight concert
*

Today, by chance, I came across what is now one of my favourite French words: éblouissant -(e)

Not only does it sound good, but I love its meaning: "dazzling, staggeringly beautiful".

The French words that I come across and love (their sound and/or meaning) end up in my novel. E.g. When I came across the word "luciole" (firefly) it ended up not only in the novel, but it has a starring role as part of the novel's title.

My new éblouissante will go into the novel today and help to advance the story.

Ce soir (this evening) in French class it will be my turn to speak to the class again on a topic of interest to me. We each have to do that twice this term, for the aural part of our exams in Level 3A. Last time I showed Invisible, then (in French) spoke about the production process and the aftermath - the efforts to get the house built (which it now is).

Today I'll talk to them about mon roman (my novel), what inspired it, the process of writing it and I'll read a bit of it for them. This will also be a practice session of sorts. Whenever I write bits of the novel, I send them to my French teacher (who is French) and he makes whatever little corrections need to be made. His comments so far have been: "Excellent! Vraiment! Toutes les corrections ne sont que de détails!" (Excellent! Really! All the corrections are just details) ... and "Ouah!" (an expression of 'Wow!')

The Christmas party/concert for the Language Centre is coming up on 6th December and each class (French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Hindi, etc) has to do something. Le professeur suggested that I read about five minutes of my novel (in French) and project the English onto a screen - possibly with images (since not everyone there will understand the French). He said it would be interesting, as "no student has ever decided to write a novel before."

Passionnant!

Update and some photos from Veronica's House handover

Veronica's House (2 bedroom, pre-fabricated). Still some work to be done: plumbing, painting and finishing touches inside, landscaping outside. It should be ready for occupation in at most 2 weeks time.

Hanging at the front entrance, the bow on Veronica's 'gift'.

Standing in front of the house with members of Habitat and one of the sponsors, FCB who gave proceeds from their golf tournament toward the house.

The shovel for breaking ground.
*

The ceremony was to be a very short one, starting at 4:30 p.m. and, ideally, would have well been over by 5:30 p.m. My friend Tamara and I were there from 4:00 to lay out refreshments. Some Habitat staff were already present, tying bows and preparing small details. Other staff, along with the sponsor, arrived by 4:30-ish.

Unfortunately however, the Lady of the Manor and Moment, Veronica, never made it ... due to a combination of (i) leaving her destination in south late (the person who was to bring her to the ceremony arrived at that typical 'Trini time') and (ii) the unfortunate ever-presence of severe traffic on her route.

She will receive the keys during the week.

Veronica gets her house today ... and what about us?

Faith makes all things possible.
Love makes all things easy.

- Dwight L. Moody -The Dream Trees when they were small.

*

Today is the handing over ceremony at which Veronica and her two children will get the keys to their new home. In a twist of synchronicity, tonight is also the night that Invisible the Dance will compete in the Best Village finals at Queens Hall (from 6:30, for those who wish to be there).

The Veronica's House initiative began in January 2008 with the seemingly impossible task of Katie (my production assistant on the documentary (Invisible) - who soon after had to return to Toronto) and I deciding to build Veronica and her children a house. People told us: "Great idea, girls, but ... that's a huge undertaking! You all know anything about building a house?"

Even with 'obstacles' (for a very long while not much support financially or physically) there was never the feeling that this was impossible. It would be long winded of me to go into details of the entire process, but suffice it to say, there is indeed an Invisible (pun intended) Force that moves us and moves with us, pulling the necessary elements together when something is to be manifested.

Earlier this year when I made the Dream House window lamp, it was primarily to promote the cause of building a house for Veronica. However, I felt that rather than it just being about her dream (a house), it would be even more powerful if it was about our dreams too.

I had said back then that the day Veronica gets the keys to her house is the day that something special will happen for all of us who placed our dreams into the Dream House Window Lamp ... (dreams thereafter planted with the Dream Trees featured above - now MUCH larger than they were back then).

So ... today is a very special day. Not just for Veronica and her children, but for all of us who trusted/trust our dreams to the Invisible Force.

The 'seemingly impossible' task of what started as 'two girls setting out to build a house' is now AN ACTUAL HOUSE (thanks to help from the Invisible Force and Habitat and anyone else who came on board along the way).

Have no doubt that our dreams are manifesting big time also.

Message

Yesterday at the labyrinth
*
Let it go.

Let it come.

Letting go
Is the same as receiving.

True Love

True Love kept me company in traffic on the way home
(... and N.B. I wore my pink garland today as a bracelet)
*

Today browsing in RIK Bookstore with my friend Moka, I came across the book "True Love" by Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh. I stood there leafing through the pages, reading snippets and being absorbed by certain passages. All that I read felt true and resonated with things I had been thinking and feeling as well as things I (we) would do well to observe and practise. "Wow, I've got to get this book ..." I decided.

It was the only copy on the shelf and it was a bit dirty from people having fingered it often. I asked the woman at the counter if they had another copy.

She ascended the stairs to their stock room, calling out as she did so to a girl (let's say her name was 'Sally'): "Sally, you have any True Love up there?"

She came back down soon after. "No more True Love. This is the only one. I'll give you for $79."

(Ten dollars discount).

"Can you see if any of the other branches have it?" I asked her.

The woman made a few calls to other branches.

"You all have True Love?" she asked Long Circular Mall branch.

"You all have True Love?" she asked Grand Bazaar Branch.

"You all have True Love?" she asked West Mall Branch.

By that time, I had decided that this one last copy must be meant for me. Dirty or not, it seemed to be the only True Love left anywhere. Plus, I found it endearing that the woman was actually calling stores and asking them if they had True Love. This quaint verbal exchange made the little book seem more precious than a clean one could ever be.

"No one has any more True Love," the woman said to me as she came off the phone.

I told her that I liked the way she had been asking the other stores for 'True Love' and she chuckled - having not realised that by asking for the name of the book she had actually sounded as if she was asking for the thing itself ... True Love which, she then deduced, no one has any more of.

"Well you have it," Moka pointed out to me as I purchased True Love at a further $4 discount (seventy-five dollars).

Validation

A friend shared a link to this lovely short film yesterday. It's only 16:23 minutes long and worth looking at.

Raw-newing my commitment

Lentil sprouts and date.
(An archival shot)
*

Tomorrow, November 17th will make it 6 months since I've been raw. I don't regret it at all, for a number of reasons. And I can safely say it is not a 'fad' or 'diet' but a lifestyle change. However, I admit I have slacked a little lately with my preparations and have not been making the elaborate meals, smoothies, juices, etc that I used to in the beginning. I have not been exploring exciting combinations and concoctions, have not been going to the market every other morning to buy new produce and I've not been drinking my (at least) four litres of water a day. Instead, when hungry, I toss together something quick and simple and eat it. When thirsty, I drink anywhere from a glass to a litre. When I need ingredients I run down to HiLo (supermarket). I have not even been thinking about the raw recipe book I wanted to do or taking photos of my concoctions (not that there have been any exciting ones anyway, as I mentioned above).

Raw can be/is fun when alone, but is better when shared - at all stages (shopping, preparing, consuming), as when T was here. It's also great having someone else who can prepare such great eats and drinks. So ... I guess I got 'spoiled' by that experience and became temporarily 'lazy' in the raw solo aftermath. Also, I've been 'distracted' by various things and have not been spending as much time in the kitchen as I used to ...

However, the time has come and I hereby raw-new my commitment to myself and the journey.

Incidentally ... in today's yoga class, after doing our kriya to exercise the chakras, my students and I will be embarking upon our 5th week of the 7 week chakra journey we are on. We just emerged from the heart and are moving into the throat/5th chakra/Vishuddha. I had thought it would be refreshing to celebrate our progress by sharing some 5th chakra foods (fruit and liquids) after the class. I'm thinking of preparing a simple raw 'Vishuddha' fruit feast (see here for foods that feed the various chakras). So I've got to dash off to the market now to get my 'ingredients' ... since I'm having the class at 10 a.m. instead of 5 p.m.

A bientôt!

Connect with your purpose

Connect with your purpose. How do you know what is important to you? You feel it. Notice the small voice or sense of knowing inside when something is attracting you. Your body alerts you to what is dangerous or attractive long before your mind can explain why. Pay attention to those cues. This is your intuition, or sixth sense. Your deepest values and purpose are not in your head, but in your heart. What does your heart respond to; what touches your spirit? Purpose is the force that energizes. It inspires you to get up in the morning. What excites your passion for life?

Why it works ~ When your inner promptings guide you, you cannot make a mistake. These are signs that lead to your truest desires and lasting happiness. Joseph Campbell, the great mythologist says, "Follow your bliss". When you follow your true path or calling, you are invigorated rather than stressed.

(Tip #3 from this source)

Love is ... equal, not separate

Last weekend my friend K in Illinois sent me the below video. It is of a short speech made by the Mayor of San Diego on marriage equality. Upon watching it, I was moved to tears. Not only by what he said, but how he said it.

"I have close family members and friends who are members of the gay and lesbian community. Those folks include my daughter Lisa, as well as members of my personal staff.

"I want for them the same thing that we all want for our loved ones—for each of them to find a mate whom they love deeply and who loves them back; someone with whom they can grow old together and share life’s experiences.

"And I want their relationships to be protected equally under the law. In the end, I couldn’t look any of them in the face and tell them that their relationship—their very lives—were any less meaningful than the marriage I share with my wife Rana."

(Excerpt from his speech)

You can be like Obama

"Our preference would be to get a shelter dog ..."

- Barrack Obama -

*

Everyone who is inspired by Obama and wants to be just like him, here is one great way to follow in his footsteps. You too can adopt a 'mutt' from a shelter.

The little wandering gypsy puppy in the above shot is a good start. She was found by a kind soul, taken in, fed, taken to the vet for worming and spaying ... and is ready to be adopted.

Please call 486 7017 if interested in giving her a loving home.

She is clearly a grateful and affectionate dog. Look at her long tongue, gently licking the hands of the kind one who rescued her.

Raw Communion: Holy Coconut Water

Close up shot of the 5 litre bottle of natural holy water
*

Today my usual coconut vendor wasn't there. He wasn't there on Tuesday either. I hope he's okay. Maybe he's just late or on holiday (although he seems too consistent and hardworking to take holidays).

I was craving noix de coco ('coconuts' in French) though, so I went to the vendor who sells near to the plant place across the road from HiLo. The 5 litre bottle that my vendor sells for $60 is $75 from this other vendor. I bought it anyway, because I wanted it.

While he was cutting nuts, I asked him to also give me some jelly to eat.

He cut the first jelly nut, broke it open and thrust it at me, saying: "Here! Take dis an' eat!"

It sounded like Holy Communion where they give the 'bread' and say: "Take this and eat in remembrance of me."

It is true. I never thought of it that way before. We are partaking in Raw Communion when we eat and drink from the cup of life that is a coconut.

Clients who pay vs Clients who don't

I just feel like having this image of the labyrinth up today.
It's not consciously related to the below post.

*

The other day, I was talking to a friend on the phone. Being a 'freelancer', she was grousing about what most if not all 'freelancers' grouse about ... clients who want their work "yesterday!" ... yet when it's time to pay, are nowhere to be found and suddenly don't answer phones or e-mails. Most, if not all 'freelancers' will echo those stories ... of 'chasing after clients' and calling them repeatedly to get payment for work done by the deadline.

To anyone who falls into this category, I suggest changing that label 'FREElancer' immediately if you apply it to yourself. I don't use it anymore. The word 'free' makes it sound like we do things for free. There was a time when I used to do many things 'for free', thinking I was 'helping' ... but now I don't ... unless it's something that I'm really moved to do for free from my heart - in which case I know the Divine is paying me (more than humans could ever pay me, might I add). You know, many Trinis do not appreciate or respect 'free ting' (like free open air concerts and free seminars). Only 'freeness' (as in bachanaal, fêtes, free rum and roti at political rallies and shameless copyright infringement).

While listening to my friend on the phone, my eye fell on the bright yellow plastic call card of a client I had done some work for recently. It was the first time I had ever done work for her. Not only had she paid the requested 50% down payment ('mobilisation fee') without question or hesitation before the job had even been started ... but, once the job was completed and handed to her, I received the balance within four days (two of those days being weekend days, so they don't really count). I did not have to call her repeatedly or send her e-mails to remind her to pay me. "What a rarity," I realised ...

So, as soon as I put down the phone, I called the client and, in essence, said to her: "Hi, it's Elspeth. I'm calling to thank you for respecting me and the creative process by paying on time and without fuss - both the down payment and the balance. Not all clients do that and I really appreciate how you were with me/us." (In the earlier stage of the job there was an artist who also got paid on time).

I suppose it was unexpected. She sounded surprised and touched. Maybe for her it was also a new experience ... someone calling to thank her for her work ethic.

On the other side of the coin ... I once wrote a letter of 'termination of working relationship' to a client who repeatedly disrespected the payment process. Perhaps he didn't 'know any better' and that was his work ethic. And perhaps I should have spoken up sooner. I always got paid eventually, but it was the process of calling repeatedly, without having calls returned that eventually added up. In the end it boils down to ... even if they don't respect you/the process, you have to respect your self.

No client is worth it - having to call repeatedly (we are not beggars) to get our due. It felt great to write that letter. I was losing nothing. The funny thing is, I posted the letter ... and once it had slipped into the mailbox, he called on my cellular to tell me: "The cheque is ready. You can come and collect it."

However, the deed had been done and I didn't regret it. I was free and I had chosen self worth above money.

This is what pays most in the long run.

Mon roman français (my French novel)

To know another language is to have a second soul.

- Charlemagne, King of the Franks -
(742-814)
Text on book is backwards because of iPhoto.
*

I bought my new French textbook yesterday for the Level 3A class I'm in now ... and guess what colour it is.

Speaking of 'French' and 'book' ... I am writing a novel (un roman) in French. I am compelled by it and have been working at it steadily since October 23rd when 'it all began to unfold' quite suddenly. It's like I didn't decide to do it. It decided to do me.

I don't know where this will lead, but that is the adventure of it. Writing in another language is interesting because, not being a 'master' of it, I don't have the ability to 'command' it (as with English). It commands me. New parts of my brain and consciousness kick in and I am swept along by a different current.

However, for the past two days I have been what one would ordinarily call 'stuck' ... i.e. I haven't written anything and don't 'know' what to write next. But, given the nature of the novel ... (a) I will not know what to write next until it reveals itself (b) I therefore don't see the moment of not-writing as being 'stuck'.

In a Kundalini yoga class, we follow each posture (where we 'tense' or use the body actively) with a short period of complete relaxation, to allow the energy generated through the preceding action to go where it needs to go in the body and be assimilated.

So ... I'm assimilating the energy of what has been written thus far in mon roman.

Similarly, in life ... if we relax and be patient and trusting in our 'slow' or seemingly 'stuck' and 'unknown' moments ... between periods of active doing and knowing ... instead of worrying about why 'nothing' is happening ... we would flow as and where we are meant to.

When things don't seem to be moving (physically), they still are ... energetically.

Think Pink, Feel Pink, Be Pink

In the pink - two meanings: (i) in very good health (ii) naked
Pink - Romance, love, friendship, femininity, truth, passivity, good will, emotional healing, peace, calming, affection, emotional maturity, caring, nurturing, sweet tasting, sweet smelling, ethereal, delicacy.

Excuse the 'decapitation'.

*

For my whole life I've disliked the colour pink. It was the colour I associated with horrible tasting childhood medicine and clothes I wouldn't want to wear. My colour was blue. However, to my amazement, within the past month or so, pink is the colour I feel most drawn to (more so deep pink). Pink jumps out at me everywhere, no matter how large, small, pale or intense ... and whenever I see it I actually feel something physically - a distinct vibration emanating from it- embracing, surrounding, warm, shimmering, magnetic. I feel like I need to have it near me or around me in some form, to soak it in.

On Saturday my friend Cherrymoka and I ended up in the toy store in Long Circular Mall, looking for Bubbles. All day I had been feeling like I needed to be wearing something pink. So when I spotted this pink garland in the toy store for $8 I purchased it. Having it around my neck felt like wearing the pink vibrations. I wore it home that evening from the toy store, wore it to a meeting on Sunday morning (to discuss the next video job/project I have to do) ... then to HiLo afterwards ... and to teach my yoga class later. (Quite fitting, as we were working on the heart chakra and pink is related to the heart chakra).

I wasn't wearing the garland in order to be noticed, but people noticed it ... and it was interesting observing the varied responses.

At the meeting
The woman I was meeting asked me about the garland. I told her it's my new favourite colour and explained the feeling of the vibrations. She seems like the kind of person who would understand ... and asked me what 'pink' means symbolically. I told her basically pink is Love. No pun intended, but she seemed 'tickled pink' by it all.

At HiLo
A security guard called out to me: "Dahlin, ah like yuh flowers!" I said thank you and went into the supermarket. When I was reaching for a pack of spinach, a little girl nearby was pointing out my garland to her mother and commenting on it - perhaps wanting one too? Then a priest from Mt St Benedict stopped me and started talking, with his eyes on the garland. "Rather bright!" he exclaimed. He stood there speaking about the facets of the garland for a few minutes, ending by saying it was 'Refreshing!' However, several other people (adults) were casting curious glances at me. I guess they were wondering: "Why is she wearing a pink garland in HiLo?"

Why not?

At Yoga
My yoga students loved the garland. One student (who I went to pick up to take to the class) saw it as she got into the car and said: "Oh! How lovely! If only I knew where my multi-coloured one was, I would wear it too!"

She went on to tell me that her favourite colour is turquoise (which happened to be the colour of her yoga bag). Then, just like how I'm feeling about pink, she said it's the first colour that jumps out at her when she sees it amidst other hues, that she feels vibrations coming from it and that for her, it is a colour that fills her soul. "The colour we are drawn to gives us what we need," she said.

What colour are you drawn to?

Granted

God & Goddess grant me:

The power of Water, to accept with ease and grace what I cannot change

The power of Fire, for the energy and courage to change the things I can

The power of Air, for the ability to know the difference

And the power of Earth, for the strength to continue my path.

- Anonymous -

Untitled

The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

- Florence Whittemore -

Dogs Poems and an Operation

Hindi, the matriarch (age 9), sitting on a garbage bag on the passenger seat of my car

... on the way back from her operation about 2 weeks ago.
*

About 2 weeks ago I took Hindi (mother of Bijoux and Pippa from different litters) to the Vet Hospital to have an operation to remove an external plum-sized growth from her anal area. The vet, Crystal, said that kind of growth is common on older dogs. Often it's cancerous.

Hindi, always a brave trooper, trotted in to the vet hospital, tail wagging, as if she was going on an adventure. "Operation? What operation?" She was more interested in sniffing at patches of grass and people.

My friend, J, whose dog sniffs at many things when they go for their daily walks, once told me that a dog sniffing at something is like the equivalent of humans reading a poem. So, once we got out of the car at the vet hospital, I allowed Hindi to read her poems undisturbed. The grassy poems were the longest ... and she signed each one off with some urine. As she 'read' them, I wondered what they said. Poems left by people's feet, about places they'd been ... poems about all that goes on deep inside of ants nests ... poems about the secret underworld of earthworms ... poems about blades of grass dancing in the wind ... poems about the lives of other animals that had passed by on their way in to the vet hospital ...

The human poems didn't last as long because the humans moved away before Hindi got a chance to sniff them any further.

I had to leave her overnight at the hospital. Whereas Pippa would have been defensively barking and biting everyone (as a result of which the vets had a really hard time with her when she was there once), Hindi was amicable. Once I handed her over to the vet, she trotted off confidently, tail wagging, glancing back at me only once as the doors closed behind her.

The next day when I went to get her, she trotted to me, looking relaxed and breezy, as though emerging from a spa. Except for some purple stitches around her anus, she was normal.

Her growth was sent for tests and the vet called back this weekend to say that she had received the results. Thankfully the growth was benign (not cancerous).

Two rainbows, two dolphins and a pair of angel wings

Pulling into the jetty on the way back from 'down the islands', just before sunset ...
these clouds reminded me of a huge pair of angel's wings.

*

My entire body feels the pain today (good pain) after a full day-into-afternoon on Chacachacare Island shooting with my friend Miss T from TO. We arrived by boat then, together with two of the subjects of her documentary, made the 30 - 45 minute hike up a steep, winding road, to the light house. From up there, the view of the islands is breathtaking. And Venezuela is so close, you feel you could skip a pebble and it would reach.

On the journey back, I observed the following beautiful pairs of symbols. Things I see often jump out at me as being more than just 'things I see'. I'm sure it happens to you too. That's when 'things we see' are divine symbols and messages, telling us something important, giving us clues to life's grand treasures.

(1) Two rainbows - one, when we were walking down the hill from the light house, looked so close that it seemed to end (or begin) in the bush a few steps away from us at the roadside. The other was in clouds over the mainland on the boat ride back. Rainbows symbolise many things - from being a symbol of 'gay pride' to signifying hope, the promise of a new day, arc of God, bridge between heaven and earth ... etc. In addition to those things, for me it is one of my favourite natural phenomena (if not my favourite). Seeing one, no matter how small or faint, always makes me say "Wow!" and uplifts me. It's a great sign.

(2) Two dolphins - A power animal moment and another thing that makes me say "Wow!" I saw them rising together out of the water in the distance. Dolphins play in that peninsula. When I used to go fishing years ago with my friends Joseph, Curtis and Wayne, the dolphins would sometimes frolic alongside the boat, more so when we banged on the side of the boat to call them. According to this source, dolphins represent: joy, spiritual depth, play.

Extract:
The dolphin is a symbol of joy, of being able to ‘go with the flow’ of life, free from worry. It is significant that they are mammals that live in water because water and the oceans are symbolic of our deeper emotions and the cosmic ocean of life. Dolphins play, leap, twist and turn in these waters, and so as a symbol they represent the ability for us to release limitations, and then accept and enjoy our deeper spiritual nature. Dolphins do not dwell on the meaning of life, they simply live life to the full as a part of the cosmic dance. You should wear the symbol of dolphin as a way of showing your intention to become more at one with the breath of life (that is the spiritual nature of life) and to promote a connection with laughter, joyful release and the ability to give of yourself freely to others.

Seeing a pair of dolphins also always makes me think of a happy, simple, soul-connected, unconditional life-love partnership.

(3) A pair of Angel Wings - The image of huge, luminous angel wings in the sky spreading over everything at the end of the day (see above photo) speaks for itself. Huge cosmic blessings.