Happy Sunday Anam Cara!
Here are some responses to your questions this month and a few more videos to enjoy this week.
It’s been a busy day filled with company, family, and sunshine so I’m sorry that I’m later than usual today. Also, apologies for the sound quality, if you’re wondering what the creaking sound is, it was coming from the log I was resting my phone on that had fallen and partially submerged in the river, but hopefully, you can hear my riverside rambling above the racket;)
I also had some downloading challenges getting the video off of my phone this morning, so I cut it off at the 15-minute marker to download more easily. I apologize for the abrupt ending. If it’s any consolation, you didn’t miss much, just a more graceful conclusion and sign-off.
To finish off my last thought in the video…. I do love to read about near-death experiences because of the familiar parallels between their descriptions and what I experienced.
Here are two different NDE experiences you might find interesting. One from one of my early teachers Anita Moorjani. Her book “Dying to be Me” had a significant impact on me. Anita’s case has been well-documented medically by her oncologists and has been recognized as one of the most significant stage-four cancer remissions.
Neurosurgeon Eben Alexander made the news after his open sharing about his near-death experience. “My experience showed me that the death of the body and the brain are not the ends of consciousness, that human experience continues beyond the grave.” ― Dr. Eben Alexander
I’d like to dedicate the rest of this post to thanking someone in particular for their support…
I’ve known this person my entire life.
My big brother. His name is Pary.
Pary had the good sense to marry an amazing woman and together they have raised two incredible boys and our fur niece Kenzie. Pary has been not only recovering from recent shoulder surgery, but he’s also been juggling some restructuring and layoffs as the President of a division of a media company in Toronto. He bent over backward to help many of his displaced team members find new jobs and he’s been instrumental in securing their offers before even finding his own. And with all he’s been through, he’s surprised me with his level of encouragement and support for my Substack.
Sometimes, after I’ve published an essay, he’ll text me a favorite line or a funny clip that captivates the essence of the topic better than I ever could with words.
I feel grateful to him.
I think like most of my family, Pary was probably scratching his head when I decided to go down this road as a “Reverend”, but if anything “the Field” has made me feel closer to him. He’s actually been reading my “pontificating”(his word:) about God, and we’re finding a new connection after 53 years.
Here are a few of the gems he sent my way during my three-part series on God….
Warning: the language is a bit “colorful” if you have little ones nearby.
One last little treat. Some 1980s Music to help us deconstruct…
This is a classic music video from 1987 by XTC a British Band, and apparently, there were bomb threats called into the radio stations that played this masterpiece.
"Dear God" is about a struggling agnostic who writes a letter to God while challenging his existence. The lyrical theme was inspired by a series of books with the same title.
Another gem from my brother who wisely pointed out that the lyrics by themselves without the music paint one story, but the nuances in the music open the door to other ideas. He was right (but please don’t tell him I admitted that;)
Curious about what comes up for you…
No matter how we choose to interpret our experiences of aging, angels, life, or death, we all share this wild ride through the cosmos at 70,000 miles per hour on this beautiful spinning blue planet we all call home.
I’ll admit it’s been a bit more challenging than usual to edit this while watching the Superbowl, even the ads are too good to miss! Great game so far, just going into Ri-ri’s halftime show. I’m just sorry you can’t see my husband pretending to be one of her dancers.
As fun as this game has been tonight, let’s be sure to zoom out more often so we don’t forget that we’re all on the same team.
With love,
Nona
Feb Q&R