It's a challenge to write this because I know not everyone has experienced this or has the opportunity to at the moment. But I think there is something very valuable about experiencing the beauty of luxury. Mother Earth and humankind has worked together in creating spaces and places with experiences that surround you with beauty and comfort.
I do not live at the income level that would open these doors regularly but I have always invested in beauty and comfort when choosing hotels. In this last year I reached a new level investing in one night at Hotel 1000 in downtown Seattle. And this week when my sister said she would give me a night off, after being on duty for 25 days with only occasional trips to the grocery store as a break, I knew where my heart wanted to go, Hotel 1000.
As a single mother I moved to Washington to have a stronger support system for my girls and me. But my 7 year old stepped on a pencil on 9-9 and needed surgery, making her unable to walk, my Step Dad and their Grandpa passed away on 9-23 and 5 days later a tree fell on the house with piercing limbs through the ceiling so close to the 12 year old. My Mom is grieving and a terrible cold has hit my sisters. My normal support system was overloaded.
I emailed the staff at Hotel 1000 and told them about my month and asked for their assistance with a reservation. I had already begun working with the staff about planning my 40th birthday weekend in December. When they offered an extremely generous and kind discount I knew where I was headed! Then I got word the girls paternal grandmother and aunt were coming to visit the girls and I had two nights off, so I was able to extend my stay.
I was given a luxe parlor room with a water view. When I walked in the door and saw the beautiful interior design, art work and lovely furnishings, I felt so blessed. Since being a part of an Al-Anon family group, my goal has been to keep my side of the fence clean. I cannot control or manipulate others. I can only ask for what the girls or I need. And their response is between them and the Creator. I strive to be truthful, trustworthy, and respectful to myself and to others. I strive to give to the world what I want given to me. And I believe strongly in karma. The Universe sends me gifts because I strive to be the best human being I can possibly be.
What do we do when the Creator sends us storms with huge waves one right after the other? Not being able to recover before the next one hits. I like Abdu'l-Baha's instructions, to ride the waves, be a strong ship (I translate that into canoe) and not a battered one. When I thought about what being a strong canoe means to me, I thought it means I have to be a well trained skipper. I have to know how to ride Big Waves, how to steer my canoe. I have to learn how to see a Big Storm coming and know what to do. Is there time to find safe shelter nearby? Or do we just have to ride the storm out? If we get capsized, do we have a support boat waiting nearby to pick us up and warm us up? If our support boat is overwhelmed, can we use all our skills to stay afloat and wait for help to arrive?
What does this mean in real life terms? For me it means building community. Valuing people who value you. Investing time and resources in people who invest time and resources in you. Help others when their canoe has capsized. And when you need rescue they will rescue you. And if not, then I need to stop investing in them and rescuing them. It means knowing the Creator always sends us storms, it is just a part of life on Mother Earth. It's not because you did something wrong (though when you do, those manifest their own storms). It's just part of the human life cycle. We have the capacity to learn how to master our skills of living a happy and healthy life on this planet. We have the chance every day to build peace on earth, by building peace in our hearts, in our homes, and with each person who crosses our path. Our tools for building peace need to be mastered: communication, respect for differing opinions, not judging others, not focusing on others lives, but on our own. And, of course, my all time favorite finding joy!
When I was given the gift of a night off, I knew I didn't have to just rest, I knew I needed to find joy. So yesterday was spent at Chihuly Glass Garden at the Seattle Center with my sister-friend and her two kids visiting from Anchorage. The glass was soul-stirring. The connection to Indigenous baskets was breath taking. And the afternoon was spent at the Museum of History and Industry with a new friend. We serendipitously started in the Indigenous section and was honored to visit the rosary of Angeline, Chief Seattle's daughter. To see maps of Seattle when Indians outnumbered immigrants. We walked a path through time: mining, logging, the Depression, the World War II, the 50's, the Civil Rights Era, the American Indian movement. I shared the story of my Grandmothers part in the protest of Fort Lawton and the establishing of the Daybreak Star Indian community Center. I heard a story of the Kingdome and the Mariner's first play offs in 1998. It was a perfect day.
I got back to the hotel to watch a gorgeous sunset. And I took a bath in an amazingly well-designed tub. I was tired. Chuckles. But my heart was happy and full of joy. And today as the sky turns from midnight blue to baby blue, I know I'm headed to the Seattle Art Museum.
Gunalcheesh to my Ancestors, to the girls' Ancestors and to the Creator for sending me a stunning symbolic rainbow after my Big Storm....
