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2013-05-18 - 7:32 a.m.

For those in VA, MD DC areas check the link at the bottom for a map of where the cicadas are coming. I have to admidt disappointment they are not apparently in some areas of Western Loudoun as frankly cicada's don't have the teeth to do much damage to leaves and plants. Some find them an annoyance and are aftaid of the sheer numbers as this is to be a huge amount. Cicadas however are good for the environment, food for the birds and other small creatures and don't really do much harm. The ones coming this year have been sleeping for over 20 years ( I forget the exact number - pulled the link below from a Master Garderer site but didn't go there myself yet.) They are this cool looking bug with red eyes and bright green shiny bodys and are rather striking looking. I also love the sound of them as I recall hearing them in the trees where I grew up in NY as a high school student. I have a distince mempory of a walk in my neighborhood with a mentor , older brother figure of sorts - my brother's best friend after I was just BAFFLED by the horrid experience of my first offical date in which this teenager seems to me to be attacking me with this terrifying tongue he awkwardly was trying to thrust down my throat almost as soon as the lights of the movie theater went out. I had pushed him away just appalled and thinking he was just bizarre and grotesue and was trying to understand what the heck that was about. Older brother's friend was kindly helping me get a grip on that by explaining in fact what french kissing is and that if property the extension of a passionate kiss on the the lips is the natural and wonderful exploration and sharing of two.

At the time I was just utterly turned OFF by the thought "That was KISSING???"

I did get accolades for a fun short story years later the topic of which was First Kiss- as in hindsight it is rather hilarious.

At the time of that walk the cicadas were humming in the familiar ascening crecendo of cliking in the trees made by cicadas who want nothing more than to have sex after years of waiting calling to each other to attract a mate. My fears and naivity of sex were calmed by the kindness of the friend in the brother figure who would listen and talk to me with understanding compassion about sex without any attempt to introduce me to it physically! That was a wonderful friend to have and he remained by fall back date for school dances along with my brothers for my other geeky late blooming girlfriends at our Catholic HS who would have been otherwise dateless. They were very kind as it was MUCH COOLER to have COLLEGE boys as dates ( and who else knew they were all like brothers to us.) We had SO MUCH fun at those events. A fond memory is of my brother and friends goofily going in the SHA auditorium with candy cigargettes (this is back in the day they sold those before converting them to the rather silly cany CRAYONS! I mean how much fun can one have with a candy CRAYON stick of gum?? Lost is the joy of being a wise crack in tht silly way of pretending to be an adult! Thankfully I suppose as toy guns are of course not a good idea, so I suppose candy cigarretts also encourage young to think of smoking as something to emulate- however I for one am so happy at the fact they were around then. YES I still think it was one of the fuuniest sights to see the nuns come surrounding the offending boys, and then later even funnier to see that friend of my brother with his smooth charm dancing with the headmistress. It was just fantastic, with his James Dean look, cig dangling and this yes sexy cap perched a bit off to the side cutting the rug with Mother.

Iconic moment in the world of an all girls high school.

I came on line here this AM however to write about the fantastic dream I had early this AM just before waking.

The dream started out with me in a classroom where a group had a meeting of which I was a part. The board had listed information from the last meeting.

One item was that
Sourjoner Truth was coming to speak, with three dates listed. I think the first was once in April, the second May (I want to say 19th- which I only now realize is tomorrow's date interestingly), and the third which was June 6 or 21. Now that is the weird part as I know it was one of those two- but I almost think the date changed in my dream. Interesting as June 6 happens to be one brother's birthday and June 21 happens to be the graduation of my son.

The announcement chalked in lovely colored chalk had been rubbed so it was not clear and some of it was rubbed away.
I also thought there was too much clutter and on the far left corner at the bottom this was to be missed.

So I erased it, along with items that were past- with the intent of then re-writing it more clearly and prominently. After cleaning up the cluttered board, it was then I realized I had no chalk.

So the search for chalk ensued.

I stopped and was flipping through small cards that had items of interest to be written on the board when a group of people arrived for ANOTHER gathering.

Someone went to find a school contact to see how we might resolve the double booking of the space that the women's group of some sort typically used at that time.

The folks arrived and then there was not a classroom of traditional chairs but three sections of chairs set up for the chuch service that was to be held there.

Soon the room was full, and in the congregation was my next door neighbor who is a lovely boisterous black lady nurse, sigle mom, who I got a kick out of hearing ream out a gentleman in her life one day with the guilt of not acting as Jesus would have you. She was laying on the guilt and responsibily with fire and brimstone type zeal short of the going to hell part. Whatever he did or didn't do, he got it good and it was frankly something to hear her as she was SO GOOD AT IT! At least one of the girls heard her too and I joked "Quick- lets get this house cleaned!"

to a response of laughter.

I told my girls I was envious as that ability my neighbor had. I just don't have that gift.

The neighbor lady is usually very lovely and friendly but it was clear her kids are not going to EVER say "NO" but will respond with "Yes" and DO it when she speaks. They are seen taking out the garbage every week.

Now my neighor has told me she thinks the world of me. (Can't quite figure out why!)

But I do like our neighbor relationship and she does have the nicest kids, one girl whom is a friend of my girls that comes over on occassion and they play outside. She is the most polite , sweetest girl I think I ever met.

In the dream as all the churh goers gathered my neighbor came up to me and asked if I could help out as the Reverand was not coming for some reason. She asked me to ask all to hold up their cups of water and drink in unison. I asked "As in community of one sharing in the moment of oneness?" and she said "Yes"

Essentially I was asked to lead in communion. Now I suppose that was because I happened to be at the front of the room where a leader was expected to be, so it seemed the church congregation THOUGHT I was the leader.

Now I was thinking I needed to precede that with leading in prayer. And before that some thoughtful words of wisdom in short sermon or homily style to give people what they came for.
The oddity was that apparently the congregation all PAID $6 admission to get in!
I realized they were paying to see and hear the esteemed REV JOEL! ( YES he was named in the dream as the same name of the Unitarian Universalist REV of the Buffalo church!)

So I realized I was filling in for REV Joel and wondered how I could possibly do this.

Then there was just buziness of the church ladies giving announcements, and then suddenly saying we were accepting tithes. And I wondered "Is this why people come to church? For the sense of community and doing somthing together and feeling important? OR do they come to PRAY??"

I was somewhat rightously feeling like Jesus in the temple in the dream that this was a mockery of what church is supposed to be.

AT the tithing where there was a big bowl and many hands of folks coming forward there was some prayer the congregation spoke, but I led in speaking a variationof the at that moment in the Unity Service:

"Bless all I am, All I have, And all I choose to give"

I noticed at least one other person was familiar with the prayer as I heard them say it along with me.

The next thing I knew was someone asked my mother something and she said "I don't know, I am not that into church".

Then my parents were both sitting together behind this congregation at the back and I walked to my father for some words of wisdom. Literally hoping for them thinking "He is good at this, he does it all the time- yes I am good at extemporaneous speaking but I have no idea what to say . Perhaps this is best left to him as he is good at this"

I think I asked "Dad, do you have any sermon's in your pocket?" Joking envisioning a few reams of paper folded he could pull out ... just being facitious but worried he might not REMEMBER any.

He writes and delivers them as a Deacon in the Catholic Church with regularity.

HE asked "Would you like me to deliver the one on regret"

I said "Wouldn't that be a little too heavy for Baptists?"

The next thing I knew I was back at the front of the congregation and said I wanted to lead in prayer. The prayer apparently was short as even int he dream I skipped over that! I was then leading in the blessing over the oneness of communion as we all drank together- and the neighbor handed me my cup which was one of those fast food paper cups with a straw sticking out with soda in it, I think Coca Cola.

Everyone else had water, and I was drinking a drive through Coke as the blessing an communion was experienced.


I then woke up.


I forgot my password and had it sent. In opening my e-mail I read

"On Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, Unity of Loudoun offered training to over 15 people to become Oneness Blessing givers and on Sunday May 12 a Oneness Blessing."

I read of that sesssion being held a few weeks ago and thought "That is just a little TOO out there for even me." Yes I admit my conservative Catholic upbringing informed the initial skepticism in response to reading of Oneness blessings by lay people. However I also acknowledge that when I go to a Unity Service I find some of the most enriching spiritaul prayer experiences ever- regardless of whether led by clergy or congregation members and I love that breaking of hirearchal constructs and focus on PRAYER.

Pehaps the dream is telling. See had I gone I would have been PREPARED

HA HA!!
I thought is just wonderful to get that e-mail after the dream.

I loved reading Franny and Zooey and learning of The Jesus Prayer and practice of meditation when a teen. However I think it was listening to the repetition of the cicadas which for me may have been most hypnotizing.I hope that this Summer many experience the peace and release of letting go in the listening to that meditative song of the cicadas.

I for one love it.

And here is the link-
www.cicadas.info

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