Nature is Nurture

sakskøbing, 2014

Laika the cat, 2014

Luckily for me when I need to get out of the city, I get to go to a beautiful organic farm a couple of hours outside of Copenhagen. Recently I took such a trip and had the blessing of eating freshly dug carrots, freshly picked squash, onions and so much other stuff it makes me happy to just type about it.    While there, I saw Laika, the cat. Laika used to belong to my friend Ida, but her brother was extremely allergic to cats. I asked the folks down at the farm if they wanted a cat, and without an ounce of hesitancy Hanne gushed a yes! It's been about 8 months since we dropped her off there, and I haven't seen her since. I had the fortune of spending time with Laika, so I knew that she would enjoy every acre of that farm with its ducks, Hungarian pigs and chickens.  I was right. I was told that she rarely ever enters the house - but that on the day of my arrival, she was around a bit more than usual. As if she was expecting me.  When I did finally see her and was able to pet her, she crawled up on me with such delight, purring so deeply, that there was no doubt that she was happy to see me.  That night she found my room in the other house, and slept with me the entire night. It was an amazing trip out of the city to fortify my soul.  A big thanks to Hanna, Simon, Mark, Erik and the rest of the family for being such great hosts!

Since I've been back from New York, I've been hanging out at Belle du Jour - my friend Stine's shop in the colorful neighborhood of Nørrebro.  Stine has this incredible ability of collecting amazing people at her shop & it's been a wonderful way for me to transition back into life in Copenhagen. Her shop is a collection of second clothes, items from India, jewelry and shoes.  Some of the proceeds go to A School for Life - an organization dedicated to educating disabled children who belong to the caste below the untouchables (I didn't know there was such a thing! I also learned recently that it was the British who corrupted this system, although I have yet to look into this claim). When there, I  often get to see Vivi - who is half-Trinidadian, and Floppy - the rabbit that runs around the shop, pavement and backyard free.  Everyone falls in love with Floppy and the feeling he inspires in everyone from just hopping around calmly is truly transformative. A big thanks to Stine and all the work she accomplishes in her shop - namely that of not only bringing folks together, but of making people feel valued.
Speaking of making people feel valued, I really must send a special thanks to my mentor Marie D. Brown whose presence in my life is greatly valued.  In the confusion of life it's really important to have people you trust and that you believe have your back. It's important to know that there are people who value your work, and in my case, my writing. Marie has been supporting my work since the very first day I met her, back in 1994. I stayed on and worked with her for 4 years and through this experience was privy to some incredible life stories, people and experiences, all of which contribute to the person I am today. So this is a special thanks to you! Your insistence on the continuation of the tradition of reciprocity is a necessary strategy in addressing the issues that confront so many of us everyday. Thank you.

There are many out there in the world right now who I know are feeling the dis-ease of the realities that surround us.  We must foster and demand lives where integrity is involved.  We are not perfect, but this is why it is of paramount importance that we surround ourselves with people who first and foremost love unconditionally and secondly, challenge us to become better people, not abandon us out of disinterest or false ideas of normality.  We have to come together, and resist petty differences and suspicions that have been planted to keep us apart.  The world is hurting, we are hurting.  The first step is understanding that it's not about our intellects (brains) and it's not all about our emotions (heart/stomach) but about that ongoing cycle of breath that starts shortly after birth and ends when we transition. That is the one thing we all have in common and that is in actuality, eternal. This is the breath of life and it is what our ancestors insisted we master.

Enjoy your sunday,
BGOM