Annie B's eddy: 2016

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Saturday, August 13, 2016

2 months

It has been two months since a deranged madman shot down 49 innocent people coming together to enjoy a night of dancing and merrymaking with their closest friends , family and allies.

Around this same time I , (by no great coincidence, as there simply aren't any) found a Guadalupe hat that I had purchased in Columbus for my Mother, (a devout Marian Catholic who had visions of The Virgin Mary and The Virgin of Guadalupe for many years) , a few months before she died. When I returned to Florida a few days after the massacre, I felt that it would be appropriate for me to now wear this hat myself to honor each and every one of the 49 victims, whose parents and grandparents, from ALL parts of US and Latin America most likely hold The Virgin of Guadalupe in high esteem.

As you can imagine, I have experienced the whole gamut of reactions from folks in every place that I wear the hat. But no one has ever asked, so now I write.

The above picture is a statue that I visit at times when I am really missing my Mom (and Uncle Jimmy) both of whom had a special relationship with the V.O. G.

Since living in Austin, Texas many years ago, along with being a major Frida Kahlo fan, I have always called Guadalupe, The Goddess of the Americas. I also do believe that the sacred shows up in dreams and visions in the ways and appearances that the individual having the vision can understand.

If nada else, the wearing of the hat brings to mind all of the folks from all aspects of Spanish speaking folks that have been on this land, (LONG before Columbus' so-called discovery) growing most of our food, dying, literally dying in the desert to get here, and otherwise doing all of the jobs for a while, (long, long while) that no one else has wanted to do.

The pain of what happened in Orlando will take years and years to heal. May hearts continue to be opened, minds continue to be changed and healing, healing for ALL OF US, continue to flow like the rivers that surround us all.

timeless quote

“What I discovered while practicing forgiveness over this period of time was

that sometimes I felt true forgiveness in my heart, and sometimes I felt it’s opposite: deep resentment that I refused to let go. Sometimes I experienced pain and at other times I was overcome with rage and anger. But eventually tears would come that brought emotional healing.

And little by little, the way water wears away a stone, the pain in my heart melted”.

Jack Kornfield from a Lamp in the Darkness