WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
Seeing Things Differently – Part 2
For Part 1: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2024/02/02/seeing-things-differently-part-1/
Had a spell been cast? A veil dropped over her so that nothing was very clear. But remember reader she was not aware of how much she was not seeing. Perhaps none of us really are.
It wasn’t until one day she sat underneath a tree she was especially fond of, a very old spreading elder oak, whom she had visited for many years. This oak was known to bring clarity to humans who sat beneath her branches. Closing her eyes she listened and soon she noticed that the tree was breathing with her and opening a vast space to explore.
This was on the day of Imbolc, a Gaelic word meaning ‘In the Belly,” that midpoint between Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox. A pregnant time where beneath the earths’ fecund underground growth there was the promise of clarity and new life ready to burst forth if you looked, listened and felt closely. Paying very close attention with all of your senses.
The Oak knew this elder well as she had been coming here regularly during her very short in-tree-years of 75 human years. It was up to her to bring some magic to her friend and lift the veil to reveal how the world really was for a short period of time. Only nano seconds in tree time. This ancient Oak intentionally incorporated the wisdom of the ages with deliberate action by tapping into the vast intelligent and innate mycorrhizal communication network under the earth.
A trees magic only goes so far but her wisdom is great when connected with the wise intelligence of the interconnected Earth community. In that wisdom she gave the woman a split screen so that part of what she saw was dim and non-distinct as she had been seeing, and the other part was crystal clear with light, color and distinctions.
“To me, magic isn’t some kind of special power or a miracle, but rather it is intentionally incorporating the wisdom of the ages with deliberate action. It’s practical magic.” Mary Plantwalker
This experience was more than about physical vision. It held the promise of untangling very old patterns that were keeping this woman “in the dark” about what a powerful time elderhood was and who she was now. Not alone, but connected to a community of embodied souls who were living in possibility and abundance. Who were innovative and creative.
In those moments the world opened up and shed its’ unfathomable secrets for the trees friend. Allowing the spark of life to touch and imagination to soar. To open eyes to what was right before her, far away, and hidden in the mystery. It was staggering, and at times she had to rest her “seeing” to take it all in. When she closed her eyes even the darkness was more defined, sharper, clearer – another domain to be explored.
She became even more curious as her way of seeing the world expanded in distinct clarity, brilliant color and abundant light. But in those moments she also became distracted by the dimness and haziness that she could still perceive. This energetic space of insulation where she over protected herself.
The difference was startling. So much so that it brought her into silent awe, and she must admit a bit of grieving for all that she had not been seeing clearly.
In those moments her curiosity expanded and she was flooded by questions such as,
Why do dogs get the “zoomies” and cats purr? What does the hummingbird communicate to the flower as it sips nectar from within? What do the ancient mountains have to tell us? Can we hear and feel a tree breathing? Does the Universe have an edge?
Are there dragons?!
DRAGON LADY MYSTERY & MAGIC SCHOOL
It didn’t seem to be important that she found answers to these questions, simply that she was intensely curious about the world around her. What felt most important was that she was opening up to the vast and interwoven world in an attentive and expanded way. She wanted more of that….
Very soon there came a day when this particular elder decided she would apply some practical magic by deliberately seeking out a very wise and skilled master who was known to permanently restore full clarity to seeing. Literally taking away the clouded lens through which she perceived the world around her. He would instruct her that it was her responsibility to find guides who would teach her about seeing things differently from a new perspective.
She realized in an instant that most of us have choice as to the lens through which we see ourselves, our lives and the world around us, as well as where we place our attention and focus. This insight was vividly shown to her now that she had a new lens to see through.
One of mystery, magic and stunning beauty. As well as the inevitable challenges and struggles of being human where she was to become more acutely aware of the possibilities and opportunities that lay in wait for her and that she was to learn from.
A life of “what If’s” instead of “this is the way it is.” Accessing her own innate intelligence, creativity, curiosity and wisdom instead of coloring within the lines of society and culture. She felt deep within the core of her elder being that she could access her, up to now, hidden genius and step out into the world with kindness, compassion, love, passion, play, humor……and a wee bit of magic.
Perhaps she would start a mystery and magic school for dragons!
MYSTERIES, YES
by Mary Oliver
Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood.
How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken.
How people come, from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem.
Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say, “Look! and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.
Oak Wood Dragon – Photo by Cathi Aanwyn
*ADDENDUM FROM GAYE ABBOTT: This two part story was inspired by my very recent cataract surgery on both eyes with one week in between. To say I was stunned by all that I was not seeing in that week between eye surgeries is an understatement. I had adapted to seeing in much reduced clarity, color and light. Even glasses had not completely corrected my very near sighted vision to clarity. But I was not aware how much I was not “seeing”.
I am still in the stages of immense gratitude, awe and wonder about how clear everything is and how stunning the colors, textures and variation of light I can now perceive. I have 20/20 vision in both eyes, something I have never had in my entire life without glasses or contacts.
Now I have what a good friend calls “bionic eyesight” thanks to magical implanted lenses and can safely drive at night. However, I have lost the ability to see rainbow circles around oncoming headlights and circles of light around the moon and candle flames, something that an elder friend of mine and I declared to be a special magical elder ability that not everyone could see. And though I need readers for very close, which I never needed before….it was a tradeoff worth making!
These days I am often found silently looking at the world around me with astonishment. Little did I know that this miraculous cataract removal would also shift me in other ways of perceiving my life as an elder.
Most of us have a choice as to the lens through which we see our lives and the world around us as well as where we place our attention and focus. It is my hope that future posts will reveal these insights. I invite you to walk with me this year and share your own insights and stories….GA
NOTE: The two magical dragon images on this post are digitally created by the artist via AI and editing via photoshop. The Oak Dragon image was taken by Kathi Aanwyn. I fell in love with them……and after all it is the year of the Dragon as of today!
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Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 02/09/24
WILDLY FREE ELDER 
Hope you got the one I just sent! Nathalie Sorrell – please friend me on Facebook if not so you can understand why your latest post met my early am awaking with mystical reminder of how we are met by God in our fearful “dementia.”
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