Approaching Full Circle

Another day at the Laundromat…until recently, it had the reputation as a pick-up joint.  Perhaps, I just have that kind of animal magnetism when surrounded by piles of personal laundry.  Anyway, today was different for two reasons.

First, it was DAYLIGHT.  Second, the only other customer was a lady of my life experience, with streaked rainbow-colored hair, wearing a sweatshirt with a large blue-eyed white tiger…well, that’s enough right there to begin a conversation…which I did.

Walked right over and introduced myself with the pointed question: “Do you like all animals or just white tigers”?  She replied “All.  I have sugar gliders, prairie dogs, a bearded dragon and several barnyard varieties.”

I also found out that the ’60s are far from dead.  She is 30 years married into military life but has nothing whatsoever to do with her husband’s point of view.

No wonder she’s still married. There’s enough spice in that relationship to keep them going until the next millennium.

We narrowed our topic of conversation to her very active participation in all things related to “free the animals”.  No zoos, no medical animal experimental research facilities…no Sea World…you know the kind.  I’m sure if I’d have given her cause, we’d still be in debate.  My response was…if you are focused on releasing animals bred in captivity back into their natural habitat…make sure they will survive. Have a back-up plan kind of thing…Wouldn’t you know it, she hadn’t considered it past breaking and entering and releasing the creatures and maybe sending a letter of apology to the editor of the local newspaper and cc to her congressman.

Eventually, we veered off that course and engaged in the topic of mortality; our mortality and our final options. 

I thought I knew what I wanted.  I wanted nothing…no service, no burial, no life celebration…nothing. Just send the former embodiment of my soul to the parts department. (medical school or cadaver research lab).  I know, I watch too much CSI crap on TV.  But today’s conversation with Rae has given me a great deal to consider.

There is a company right here in these United States who will plant a tree using my ashes as fertilizer.  Of course, it would be a very small tree, for I’m not that large and it’s mostly water weight.  Maybe a communal effort…

I get to choose the specimen of tree.  I choose Aspen.  The brilliant gold of Autumn, in the mountains of Colorado.

That got me to thinking how lovely to have that discretionary connection to all living things. Of course, the reality of it is ashes to ashes, dust to dust...

Life is eternal, atoms are finite, change is survival.  We are seeing that now.  My children are witness to dramatic changes in the life cycle here on planet Earth.

My horoscope and recent intuitive reading have not indicated that my time is imminent. But just in case, I have recently updated my life insurance policy.  I’d like to share the amazing news…this new policy will remain in effect until the age of 121.  So I’ve got time.

But back to my life as a tree.  I will have rings instead of wrinkles.  I will have branches instead of stray whiskers about my brow and chin.  I will have leaves, copious leaves, to wear as my garment which will turn brilliant shades of magenta and gold for 3 short weeks each year. You will find me at timberline, where the air is thin. I will share my final resting place with the alpine flowers and moss which survive the highest elevations.

And whence we reunite, you will know it is me, for the first of my leaves to fall will be carried by a gentle breeze to land at your feet.  Home at last…