Fitting Signs to Reflect the Spirit of America

It was inevitable that as this tenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks drew near we would be surrounded by reminders, signs and reflections of this tragedy and also the ensuing herosim, but it crept into my morning in a rather unexpected and refreshingly optimistic way. . .

I began the day like always-- with a quiet moment at my alter, which also happens to be just the right spot where the sunrise enters the room and warms the hardwood floor where I sit.  With the light of my God encasing my ritual, I laid herbs just-gathered, dipped my fingertips into a bowl of water, lit a purple candle and sparked to life the cedar incense of my choosing. 

I cast my circle of elements and took a deep breath to prepare for the rush of emotions that I knew were coming.  As an empath I am no stranger to taking on the feelings of others and with the profound sense of remembrance and remorse in the air this day, it was no surprise that a wave of tears overtook me. 

I cried for lives lost, for memories missed, for the feeling of exposure and vulnerability that we were all left with on that fateful day as we watched the billowing clouds of smoke rise from New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.  I didn't try to hold back the flood that washed over me-- just permitted it to flow as I sobbed into my hands.



Image by Drago Art

 And in the silence that followed, just after the last hitch in my breath had ceased, I heard two soft "tink, tinks" as a pair of charms fell from the melting wax of my charm candle.  I took a deep breath and glanced to my alter, curious to find what symbols I had been graced with on such a significant day. . .
the castle and the wolf.

I instanty smiled, closing my eyes and turning my face towards the warmth of the sun that poured through the sliding glass doors of the sitting room.  Small signs bring simple blessings.  And these two charms would prove to fill me then with a contented comfort.  You see I knew that the castle, a symbol of home and shelter [where we feel safe and protected] represented this grand country that houses me.  And that wolf [sitting on his haunches, snout raised high in molded howl], he displayed purely the spirit of man within the great castle--  free will, unity, loyalty, fortitude.

What a perfect descriptive of the coming together of humanity in the wake of cruelty.  And as I watched the last of my cedarwood smoke rise above, I understood that I was not the only soul sending such healing positivity into the skies today.  No, we will certainly 'never forget' and in-fact have transformed an act of evil into a network of unified compassion.