[Dialogue] question to ponder

[Duncan Holmes]

I did not think I had an answer to this question initially. Then I went to Stan Gibson's 65th birthday party and several of us burst into song.

I don't know where it came from. i do know that it was and is a part of our imaginal education of each other. We used songs to send ourselves messages and remind us who we have decided to be. I can remember being in Montreal and was assigned to work out. Each morning I had a 3 minute walk though a building that played musak. Ninety percent of the songs were ones we had written words to. So i was reminded each morning who I was. At the end of the day on the tired return home I walked through the same building and was remnded again, who I had decided to be and the story I had decided to live out of. The songs still flow through my head and still remind me who I am and have decided to be.

Who knows whether that was where it came from but it was certainly one of the things it did for me.

Duncan

Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:48:05 -0700
From: nancy at songaia.com
To: dialogue at wedgeblade.net
Subject: [Dialogue] question to ponder

Dear Ones, 

WHERE DID OUR SINGING AS AN ORDER COME FROM ?  WAS IT THE CHURCH?  WAS IT FROM MOVEMENT BUILDING ACTIVITIES?  One of our Songaians asked that question of us - he had given a tour today and was asked?  Please respond with answers or just your own stories.  I would love to hear from you about a spiritual practice that has opened so many hearts and places of energy, and at times literally kept us alive.


This has been a big week here at Songaia!  The national Cohousing conference is being held in Seattle this year and the executive director lives here.  He has enlisted most of us to contribute in one or many ways during the week.


On Monday night we hosted the International Summit group from the conference which translated into 38 folks from the group at dinner in our common house along with the 30 of us Songaians.  Of course we were our authentic selves and had singing, introductions, a birthday celebration with questions, and a fantastic meal -  a joyful time was had by all.


I led the singing and included Consider Yourself, This Little Light of Mine, and Oh, Mr. Sun and Russian Hymn for the Earth - the first was a song of welcome and the others, in acknowledgement of Summer Solstice and the wonder of gathering as Earthlings.  We ate in honor of communitarians and those who had not yet found themselves enveloped in a welcoming community.  


Following the meal we celebrated one member's birthday.  His name is Nartano and as he has been so moved by the ritual around each members birthday, he wanted to share the ritual with our guests.  Fred asked the questions of him and then shared words that recognized Nartano's role in the community.  


We closed the evening by singing the Irish Blessing to our guests.  They left with tears and smiles of joy and hope that if we could share the values of our community lifestyle with the world, it would be a more peaceful place to live.


Yesterday, Fred was awarded the Geoph Kozeny Award for a life of communitarian activities.  Our friend Geoph died a year ago with cancer.  Fred was so honored to be the first recipient of the award.

Today, we hosted 40 people who were on a cohousing community bus tour.  They came for lunch and a tour of Songaia.  Again, we sang before lunch, they joined in with great gusto!


Fred continues to be his spirited, wonderfilled self.  The huge limitations of movement and dextarity frustrate him but he keeps finding new ways to type - he now uses his thumbs and a voice activated computer program.  SINGING here at Songaia and at church is a lifeline for him.  Somehow with his breathing capacity greatly diminished, he still sings with joy and twice as many breaths.  At his ALS diagnosis 1 1/2 years ago, he promised me we would still be together to celebrate the journey of the 2 of us and the life of our family. We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on July 4th with family and our community. 


We are so very grateful to be living in our community of Songaia.  And we are grateful for you,  our spirit community of many years.  Take care and remember that you are all loved, 

Nancy


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