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11:10 a.m. - 2008-02-26
FINDING REVERENCE
Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Have you ever been somewhere and the feeling of reverence or spirituality or the hush of the area just...almost took your breath away? I have.

According to Simple Abundance..."Reverence is ...when you feel awe and wonder because you know you are in the presence of Spirit." "You know you are in a place where there is no distinction between body and soul.. You can feel the presense of something other than yourself. "Today, search for memories of that special reverence. Look for it in the ordinary with gratitude in your heart and you will surely find it."

When I woke up this morning, I saw the beauty of a perfect snow. It's not that I wanted to see several more inches of snow to drive through, shovel or struggle through. But, it was the awesome beauty of the snow covered trees. It reminds me of a fairyland, with twinkling lights and everything is "quiet and peaceful". It's almost as if I am the only person in the area and I feel so relaxed.

*****

Several years ago, on a vacation, we went to one of the areas where the Trail of Tears occurred.

In 1838 and 1839, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march. Over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokees died.

* ge-tsi-ka-hv-da a-ne-gv-i *

The Trail Where They Cried

I can't find a picture of the meadow we went to...but I still remember the feeling I had.

I felt such a huge emotion of sorrow. I had tears in my eyes and I couldn't speak. Maybe it was just a reaction because I have been told I have some Indian blood in my ancestors....and I don't even know what tribe it might have been. All I know is I felt so sad as I stood there in that little meadow by a small pond. It was as if time had stopped and no one else was there with me and I just "lived in the moment" of what it must have been like for all those Indians. I could almost hear the whispers of those old souls in my ear.

Another place I have visited and felt that awed, speechless feeling is the Grand Canyon.

It's impossible to put into words what it is like to see that vastness in person. It is truly breathtaking. I often have said there is too much to put into your vision because it just goes on and on and on and on and on. It is so quiet (if the tourists aren't babbling....) You can smell the fresh air, see the incredible canyon and almost HEAR the silence.

I have also visited some of the battlefields throughout our country. Custer's Last Stand is another area where I could just feel the sadness.

You can walk around an area where most of the battle took place. You can see the tombstones which mark where a body was found. The one with the black insignia is Custer's.

And another battlefield where the strength of the spirits is very high for me was Gettysburg.

In July of 1863, General Robert E. Lee's Army Of Northern Virginia of 75,000 men and the 97,000 man Union Army Of The Potomac under General George G. Meade met, by chance, when a Confederate brigade sent forward for supplies observed a forward column of Meade's cavalry.

Of the more than 2,000 land engagements of the Civil War, Gettysburg ranks supreme. Although the Battle of Gettysburg did not end the war, nor did it attain any major war aim for the North or the South, it remains the great battle of the war.

Here at Gettysburg on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, more men actually fought and more men died than in any other battle before or since on North American soil.

With the failure of Pickett's Charge, the battle was over - the Union was saved. Lee's retreat began on the afternoon of July 4. Behind him, this small town of only 2,400 was left with a total (from both sides) of over 51,000 casualties. Over 172,000 men and 634 cannon had been positioned in an area encompassing 25 square miles. Additionally, an estimated 569 tons of ammunition was expended and, when the battle had ended, 5,000 dead horses and the other wreckage of war presented a scene of terrible devastation.

The war continued for another two years...

I have heard that paranormals have gone to several of these sites that I have mentioned and recorded sounds and spirits that they believe are still there.

Often when we are on a drive, I think about the pilgrims, Indians, explorers, soldiers and all the people from so long ago who walked and rode and climbed and made trails to go from one end of our country to another. What a difficult life that must have been. How brave they were to take on the task.

Can you imagine seeing the Great Salt Flats with absolutely nothing in sight but hot, white sand and a mountain range miles and miles away? This is another place that just takes my breath away, trying to imagine how quiet and still it was, how hot and desolate, how daunting it must have been in those days.

And one of my favorite places to see, to enjoy the peace and serenity, the stillness and the sounds as well is....

The Pacific Coast Highway.

I could live there forever.....but maybe that will be in my next life.

analysis - new appointment

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