I love this tree.
It lives on up the hill
From my house.

It has lived
There
Forever.

Speaking of forever,
Forever-ago, in 1975, 
I stood at an intersection
Of my life.

My roots were shaky.

I always loved women.
I knew something was
So wrong
With me.

In the Peace Corps
In the Philippine Islands,
I had a romantic relationship with a woman.

Rather than opening me up,
It freaked me out,
It shut me down.

I came home,
And quickly
Reached out
To my college boyfriend.

I tried
My darndest
To make
It
Work.

The exact words I said to myself,
(and I remember when I was standing
In my mother’s kitchen when 
I called him)
Were:

“I CAN MAKE IT LOOK ALRIGHT.”

Of course, I couldn’t.
And, of course,
I didn’t.

And of course,
I shouldn’t.

I love women.
It’s that simple.
But it wasn’t then.

After a few years of
Painful marriage,
Lots of marijuana,
Fully and
Somewhat
Inappropriately
Ensconced 
In the suburban 
High school
In which
I taught,

I was given
The willingness
To face 
My truth.

After a series of
Painful interactions
With my husband,
He left our suburban
Apartment
And 
I
Was
Alone.

It 
Was—
Glorious.

I made a little bed
On the floor
Of the living room.
I lived there.

I heard angels.
I did.

Yet, I knew—I had to 
Move forward…
I had to find…
What?

An Answer?
A label?
Somebody?
Something?
A community?

That’s when I 
Met Leon.

This story was written in 2008
And lives in my first book,
Recovering My Voice,
A Memoir of Chaos, Spirituality, and Hope.

~~~

Listen Here

~~~
Like this mother-tree, 
We are blessed
And we are rooted
And we are grounded.

There is sustenance 
And support
Everywhere.

Of this, I am sure.

Much of the time.    
I forget this.  
I tend to
Force choices,
I tend to
Force solutions,
Rather than
Opening,
Looking,
Listening
For guidance,
For signs.

Yet,
The Leons are there
Everywhere,
Guiding
Us
Loving
Us
Pointing
The way
Home.

Pointing
The
Way
Home.

May we
Find
Our
Way home.
________________________________

Dear Friends,
What were the intersections in your life?  
Was there a big one?
What messages did you receive?
Who or what were the messengers?

Dear Friends,
Be safe,
Be well,

May 
We
Find
Our 
Way
Home

With
Gentle
Rigor
And 
Tender
Tenacity.

Stay blessed,
Aruni

~~~

Part One:      Struggling
Part Two:      Becoming
Part Three:   Landing
Part Four:     Opening
Part Five:     Surrendering

Summer Special!

On sale for $20/shipping and handling included, along with author’s personal inscription, if requested.
To purchase, email thecoacharuni@gmail.com with the heading Summer Special
~~~

There will be no Share Circle the week of Thursday, 6/17.
We will reconvene on Thursday, 6/24, @ 2:00.