Listen With Your Heart

 

A new season may take some getting use to.  In the soft light from the  computer screen, every line and wrinkle on these aging hands is highlighted and the passage of time is overly apparent.   I write every morning with a pen on paper but facing a blank screen is different.  I think I can type more quickly than I can write but still, my hands can't quite keep up with my mind and I am having to acknowledge that getting back into the rhythm of unraveling my thoughts at a keyboard may take some time.

Last year I discovered "fluid art" on You Tube.  I quickly made friends with a new circle of artists and looked forward to spending time with them each day, learning their craft.  Their ability to mix and pour and tilt and blow and swipe and allow liquid color to move and blend and unfold fascinated me. 

 I am not alone in admitting that I am addicted to fluid art.

One artist in particular, with her big smile and welcoming way, her minimalist approach and gift for choosing color and sharing her journey, quickly became one of my favorites.  I attempted her technique, "The Dutch Pour" with limited success but watched every video multiple times.   On May 1 last year, she announced that she would be making one of her series of pieces available for purchase.  Number 9 in the "Vibrant Black " series was still available and I purchased it to commemorate Shannon's 22 Heaven Day.

It took weeks for the piece to arrive from the Netherlands.  Covid's effects on life was far reaching but #9 arrived six weeks later.   I started to write immediately to thank Rinske and tell her how happy I was with the piece but life is busy and I put it off.

On June 21st I was going about my day, litter boxes, laundry, vacuum, dishes etc and through it all I kept feeling an urgent nudging to write to Rinske.  NOW... not this afternoon when everything is done, not tomorrow morning with coffee...THANK HER NOW.   It was the kind of nudging that I couldn't ignore.

"Good morning sweet Rinske,
I received #9 in the vibrant black series this week and I love it.  I wanted to share a personal story.  My daughter Shannon was an artist.  She returned to Heaven following an automobile accident in May 1998.  She was 23. 
For the 22 years following her accident I have tried to commemorate her life in some special way on her birthday and heaven day.  This year on May 1, her Heaven day, I was watching your channel and heard your announcement of the availability of the black series.  Shannon's favorite number was nine and nine was still available and I purchased it. 
To me it looks like an angel with open wings which is perfect!
She would have loved your sweet spirit and incredible work. 
The state of the world has made me feel so very sad this year but discovering fluid art has been such a wonderful experience.  Your Dutch Pour is my favorite and although I still haven't mastered the soft edges and vibrant color combinations, I will keep trying.
Thank you for sharing your love of color and passion for beauty with the world.
With much love and gratitude,

Jan Broom
Fredericksburg, Virginia"

I live my life asking for Guidance, looking for signs.   I'm sure I miss more than I see because Angels are subtle and signs are often no more than soft urgent whispers.

The next morning I received a response from Rinske...

"Dear Jan, 

Your story touched me. It is beautiful and my heart goes out to you. I am so sorry for your loss. And I am so happy you commemorate Shannon in your way. 

You know, I am one that is down to earth. But something just happened, and on that time you wrote this email to me. I want to share, cause this is important, I dont know, you dont know, but I think your email was very important for me to read: I just have a new car, my brother was in the other side of the Netherlands with a bike broke down and called me if I could pick him up, cause he could not take public transport due to Covid. So I went to pick him up, I drove on a big intersection, and somehow I could not steer or give gas anymore, the car did not react to anything. But I could hit the brakes. I immediately clicked on my dangerous lights. Put the car off. And then put the car on. It worked again, everything. I drove a little further to a quiet place, and decided to google this. I saw your email, read it real quick, and googled further. Could not find why this happened, normally I would have driven back to home, since the car worked again? But I decided to call for help, after I read your email. So I did, and the help came, and told me it was super dangerous to drive with this car and that I was super lucky and I handled right. (katalysator and a steering ball is broken, they told me)

I just don't know, but I think you just pushed me over the edge to call for help immediately and prevented me for another dangerous situation. This maybe sounds crazy, or not. But it happened. Thank you. 

So Jan, Thank you for your love for art, you sharing your story, and all the love that shines through your message. "

 

One of my first dreams following Shannon's death, she visited.  I woke from a nap to find her standing beside the Christmas tree in the family room.  She was so excited and just beaming.  I was so happy to see her that I could hardly contain myself.  She said, "Mom, I had to tell you.  I got the best job in Heaven.  I am a Path Director.  You know, I am one of the ones who gets you to turn right instead of left to keep you safe or organizes one of those "chance" meetings.... "coincidences".  It is wonderful."

Then she touched the beeper on her belt and smiled and said, "Back to work."

 

So, when I meet an artist on You Tube in February, who lives 5000 miles away, and write a thank you note to her in June that she stops to read, in the dark, on the side of the road when her new car has just broken down and she is searching for what to do....a thank you note that might have prevented her from being hurt....is it a coincidence?   Of course not, it was our Path Directors on the job and enjoying every minute of their opportunities to fulfill their Heavenly job description.

 

  Surrender to the magic that is all around us.  Believe that anything is possible.  Accept that we are never alone.

 

....and always listen with your heart.