• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • San Diego Momma
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
San Diego Momma

San Diego Momma

Sharing some humor, a bit of writing and way too much information

Home / Etcetera / Creative Alliance #10: Good Soul Vibrations

Creative Alliance #10: Good Soul Vibrations

Etcetera

DSC_0018

 

What do you say when it’s time to make a change?

 

If you’re lucky you don’t say anything. You just do the thing you’re supposed to do and stop doing the thing you’re not. Again and again, until new habits are born, stick, and stay. There’s no hemming and hawing, kicking or screaming, clinging and clanging. But if you’re me, you resist. Stay in the slow lane. Take the same road. Fall in the same potholes. Something sort of like, “Hey look! There’s a crossroads! Well would you look at the time? Gotta turn around and go back the way I came!”

 

The House

 

The Creative Alliance “house” in Ojai, CA.

 

Then what if there’s something you’ve known all along? A truth I suppose you’d say. Something firm and strong and convictious in your soul. Something you know but ignore, let die, or worse, forget?

 

There’s darkness, then.

 

Again, if you’re lucky, people come into your life, little slices of magic that stand at your crossroads and beckon you forward. Beautiful swaths of light that illuminate what you need brightened, polish what’s become rough, make you remember.

 

One of those people is my husband. He’s been waiting for me at the crossroads a long time.

 

More of those people I spent time with this weekend. Good forgotten friends, new lifelong friends, struggling and strong friends. All on roads of their own, but letting me thumb a ride to a safe place.

 

Heather of the EO, Me, Ellie. All wearing Ellie's jewelry. FYI.

 

Heather, Me, Ellie.

 

This is a circuitous way to describe Creative Alliance, a retreat-conference-spiritual awakening I attended last weekend.

 

If I had to tell you in a few short sentences what the past few days meant to me, I guess I could say that it’s about remembering who you are and who you told yourself you would become, and then standing confidently on the platform of it all. Without apology.

 

Of course there were talks about writing and aligning and branding (should you choose); and there were speeches and conversations and suggestions. But through it all, through it all, the threads were passion and authenticity. Becomes sometimes we forget.

 

Then:

What do you say when you sit on a a seat carved into a hillside, watching writers read their words just feet in front of you with nothing but them and you and the words. A stool. Some lights. And a lightly falling rain that looked for all the world like a million falling stars?

 

What do you say?

 

What do you say when you are called upon to read your words; words you’ve written in a fit of passion and sadness and grief; words you’ve never spoken aloud; words you didn’t think you ever could?

 

You stand in front of the crossroads is what you do. You take deep breaths. You let the tears come forth and part. You let your legs shake. Your mouth mumble, your soul crack. And you do it, you do it.

 

So what do you say.

 

You don’t. You just are, there in the half-light; absorbing and beckoning.

 

Watching the stardust fall.

 

(Thanks to Lee — a major light beckoner — and the love force behind Creative Alliance; and to Ann for the amazing Listen to Your Mother concept and for general amazingness; and to Ellie and to Heather and to Smacksy, for reasons of being at the crossroads; and to Jessica, who is light even though she doesn’t always think so; and to my weekend bedmate, who offered a supportive ear, clarity of vision — and toothpaste.)

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

October 18, 2010 · 19 Comments

Sure I’d love to see you again

Previous Post: « The Road Taketh, The Road Giveth
Next Post: Good Skin Deal »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Natalie says

    October 18, 2010 at 1:06 pm

    Oh, I wish I could have gone – but my upcoming China trip got in the way. I’ve been needing clarity, this post helped me find where to get it.

    Reply
  2. La Jolla Mom says

    October 18, 2010 at 1:24 pm

    Amen. And you were brilliant reading your piece. Did I tell you that? Amazing.

    Reply
  3. Jack says

    October 18, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    It sounds awesome. I am biased because I have spent large chunks of time in Ojai- I think that there is magic in the hills.

    Reply
  4. Ellie says

    October 18, 2010 at 3:55 pm

    Okay, I’m crying. In a good way.

    Lisa (smacksy) said this to me once, and I carry it with me in my heart. I say it to you now, too, because it’s so damn true:

    You are a shiny-lit-from-within miracle.

    And, OH how I adored this:

    “..it’s about remembering who you are and who you told yourself you would become, and then standing confidently on the platform of it all. Without apology.”

    Listening to you read your breathtaking piece at Listen To Your Mother I was overcome; your strength, courage and grace were shining through.

    So grateful to have met you. Thank you for your gorgeous words.

    -Ellie

    Reply
  5. Candice @ Fashionably Organized says

    October 18, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    Oh man you make me so sad I wasn’t there. It is definitely something I need in my life. I hope there will be another and that I’ll be in the position to go. I guess what I get from my longing to be there is that I’m not yet ready to step across the crossroads, but I will be soon. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Romy says

    October 18, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    OMG your gift with words amazes me, thank you for sharing this. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Absolutely loved it! xo Romy

    Reply
  7. Danielle Smith says

    October 19, 2010 at 5:14 am

    You captured the emotion and essence of the weekend so beautifully… And your words? Shared under those softly falling stars? They were small slices of heaven. It was just a joy to see you again. Can’t wait to hug you again! Xoxo

    Reply
  8. Lisa Rae @ smacksy says

    October 19, 2010 at 6:00 am

    We are waving you on to the road less taken. We’re there, a solid, huggy bunch of us, loving you already.

    xo

    Reply
  9. green girl in wisconsin says

    October 19, 2010 at 9:35 am

    I’m glad you came out revived!

    Reply
  10. Ann's Rants says

    October 19, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    Tears.

    This is so beautiful. I love the way you told this.

    Also crying because I should try writing coherently on my blog from time to time ;)

    I loved meeting you and wish we could meet in the crossroads for coffee.

    xo

    Reply
  11. Rima says

    October 19, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    You did it! I’m so glad.

    Reply
  12. theresa says

    October 20, 2010 at 9:06 am

    I am so beyond sad I couldn’t be there!!!!

    Reply
  13. Melanie @ Mel, A Dramatic Mommy says

    October 20, 2010 at 9:25 am

    I’m glad you were able to go. I think it’s where you were supposed to be.

    Reply
  14. Heather of the EO says

    October 20, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    I love this so much I can’t even stand it.

    Beautiful. Like you. I love you, lady.

    Reply
  15. Kendra says

    October 20, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    So lovely, Deb. I saw the weekend all over again, in a whole new way, and it just got better.

    Reply
  16. Karen Duggan says

    October 22, 2010 at 9:10 pm

    You are pure talent — well, talent and beauty. And humor. And deep. Okay, you are so many things — among them a VERY talented writer, storyteller, truthsayer. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with your reading and again with your writing. xox

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tweets that mention San Diego Momma » Blog Archive » Creative Alliance #10: Good Soul Vibrations -- Topsy.com says:
    October 18, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by San Diego Momma, San Diego Momma and One Crafty Mother, Candice. Candice said: RT @sandiegomomma: The "Creative Alliance" experience. I think it should be a refreshing minty gum flavor. http://bit.ly/a7JhIH #CA10 […]

    Reply
  2. San Diego Momma » Blog Archive » PROMPTuesday #147: Proceed As If says:
    March 29, 2011 at 8:22 am

    […] written before that my fortes are pen, paper, and the keyboard. Say my words? Yikes. Sure I did it once before, but before I even began to talk I stood shaking for a full sweaty minute. In front of a waiting […]

    Reply
  3. San Diego Momma » Blog Archive » An Unlikely Encounter says:
    May 3, 2011 at 9:02 pm

    […] face many of my fears and over the past three years forced myself to fly to New York three times, read my writing in front of people, and let spiders live occasionally instead of shooting them in the […]

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

I love words. Every one, every time. (Except “moist.” That word can go.) …read more

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Sure. I’d love to see you again.

Categories

Archives

Blogroll

  • Blog This Mom
  • Da Goddess
  • Dirt and Noise
  • Discover San Diego
  • Foolery
  • Juggling Life
  • Mama Mary Show
  • Mel, A Dramatic Mommy
  • Mom Zombie
  • Mommy’s Martini
  • Motherhood is Not for Wimps
San Diego Momma

Footer

Archives

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

sandiegomomma

sandiegomomma
Back in Lake Geneva after 36 years… Circumstance Back in Lake Geneva after 36 years…
Circumstances have changed since post-Prom-picnic-circa-1986-vibes…
#WhereIsBryanAdamsNow
Dorm drop! 🏫👩‍🏫🥲💕 Dorm drop!
🏫👩‍🏫🥲💕
💫Travel poster for Saturday wine tasting.💫 💫Travel poster for Saturday wine tasting.💫
Celebrating the new 16-year-old with a quick Santa Celebrating the new 16-year-old with a quick Santa Monica trip.
And now she knows she doesn’t want to live in LA….
#LifeLessons
It’s happening….. It’s happening…..
Barely tolerating me….. Barely tolerating me…..
Beach day with my “little” one while big sis e Beach day with my “little” one while big sis explores Cal Poly…
Life transitions. Beautiful but I haz the olds.
#NotAboutMe #Whhhhyyyyy
A rare Bubbie sighting. Spotted in the wild. #HeDo A rare Bubbie sighting. Spotted in the wild. #HeDoesntLikePictures
Sunset squad. Brought a picnic and drinks to Del M Sunset squad.
Brought a picnic and drinks to Del Mar and watched the waves and horizon. Not too crowded or cold - another good hang with the neighborhood gang! ❤️❤️
Imprinting 2021 holidays on my brain (and in my In Imprinting 2021 holidays on my brain (and in my Instagram) (and in my antibodies). It’s a COVID New Year’s Eve…
Husband and I down for the count(down).
BUT. We’re doing decent and it’s cozy up in here…
Winery times! Winery times!
Guys on couch watching football; girls in kitchen Guys on couch watching football; girls in kitchen talking about everything.
Smells like a Sunday neighbor night. ;)
Line dancing lessons… My two left feet did nothi Line dancing lessons…
My two left feet did nothing right - but they did it with gusto.
Looking for a new book to read! #BookClub Despite Looking for a new book to read! #BookClub Despite the seeming divine intervention from above, we weren’t struck with the “perfect” next book to put on our list…..
Post-white-water-rafting super exhaustion. (Oh my Post-white-water-rafting super exhaustion.
(Oh my gosh you guys…! No! I’m not a sports model! But I totally understand how you might think so.) 😜😜😜
I wanted my hair to do that. #NordicSisters I wanted my hair to do that.
#NordicSisters
Dad’s hats on the people who loved/knew/laughed/ Dad’s hats on the people who loved/knew/laughed/sang with him.
Miss you Dad. Hope we do your hats justice. Lord knows we’ll have fun in them, just like you did. 😇
Paso Robles! Wine tasting beauty. It’s stunning Paso Robles! Wine tasting beauty. It’s stunning here. And the landscape is nice too ;).
Found my brother’s old ad copy. Good fun-writing Found my brother’s old ad copy. Good fun-writing inspiration...
Just in case I wasn’t feeling ancient enough, th Just in case I wasn’t feeling ancient enough, the rainbow jumper and white bobby socks oughta do it. No but wait! There’s a bowl cut. Annnnnnnddd giant gold-rimmed specs.
#CentennialFashion
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Hello Chicky

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT