Early September 1999
Early in September I was on my way to 9 Beech Rd. As I approached the new Marshwood High, I spied something familiar. Yup, the genderless two were atop the new sign. A butterfly was circling their heads. “Hmmm,” I thought. “I wonder what’s up?”
I pulled over and leaned out the car window. “Hi, what’re you doin’?”
“Waiting for our friend.” Happy answered. “She just started her freshman year, and we want to hang out with her after school.”
“But it’s only 9 in the morning-- and there’s a hurricane coming....”
“But we might miss her.” Slap kinda moaned. “We hung out all summer!”
“Could you maybe take a little break?” I offered. “Ray is at the office and I think we might want to talk to him.” They agreed--reluctantly -- and hopped into the car.
We found Ray busy closing storm windows. “Hi! What’re you all up to?”
“They were up at the new school, planning to sit all day waiting for their friend.”
“Oh? You two giving up all the stuff you like to do--like visiting around town, and getting all the scoops for Deb; and helping people?”
“No time for that now!” Slap was emphatic.
“No time. Hmmm.” I could see Ray thinking about this, when Happy piped up.
“Y’know I’m not sure it’s such a great idea. What if we get wicked bored?”
“We gotta do it, Hap, she’s our pal and we had so much fun this summer.”
“Hold on a minute, you two.” I said. Did she ASK you to wait for her?”
“No,” Happy replied. She just said we could come sometimes to walk--and fly-- her home. But then we got scared like we’d miss her; so we decided to hang out by the school.”
“I see,” Ray said. “Sounds like dealing with change to me. You know transitions are hard for all of us. And sometimes we make a decision to hold on to some person or behavior when it is time to let go....”
“So we’re just supposed to dump her?” Slap looked mad. “I don’t think so. She’s Gramps’ great granddaughter ya know!”
“Never suggested that!” Ray chuckled. “A lot of people mix up letting go with writing off. If we look at this in the Mind-Body-Spirit way you might trust that your friend can be at school--you can do your own things--AND you can still stay connected.”
“But this summer we DID stuff together all the time!” Slap insisted.
“And it’s not summer anymore-- that’s a bummer. It’s fall--there is school, and storms, and other things to cope with.” They were looking at Ray intently now. “Another way the Mind-Body-Spirit view helps is to think of transition as the natural flow of things. All time passes into the next moment. We live most peacefully when we stay in that flow--minute to minute. Look at Ms Curmud--she flutters into each minute with ease.”
Ray continued. “ There’s a lot for you to explore now. This is a time of both harvest and of beginnings. You can take some walks, learn Tai Chi, have Deb teach you Reiki....... And you can hang out with your buddy too.”
“You mean we don’t have to sit there every day to still be friends?” Slap wondered.
“The best friendships encourage the friends to live their own lives to the fullest. That’s how Bette and I do it. We are very good friends and have our own interests too. Your friend will probably make new friends in school. This is the natural way. It is through these changes that we all grow.”
Happy looked it. “Deb is a real good friend of ours. I think I will go have her Reiki me. Slap, you up for that?”
“Later, I think I’ll stay here now and get a Tai Chi lesson if Ray has time. How about I meet you back at the school around 2 o’clock and we’ll go over Gramps’. I think Gram’s makin’ fried chicken tonight.”
“I think they got it!” I smiled at Ray. C’mon Happy I’m headin for the Curmudgeon office to see what’s up there. I’ll give you a ride. It’s a new season and maybe Deb’s got mail from some of our reader friends. Yup! you too, Ms Curmud. Let’s go!”