days of glamour

Was it only a week ago that I came back from Britain? It’s so hard to believe, because I’ve been going full tilt ever since. My trip was great, I feel blessed by my connections to my friends on that isle. Andy, Brigid’s British Bard, even gifted me with a poem on his blog! It kind of makes me blush, but I'm breathing into it, trying to stretch the heart to take in the love I've been given. What a gift that I can now picture so many of my friends in their own homes, and have met their partners, children, and pets! My trip was great, but whew!, my life at home is the real whirlwind!

The last few days have been the days of glamour. The only thing missing is some paparazzi lurking about taking pictures. Come to think about it, that actually happened as well, there was picture taking! On Saturday night I went to the big NCLR gala, which some call the lesbian prom, and others refer to as the lesbian Oscars. Three thousand women dining and dancing and celebrating common heroes. It was estrogen overload! Last night I went to the Goldman awards, which essentially are the Oscars for environmental activism. And then, of course there were the pre-parties, the after parties, and the after-after parties! I’ve danced my ass off, cried in response to the beauty and bravery of those receiving awards, and met more people in the last few days than I can count. These award ceremonies are important. They are inspiring. And, damn, they are fun!

There’s no doubt about it, human communities need these kinds of rituals. Not only is it important to honor those who serve the community, it’s important for the community to all come together to celebrate, party down, and rejoice. A big part of it is looking around at everyone in their finery, and saying “damn, we look good!” Doing the work is important, but it’s in the celebration and the partying that the soul of the fetch gets fed. The fetch or younger self/soul, is a concept from Feri tradition. The fetch is the part of the soul that deals wordlessly with the worlds through pure sensations, emotions, and images. It’s the part of us that is moved by symbols and play. My fetch is downright overstuffed with richness of the meals it has been served in the past few days! This is one fed fetch!

I’m having a new appreciation for the Oscar’s, and more understanding of what it serves for the culture at large. In honoring the stories/dreams of our culture, and the roles in the storymaking/dreammaking, something sacred is happening, something which operates beyond the verbal. All the hubbub about the outfits actually serves something. We need ritual displays of fabulousness! Celebrity culture is not to be encouraged, but there’s something else afoot during those Oscars, something that sings to our need and love of ritual and ceremony. If I hadn’t been in such a whirlwind these last couple of days…I’m sure I could be more articulate about this. Darn. This glamorous life is exhausting, and the fetch has never been that great in getting it's point across with words. I've a lot to digest. I've had a full plate and then some!