"To spread butterfly wings you must transform again and again. You must let your old identity collapse into mush. You must use your imaginal cells to overcome the resistance of the old you, the little you, who clings to what you once were." These magical words, read by Robert Moss from his new book "The BOY Who Died and Came Back", welcomed me to the dream family gathering in the magical mountains of the Adirondacks. But they were not the first words I had read, or heard on this trip from the BOY. He had been our family companion as we set off on our first family vacation since our own transformation over a year ago.
Over the past two years, beginning with my own personal transformation and divorce, my family has had to learn to let our "old identity collapse into mush" and reimagine a newer, healthier unit. Part of the way I have imagined my new family was taking vacations and bringing my kids along when I either teach, or attend. dream gatherings. So very grateful and happy that Robert Moss and my dream family were inviting not only myself, but my kids, to join them on the mountain, I started to see take shape what I had only imagined.
Several days before the dream gathering, my kids and I set out on this journey. Coinciding with spring break, we would spend 2 days driving through Canada and New York. Of course, we took the BOY along with us, reading chapters as we traveled, and capturing photos along the way.
Day 1: Michigan to Canada.
Our day began with my daughter going out for a run, preparing for her first track meet the following week. She picked up running right before our family transformation, and had supported her in her own personal growth. On this crisp April morning, the BOY enjoyed the bird songs and sunshine, observing the pine and birches as she ran. After a shower, breakfast and good-byes to the kitty, we loaded into the car. The BOY front and center. The first one (hopefully of many) that we would take together as our family takes flight. As we left Michigan and crossed the bordered I handed the Canadian guard our small blue books and thought of the chapter titled "Where Dreams are Passports" These passports were taking us to dreams. And as we entered Ontario I pulled over so the BOY would be part of the "Welcome to Ontario"
Over the past two years, beginning with my own personal transformation and divorce, my family has had to learn to let our "old identity collapse into mush" and reimagine a newer, healthier unit. Part of the way I have imagined my new family was taking vacations and bringing my kids along when I either teach, or attend. dream gatherings. So very grateful and happy that Robert Moss and my dream family were inviting not only myself, but my kids, to join them on the mountain, I started to see take shape what I had only imagined.
Several days before the dream gathering, my kids and I set out on this journey. Coinciding with spring break, we would spend 2 days driving through Canada and New York. Of course, we took the BOY along with us, reading chapters as we traveled, and capturing photos along the way.
Day 1: Michigan to Canada.
Our day began with my daughter going out for a run, preparing for her first track meet the following week. She picked up running right before our family transformation, and had supported her in her own personal growth. On this crisp April morning, the BOY enjoyed the bird songs and sunshine, observing the pine and birches as she ran. After a shower, breakfast and good-byes to the kitty, we loaded into the car. The BOY front and center. The first one (hopefully of many) that we would take together as our family takes flight. As we left Michigan and crossed the bordered I handed the Canadian guard our small blue books and thought of the chapter titled "Where Dreams are Passports" These passports were taking us to dreams. And as we entered Ontario I pulled over so the BOY would be part of the "Welcome to Ontario"
The first stop on our trip, loaded as the destination point into our GPS was Antica pizza. On our first trip to Niagra Falls a few years earlier we stopped off at this local mom & pop pizza joint, where my daughter remembered was "the best pizza ever." Well, obviously others agreed with us as it had grown from a 1 room, dingy, plastic table cloth, joint into a beautiful two room, wood, stone and tile restaurant. The pizza, was as amazing as my daughter remembered. My boy and girl enjoyed a slice as the BOY accompanied us. We finally made it to our hotel room, and placed the BOY on our window as we all relaxed and enjoyed the view.
Day 2: Canada to Syracuse
With no plans for the next day, we crossed the boarder back into the US and entered New York. A few people had mentioned the Jell-o museum in Le Roy, so we programmed the GPS and off we went. We were only 1 of 3 other visitors to sign the guest book that day - the first family being from the same we had just come from in Michigan! We learned how the inventor of Jell-o sold the recipe and rights for $450 (the cost of a house at the time) to another man who eventually made it a household name - with the help of Bill Cosby.
Day 2: Canada to Syracuse
With no plans for the next day, we crossed the boarder back into the US and entered New York. A few people had mentioned the Jell-o museum in Le Roy, so we programmed the GPS and off we went. We were only 1 of 3 other visitors to sign the guest book that day - the first family being from the same we had just come from in Michigan! We learned how the inventor of Jell-o sold the recipe and rights for $450 (the cost of a house at the time) to another man who eventually made it a household name - with the help of Bill Cosby.
We then headed to Syracuse and Destiny, USA - a mall built to rival the Mall of America. We weren't interested in shopping, but rather Wonder Works. A place where science and imagination meet each other. We spent over an hour climbing on the 3 story tall ropes course, and then over another hour in the science/imagination station. I thought it most fitting after reading the chapter "The Other Side of the Moongate", and remember a small exchange in the book between Sophie and Robert about astronauts, that the BOY have his picture taken in a NASA space suit with a huge moon in the background!
After all the travel across countries and to the moon, we were ready to just settle down in a hotel and relax the rest of the evening.
Day 3: Dreaming
The next morning we packed up, and traveled into the heart of the magic mountain and from the land of science and imagination into the land of dreaming and imagination - our dream passports in hand.
After all the travel across countries and to the moon, we were ready to just settle down in a hotel and relax the rest of the evening.
Day 3: Dreaming
The next morning we packed up, and traveled into the heart of the magic mountain and from the land of science and imagination into the land of dreaming and imagination - our dream passports in hand.
The first evening my kids relaxed and rested after the long journey. I, on the other hand, met the butterfly. Not the perfect picture butterfly we all imagine - but the one who is confronted by the threats of this world. I was a butterfly being chased by birds and predators. However, I found sanctuary and protection amongst the trees, leaves, and safety in those around me. I was being shown the while the life of a butterfly may appear beautiful, it too, has it challenges. A powerful and important message I needed to hear, see and know.
Day 4: The BOY
The following day my kids brought the BOY to their first dream workshop. While I've been leading dream groups for several years, as their mom, my teenage children are in their own transformation trying to re-imagine who they are, apart from where they came from. Attending a group that their mom is teaching - well, it's just not on the teenage agenda.
But now that that BOY had accompanied us from Michigan, to Ontario, from Niagra to Syracuse and up the mountain, they were ready to see it meet it's maker and experience dreaming like never before. They heard amazing stories, journied to the House of Time, met the Gate Keeper, and when they were ready, had their picture taken with the beautiful, amazing, butterfly or butterflies, Robert Moss.
The following day my kids brought the BOY to their first dream workshop. While I've been leading dream groups for several years, as their mom, my teenage children are in their own transformation trying to re-imagine who they are, apart from where they came from. Attending a group that their mom is teaching - well, it's just not on the teenage agenda.
But now that that BOY had accompanied us from Michigan, to Ontario, from Niagra to Syracuse and up the mountain, they were ready to see it meet it's maker and experience dreaming like never before. They heard amazing stories, journied to the House of Time, met the Gate Keeper, and when they were ready, had their picture taken with the beautiful, amazing, butterfly or butterflies, Robert Moss.
However, teenagers, being teenagers, especially MY teenagers, you would have never guessed that any of this was making an impact on them. Through most of the weekend it appeared that my son was being tortured with boredom. My daughter didn't talk much. But I would look over at them and notice a smile, some excitement and a glimmer in their eyes. Their imaginal selves were coming alive.
The weekend had come to an end with amazing talented and creative people giving their dream offerings to the group. Immediately at the end of the gathering we climbed into the car to begin the long drive home. As we drove down the mountain both my kids talked of what they enjoyed and my son (the one that seemed the most disengaged) talked of what he would present next time he was on the mountain. "Next time"? A shock to me, considering my impression of him most the weekend. Less than 24 hours later as he lay in his own bed about to drift off to sleep he explained that Jack London used to write 1000 words a day, then went on to tell me that he had already written 3000 words of a new story. Of course, being a teenager, he says it has nothing to do with the creativity and trip he had just experienced. But even if the caterpillar cannot recognize what it is becoming, others on the outside can see the beauty about to unfold.
So very grateful to not only have the amazing kids that I do, but a dreamer like Robert Moss to welcome them into our community, and a dream family who accepted them with open arms. Our first vacation became our DREAM vacation. The BOY explains that "To spread butterfly wings, you must transform again and again." As long as we are alive we are given the opportunity to turn our mush into something more. What I thought would be a fun, first, family vacation after a transformation, turned out to be the beginnings of yet another transformation as my family is re-imagined into something more beautiful than I ever thought. Thank to the BOY for making our trip even more exciting than I could have ever expected.
The weekend had come to an end with amazing talented and creative people giving their dream offerings to the group. Immediately at the end of the gathering we climbed into the car to begin the long drive home. As we drove down the mountain both my kids talked of what they enjoyed and my son (the one that seemed the most disengaged) talked of what he would present next time he was on the mountain. "Next time"? A shock to me, considering my impression of him most the weekend. Less than 24 hours later as he lay in his own bed about to drift off to sleep he explained that Jack London used to write 1000 words a day, then went on to tell me that he had already written 3000 words of a new story. Of course, being a teenager, he says it has nothing to do with the creativity and trip he had just experienced. But even if the caterpillar cannot recognize what it is becoming, others on the outside can see the beauty about to unfold.
So very grateful to not only have the amazing kids that I do, but a dreamer like Robert Moss to welcome them into our community, and a dream family who accepted them with open arms. Our first vacation became our DREAM vacation. The BOY explains that "To spread butterfly wings, you must transform again and again." As long as we are alive we are given the opportunity to turn our mush into something more. What I thought would be a fun, first, family vacation after a transformation, turned out to be the beginnings of yet another transformation as my family is re-imagined into something more beautiful than I ever thought. Thank to the BOY for making our trip even more exciting than I could have ever expected.
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