Master of most

I am in need of a master in the old sense of the word. I need a guide and mentor. There have been times when I have expressed my need in a lot of different categories. I search for a spiritual mentor, especially in terms of my supernatural tendencies and tend to encounter folks who say "Yeah, me too- and then continue to tell me how their experiences were more significant than mine. Or they nod and patronize me-amused at my inexperience and smug in theirs. I search for a costume/clothing mentor, and they say I'm doing it wrong because it is not their way. Like the old Chinese man in the wood- I need someone who sees that I want to know and is confident enough in their own skills to not worry if mine are or become greater. The key may being finding someone who is not emotionally invested in the outcome. And by emotionally invested, I mean someone who will not feel they are less if I excel. Makes me sound arrogant doesn't it? Well ask me if I care- It's the energy I can feel coming from who I ask-

I took the boys shopping for Arin's birthday tonight. I had one of those "we have to go home NOW" moments which is usually caused by just being at Walmart. I thought nothing of it and we headed home. I was getting ready to turn on our street, when I noticed a light blue car with its hazards on. Usually when I see that and are not in a position for helping a break down, I think "Sucks. Hope someone can help" but this time I slowed down. The train was coming near and the noise startled a huge and still young red tail hawk that was obviously wounded on the bike trail along Atlanta Road. I said "He's trying to help and we are too", pulled into the parking lot on the corner. I pulled out my phone and called Arin. Here's where we are. Here's what's going on. Call Hugh now and find out the best way to handle this. The hawk freaked out trying desperately to fly across the road. Traffic slammed on it's breaks and let it pass. The first young man and I planned. He called animal control. I told them I had Hugh on alert. Arin drove down with his CERT kit. Patch and I approached slow and low to discourage her going back into the street. More people stopped. Locals came from the doors. She scooted away from us into a vacant lot. Much better a vacant lot than so close to the busy road. First man went to get a plastic kennel at his house. An older couple gave us a fleece packing blanket for better protection than the old towels that we had, and all the phone numbers for Chattahoochee Nature center and the Dep't of Natural Resources. Another young couple stopped- she works with non raptor exotics. Patrick became nervous when he saw the beak and talons close up and opted out of the rescue. The boys walked to Jackie's house, I made a myriad of phone calls to find aid and rehab, while Arin and 7 strangers who never got around to introducing themselves waited for the bird to relax enough to tighten the ring, drape her, then corral her. I gave my cards to folks so we could give reports on this strange bonding of people we might not ever see again. We were able to take our momentary guest to the Cobb Emergency Veterinary Clinic on Cobb Parkway. They already had another hawk from earlier. I hope she can be returned to the wild. All of us strangers are from the same general area. We are all used to seeing the hawks fly above our homes. We do not know each other, but in her way, that bird knows us all. I'll miss her until she is better.

The boys got to stay up late tonight and go with us to the vet clinic. It's a unique opportunity and they go to see it through to the end of our ability. Arin told them to remember all those people who stopped to lend a hand. They saw there was need and took time out of their days to help when they didn't have to for the betterment of something other than themselves. That's the kind of thing heroes do.

You know what? We're that kind of people too.

other missings and noticings

Last night I had a meeting with the director of The Polk Street Players- a tiny community theater that uses the basement in our church. Michael is an 842 year old Englishman. It was nice. I helped him tape the seams on the flats before the painters tomorrow and we talked about all 38 of their par 38's. The theater seats 50.
I had not planned to go back into theater again. It's bad for families, esp those who want to do other things on the weekends. Of course, I have not done a quarterly production deal since high school, so maybe it's not as bad as the weekly event work, or local crew.
The point is I'm toying with the ideas of happiness. What was going on when I had my own person satisfaction and happiness at it's highest?
The Furniture Doctor-
being a stagehand-
the first couple years of my business-
Yes I love love loved doing the work. I loved the job, even (maybe especially) when I complained. Deep down, I wouldn't trade those 15 years for white collar any day. My only regret of that fact is monetary, but not the experience. The common thread was us working to realize a common goal- the team work, counting on each other to do what needed to be done and being trusted to do my part. It was knowing for sure that if any one of us failed, they others could absorb and get the job done. Unwarranted blame was unacceptable. Someone had your back. The end game was the goal, not the praises of any one of the team, and we were going to make it happen. We needed it to happen. And we are not going to bed until it does.
Back in those glory days, the goal was all we had. There were few pets, fewer relationships (outside the wings) and no kids. Our only obligation was the show. Once you have the pets, and love, and kids, and the house, and PTA and all that, is it the natural flow of life that you lose that single mindedness? This may be a motherhood thing where you have no choice but to split your own goal concept and give slivers to all your charges.