Thursday, November 13, 2014

Free Falling Fall

Dear friends,

Japanese Maple Tree Fall 2014 - Peachtree Corners, GA



Here is a spoken word poem I wrote and have performed live once.  Due to the season it's been calling my name and it wants to be heard again :)    




Fall
by Christine Gautreaux

18
and falling out of the sky from 12,500 ft in my first free-fall sky dive over the Majave Desert in Ca.
Wind whipping by
feeling weightless until the ripcord pulls,
the shoot opens jerking you up
and then utter silence…
It’s me & God
Silence so profound it opens up places inside of you, you didn’t know existed.

Sliding in for my first landing thanks to a last minute wind shift…
Bruising my tailbone…
But Oh what a rush!  Falling, Rising, Floating – Yes!


It reminds me of falling in love for the first time.

College boy more interested in what he could get than what he could give.
He dedicated Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” as our break up song.
And YES that landing bruised me too.

But did I jump again?
Yes!  Yes I did.
The thrill, the rush the pure pleasure of adrenaline that occurs in love and in adventure unmatched by the everyday

I met my true love in the Fall.

Five years later we began to date as the leaves turned and the air chilled. 
A county fair – one of our first official dates…
A moment in the parking lot where he set an extra coke can down & kept walking…
I stopped and declared, “I don’t date litterbugs!”
He never littered again. (but he still sucks at recycling)
On top of the Ferris wheel that night we began the gentle fall towards love.  The sparkling lights that covered the everyday grime making the evening all that more enchanting.

Falling every so slightly like in the steps of a Waltz.

Falling asleep snuggled into each others arms wrapped so tightly together we breath in warmth and out unity.
I HAVE fallen down & fallen hard & risen time and time again.
As a mother, as a wife, as a woman and as a friend.
My tears have fallen in sadness and in joy showing both my strength and softness at the same time.  Like jewel toned leaves racing towards the ground.
Fall creates a masterpiece of beauty – natural art that changes daily as our lives do even after 20 years together.

Why yes, Fall is my favorite time of year.  Listening to the wind sing it’s song & the leaves dancing and glowing  with color on their last journey.
I love the crispness in the air.  The flavor of campfire smoke and the holidays teasing my senses.
Most of all
I love the moment
when the possibilities of life unfold before you as you gently let go
like the leaf
and opening like a life saving parachute
It’s you & God
As you gently ride the air currents home. 





Wrapping you around with infinite love and fall favorites,

Christine

Day 11

The Matrix of Manifestation: Flexible Consciousness

CENTERING THOUGHT

My awareness is infinitely adaptable.

SANSKRIT MANTRA

Yoyatah Hum
My awareness is infinitely flexible and fluid.


8 comments:

  1. What a beautiful poem and photo Christine. I absolutely love the last part about gently letting go like a leaf when possibilities unfold before me. That's what I needed to hear today. Thank you for your powerful post!

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    1. Thanks Nancy - that's one of my favorite parts about the poem too :)

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  2. BEAUTIFUL!!!! Nancy stated it so eloquently! I have nothing to add.

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  3. What a lovely relationship you have! We are about to celebrate our five year wedding anniversary and I feel so lucky. I would feel very lucky if I felt such love after 20 years too. That is something special!

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    1. Thanks Amy - It is special and I am grateful for it and treasure it (most days- lol). Congrats on 5 years!

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  4. I love the metaphors and the play of words and how you were able to relate one experience to a totally different one. They say how we do one thing is how we do everything and sometimes I struggle to find the connection between the things I do, but it's definitely there for you in your poem!

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    1. Thanks Tat - this poem was bubbling up for several weeks before I wrote it. Fall evokes such wonder in me and I finally took a couple of hours off, locked myself in my bedroom with a journal and no electronics and let the poem speak :)

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