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The Hunt

The Hunt

by Michael Harris

Picture of you
Exactly one hundred years
Dressed in wedding white
And that same night
Began the crooked journey
Which thirty-nine years later
Led to me

I decided to dedicate the day
Going far out of my way
Heading up the mountain
Where once my maternal blood lies
Unmarked
With no headstone to mark your lives
Your loves
Your sweat
Determined
I was
Yet
To unmask that mystery and find you

A stretch along Skyline Drive
I stopped into the church
Where you last reposed
At the age of thirty-five
And the pews and pulpit seemed to be
Exactly
The same size and weight
When your beautiful brown eyes
Last closed in 1938

I asked young and old for any news
The morning was damp
I prepared for my shoes
To be muddied by the soft spring soil
Not to be deterred
It would not spoil my quest
I had an extra pair in my trunk
And started out to the graveyard
Headstones
Van Dunk

All other grandparents
I know their resting place
Accounted for
Mom had fleeting memories of your face
She was the sixth
The last of your tribe
And I trudged slowly along each row
Any marking inscribed
Van Dunk
Hilda
The exact name
I wanted to find you
This is why I came

And I learned the times were different
Quite a different time
When they would lay your kind into the sod
For a nickel or a dime
A quick prayer to God
One less to worry about
One less standing in the shade
On to the next
One could always find another maid

And I came up empty
Every inch covered by my muddy shoe
Two hours
Every headstone read
But I could not find you
Someone knows where you are
There must be records in an archive
I have seen your beautiful face
I know you were alive
And it’s the Indian in me
Documented from mom back to
The Revolutionary War
Stories I have discovered
Beautiful Ramapough lore

I will find you, Grandma Hilda
And will come with pretty flowers
Though it may take another day
And another two muddy hours
I will touch where you lay
Amidst the morning dew atmosphere
On my muddy knees I will say
Your grandson is here

A note from Dena… This is a guest post from my dear friend, Michael Harris. I rarely post poetry in this space, but Michael’s story is too precious not to share. When he offered to share it here for my readers, I was overjoyed. You see, “The Hunt” that Michael writes about in this poem, is the very thing that began our friendship. At the time that Michael came to Wanaque to search for his grandmother, I was the secretary of the Methodist Church. He came to us seeking help to begin his search.

We will always remember his emotional visit to the Midvale Methodist Church, where he sat in the back row, knowing that more than 70 years before, his grandmother had her final ceremony there, and was laid to rest not too far away. When we met after service that morning, I knew that I had a friend for life in Michael. It is my great honor and pleasure to share this chapter of his story here with you today.

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  • · ·

    Are You Oblivious, Aware, or Getting It?

    This is a guest post from my friend, Andy Feld.

    ———–

    As I travel and meet new people all over our country, it seems most everyone falls into one of the three areas mentioned in this month’s title. What am I talking about? It’s the societal evolutionary change which is now in progress, although admittedly sometimes imperceptible. It is easy to see that violence rarely leads to anything but more violence. Overt materialism, absent integrity, brings happiness and abundance to very few. Additionally, centuries of male dominated insensitive energy added to a populace unwilling to take responsibility has us at a precarious tipping point.

    So, do you sense what I say is true? Are you oblivious to these changes in the air, or are you ahead of the curve and already taking the steps necessary to not only survive, but thrive in the years to come? Frankly, I am often greeted by individuals with long faces who tell me they will be happy again when things get back to ‘normal’. Normal for many means simply getting back to a life dominated by financial gain and the purchase of new things, but those days may be long gone. Banks are not lending money, our population is increasingly unemployed or aging and dependent, houses are not selling, there seems to be an oversupply of everything and worldwide competition is greater than ever. What if today is the way things will be for the next 20-30 years or longer? What are you going to do to be happy, prosperous, and emotionally abundant?

    Make no mistake, everything is changing and just about everyone is affected. Personally, my income does not approach what I once earned as a corporate CEO, my car is not as new and shiny as it once may have been, and I visit fewer restaurants, but my life has never been more pleasant. Would you agree that now is the time to not only re-evaluate, but also re-create our lives? If so, you are GETTING IT loud and clear, but if not, let’s look into what we can do about it.

    1. We are all One, connected with a common thread of spirit. When I say WE, I mean ALL humans, animals, plant life, earth, and stars. We all are of the same source energy, and understanding and respecting this Oneness is a key to thriving in our new age. Allowing all else to be, with love and respect, and without judgment of unique individual differences will open our portals to Universal Light. One cannot mistreat another human, the earth, our vegetation, and the animals without also mistreating oneself. We are all connected and what we put forth to others is what will always come back to us.

    2. Listen to our heart, our Inner Radar as I call it in my books, without the fear of judgment from others. We are all unique and different, and learning to reach within and hear that guidance we all individually brought forth to this lifetime allows us to grow and prosper in alignment with our life’s purpose. There is no better way to accomplish this than a regular practice of meditation and contemplation.

    3. Understanding the process for manifesting our life’s dreams. It takes quite a bit of practice and self-discipline, and you may be getting tired of hearing me speak about it, but we are the product of our thoughts, emotions, words, and actions. Very little we desire will manifest without the alignment of these four elements. Believe in this, practice and have faith and you will embrace your life like never before.

    4. Learn to appreciate all that you have. From hot running water, to clothes in your closet, and food in the refrigerator, most of us have so much to be thankful for yet rarely acknowledge. The beauty of nature, our relationships, our health and the list should go on and on. Write it down and truly rejoice in how many ways you are blessed.

    5. Diligently work on balancing your male and female attributes. We are all a combination of both masculine and feminine, and the more we keep these two in balance the more we vibrate with the earth.

    Yes, everything is changing. First, become aware and then jump on board, but it will always be the choice of the individual. No one, other than you is responsible for your rescue.

    Whether it is a business, an organization, or individual, the time for changing the status quo in right now. How to go about it in this new environment is what I speak about and teach. I would love the opportunity to work with you or your group.

    With much love and appreciation,
    Andy

    ———-

    Andy lives in Morrison, Colorado outside Denver. He travels the country as a frequent speaker on life inspiration and business sales. He is also a regular guest on radio programs across the United States and on local TV.

    You can read more about Andy at his website, Simple Happy, and you can find his books on Amazon at the following links.

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