GodistheTruthofLife9



	Chapter 9 GOD IS THE TRUTH OF LIFE The Interlude Ends Our Interlude finally came to an end, as we awaited the arrival of Rick and Snow, and I felt that these energies would require a new chapter. The title had come to me, during my Airplane Meditation and I felt it applicable to this momentous event, because I felt that my life would forever change as a result of this meeting. I had no specific expectations, but excited expectancy for good, as their red SUV parked and I walked outside and waved, and then hugged them both, as longtime friends. Their website journals and pictures had given me a glimpse into their special energies, which had shown a handsome thirtysomething man and a beautiful woman, both into their creativity, such as writing and arts and crafts. The Real Thing But, as I always say, "An experience needs no words," because it allows us to feel the God-energies of the person. Such is certainly true with Rick and Snow. This was the real thing; two live and alive people filled with love and wisdom and their individual and combined histories, which you can read on their Naked Journey website. Nevertheless, as a writer, I will search for the words to describe these special people and our time together. Snow reminds me of my brother's step-daughter, Millie, with her dark hair and brown eyes, and even her voice sounds similar, so I felt an immediate kinship. And Rick, later mentioned that Van reminded him of his grandfather; surprisingly, Snow felt the similarity of her grandfather. So, the generation span had been easily gapped, and we moved forward. Dressed in casual attire, appropriate for this beach setting, they fit right into the confined quarters of our home. And, hopefully so, since they plan to become fulltimers within a month. But Rick towers above Van, and when he sat on the couch, he curled around Snow, so my first comment was, "You are really brave to consider this lifestyle. What size RV are you thinking about?" "A 22-24 ft. Class C (bed above the cab)," Snow replied, and they talked about their experiences looking at various models. Rick added, "Oh, I always take off my shoes and climb into the shower, and I even get into the bed to make sure I fit. One time their wasn't enough room between my face and the ceiling, and I knew that wouldn't work." As we talked, I hauled out a few RVing books, such as Trailer Life, which lists and evaluates RV parks, and Exit Authority, which lists all Interstate Highway exits and nearby services. And, of course, I showed them the two books by Ron and Barb Hoffmeister, Alternative Lifestyles and Movin' On, that combine humor and facts for this lifestyle. They both eyed the rest of the coach, asking questions, and happily jumped up for the tour, noting that there really is a table, partially covered by our makeshift bookshelf, and a stove and oven, which I never use. I mentioned that adequate closet and cupboards are important features, and Van stressed the importance of ample tanks for storing water and waste. After the brief tour, Van took Rick outside for a tour of the basement, including the storage tanks and technical parts, such as the generator and batteries, that keep the RV going. And Snow and I chatted about writing and got more acquainted. She explained that she has a somewhat flexible schedule, but she works long hours with at-risk children, in LA's Inner City area, not leaving her much time for her creative endeavors, which is another reason they are anxious to get on the road. And Rick, too, works with at-risk kids, but he only has to walk four houses from their home. Because they both enjoy working with kids, and they each have talents to offer, such as Rick's music (he plays a guitar) and Snow's arts and crafts, they have considered the possibilities of supplementing their income as camp hosts or counselors at state or national parks, such as Yellowstone. Where it Happens They both had to go their jobs later in the afternoon, so we took pictures in the welcome sunshine to capture the moment, and they transported us through the beach towns of Manhattan Beach, where Millie had lived for many years with her mom and brother and sister. We had actually gone there for two sad occasions, to attend the funerals of her mom and brother, when each died of lymphoma cancer. And we celebrated a happy event there when Millie married Sia. It's hard to tell where one town ends and another begins, as they are mostly apartments and small businesses, but we soon arrived at Hermosa Beach and the exciting opportunity to see the studio apartment where Rick and Snow create their wonderful arts and crafts, as well as the Naked Journey website and the reconstructed Inner Freedom website. The apartments, in these beach cities, are mostly stucco, and close together with very small fenced yards, so all the dogs bark to herald our arrival, as we walk up the steps and Rick opens the door into their world. I know we have arrived as the computer banner extends a friendly greeting: Welcome to The Naked Journey. It may be a small, homey apartment, but it holds the energies of the universe within its walls, and the extended links of their computer. But first, let's tour the rooms, seeming larger with a mirrored closet and a kitchen: hand painted rocks with delicate designs and scenes add a new dimension to the idea of pet rocks. And the gourds, with inspiring words and designs, rattle joyfully when shaken. And then there are the "Gourdian Angels," lovable designs made out of gourds and a must for angel collectors. There are so many creations that you'll have to visit their websites to see them. However, I cannot miss mentioning two unique ones: a large rustic cross made of boards, maybe shingles, with a mask fashioned from Snow's face, but dedicated to River Phoenix, and thus expressing his energies, and a river (The River of Life) flowing from beneath. It brought back my feelings of sadness and grief when this young man died, as a victim of drugs, and I realized that he touched so many lives. Another creation is a broken pot, like a bean pot with two curved handles, that wasn't discarded as useless, but instead became transformed into a lamp and served as an opportunity to create a lovely peek-a-boo scene inside. There is so much more to this charming home, but this glimpse will tweak your imagination and allow you to experience the wonderful world of Naked Journey. Enter through One Door Time was running out, and Rick offered us chairs by the computer, so Snow could take us on a tour of the new improved Inner Freedom website. But first, he presented the Introduction, which they had carefully planned to prepare me for the changes. He said, "You need a door to go into, like entering a Wal-Mart. And from there you can choose whether to go into the tire department, or down the aisle for a notebook or something else. Whatever you choose. But the important part is that you have to go through the door, and then decide what you are going to buy and what section to go to. And the same is true for your website; therefore, we suggest that you have one website name, such as Inner Freedom, which seems to capture the idea of what you are about, and then give browsers the option whether to go to one department, or another. This keeps it simplified and organized." More is Not Better Snow interrupted, "I understand that you want three separate websites, but we suggest that you consider the idea of entering through the one door, so to speak, and then, once inside, they can select which department to go from there." She paused and added, "I've designed this so you can either go with one website, or two, if you really want a separate one for Money Makeovers, since you have a partner in that one." They were both pleasant and considerate in their presentation, so as not to offend or confuse, but simply to prepare me for the tour of my new facility. I'd already been aware that I had too many websites, so I wasn't really adverse to the idea, and I was receptive to seeing what Snow had created, as she carefully explained that she had chosen a very simple, non-offensive pattern for the sake of the presentation, adding that I could change the colors and patterns; emphasizing that this is simply a design, or a layout, much like a template, that I could follow. She explained that her computer is old and slow, and the screen not big enough, as she brought up the Welcome Page, a lovely beach sunset scene, with the words "Welcome to the Website of Joyanna Freeland and Inner Freedom." At the bottom, by the footprints, a button invited "Enter." And that's all. Time Runs Out Snow pressed the button that took us into the main menu: a brownish burlap design, with brown buttons to go to the various aisles or departments, to use Rick's analogy. Each department had its own symbol or logo: the sun for Who is Joyanna? The butterfly for Inner Freedom Ministry and the sundial for the RVing website, plus several others. Although Snow had carefully attempted not to use any invasive or conflicting imagery that I couldn't get past, I was stuck with the brown colors and burlap, which seemed a far-cry from my theme of fluffy clouds, butterflies and rainbow colors. But, I tried to stay with her, as she guided me through the various sections, using the assigned format, colors and symbols for each one. Snow was in the process of explaining that we needed to establish our domain, which would cost $70.00, in order to go forward with the Yahoo Search Engine and other marketing projects, when I became acutely aware that we had run out of time and they still had to return us home and get back to work. My head was spinning and my eyes were blurring; it was not a good situation, nor was it conducive to further input. I was feeling jammed, overloaded and in overwhelm, so, I suggested that I write out the check, and they could take us home. But my eyes were so blurred that I had to ask Van to write the check, and he handed it to Rick. In the meantime, Snow gave me her extra copy of a special writing book, Soul Between the Lines, by Dorothy Randall Gray, someone she personally knew, and she also gave me an angel candle; all part of downsizing their possessions in preparation for their RV lifestyle. In the rush, we forgot to check our e-mail and give them a CD for their travels. And I had no idea where to go from here with the website. But, fortunately, Van seemed to understand what Snow had explained, and she even answered several of our questions, such as how to change the title, on the index, of our webpages. We talked about the option of getting together again the next day, especially to handle the part about establishing our domain, but Snow wasn't sure about her schedule, so we left it that they would call in the morning. Suddenly They Were Gone Suddenly, we were home and they were gone. I felt a sense of loss and grief and incompletion. I still felt spinny, so I laid down on the sofa and watched the planes coming in, trying to collect my thoughts and figure out what was going on with me. Did I like the design? Would it work for me? Now what? I'd built up to this point for so long, thinking that everything would move forward from here, that I felt a terrible sense of letdown. Nothing had really changed, and we didn't know where to go from here. Meeting Rick and Snow was like all the energies from these planes had built up to such a crescendo, and when they stop, there's nothing; it's an absence. A Void. Everything still felt so incomplete. Snow had said that their plans had changed; instead of Alaska, they would be going to Texas, and then New Mexico and Colorado. And we felt certain we would make connections, again, in our travels; and for sure by e-mail, if not the next day. So what was happening to me? I got up and went for a walk on the beach alone, because Van was still feeling weak and wanted to rest. The clouds had come back in and no one else was walking, although a few bikers were zipping by on the bike path. I put on my scarf and stuffed my hands into my pockets, as the wind began to chill the air, and suddenly a runner rushed by me, adding a scare to my already sensitive psyche. I felt so isolated and deserted. And worst of all, I didn't feel my connection with my God-self, so I felt no input of guidance or direction. It was awful. I picked up a few shells along the desolate beach, and when I returned, I called Joyce and reported on the day's meeting, but our voices kept cutting out, despite the fact we had a full signal. This was really getting eerie. Joyce said she had looked at the website, but nothing seemed any different. I tried to explain about the template and that I would need to create my own colors, etc. she agreed that one website "door" might be the best idea. And I also mentioned that we must register the domain, before applying for a search engine, and they might not even accept us. She didn't seem to understand, and said, "It sounds like you didn't get your needs met." I replied, "At this point, I don't know if I did or not." Somehow, I managed to serve something to eat, although Van wasn't feeling hungry. I hate it when he's sick; I feel even more deserted, because he's definitely not there. We both went to bed early and put an end to the day. Something Strange When I awoke, I noticed something strange. The planes sounded different. Instead of coming closer, they were going away. I opened the curtains, and sure enough, they had changed direction. Now, they were already full throttle and high into the air, before they even got to this point. I sat and watched, feeling a sense of sadness; instead of everyone coming here, they were leaving. Snow had said that they had never seen the planes coming into LAX from this direction, and Van had said they should be going out over the ocean, so this had been an unusual phenomenon due to the weather. And now the situation had righted itself, but to me it felt disoriented. I was glad that I had taken the pictures of them coming in, because now they were much further away when they went overhead; and also much louder. I decided to have another open-eyes meditation, but I really couldn't see the planes, as they were too far above the coach when they went by. Instead, I listened as one took off every minute. And I began to understand that the website experience had been something like the airplanes; I'd gotten used to one kind of reality: the planes landing, and then another reality took place: they were leaving. It was a total shift of reality; almost disorienting. The website transition took me through a similar major reality shift, and it would take some adjustment, but nothing I couldn't handle. I also realized that these changes were creating a flashback for my inner child that reminded her of the abandonment syndrome of childhood. This meant that Joanie needed to understand that was then; this is now. I am not being abandoned; and I am not being put into a situation that I can't handle, because I am now an adult, and I have God's guidance and support. I am not alone. Even when it may seem that God isn't there, it's simply because I am learning a new lesson. For instance, for some reason I seem to think that I am not able to do certain things, such as the website, and that I need someone else to fix it. But that is a pattern that I need to give up. In fact, God did guide us through creating the website, and it was okay. But now, with Snow's expertise, we were taking it further. Going Forth Into a New Dimension I called Snow on her cellular phone to see if we would be getting together, but she was already on her way to work, however, she said that the next day would be okay and she said that she would make a list for Van so he could complete her instructions more easily. When I explained to Snow about my overload, she understood, and then I gave her the analogy of the airplanes changing direction relating to the website changes, and she added, "Yes, but now they symbolize going out there, rather than coming in." Something clicked in my mind, as I added, "Right, it's not about staying in the womb forever, but going forth into a new dimension." Our discussion seemed to be an awakening for me, and I felt good, knowing that we would have another meeting, before going our separate ways. It would be a completion. Being More Conscious Thursday morning we returned to Rick and Snow's. This time I took a picture of them at the top of their stairs and another one of the three of us at the computer. And I paused to look at the many rocks, on the balcony and railing, gathered for the purpose of painting her scenes. Some felt like Sedona energies, and I was right. In fact, they were from a mountain where Snow had gone on a four-day-night Visionquest, without food or water, and she said that she had had an incredible spiritual experience. I also noted a heart shaped ivy plant, which she had given to Rick, and a blooming rose bush that he had given her, amongst the meaningful mementos they had gleaned in their travels. I wanted to be more conscious and in the moment, so inside, I looked again at the lamp and noticed that the rocks formed the base for a waterfall, which wasn't turned on, and Snow explained that she hadn't made it, but workers from a former job at Make a Dream Foundation, where she still worked, only in a different position, had given to her. She said that she had realized that her office position didn't feel right to her and she gave a notice to leave, but was offered her choice, if she would stay; she opted to work with the children, and she related the fascinating work she does, which you can read on there website. Establishing Our Domain Snow and I each had lists of what we needed to accomplish, including my e-mail, so got busy. First, she handled our domain registration and printed out the information. This included a new name for the one website: INNERFREEDOM.NET. We also needed a domain statement, which the four of us created by combining some material I'd already written: Inner Freedom from patterns, habits, addictions, poverty, loneliness, illness, boredom and even crime. Let Joyanna Freeland become your tour guide to freedom as she and her husband, Van, travel across the country in their RV. Website offers courses, books, articles, newsletters, pictures and support on your Journey to Freedom -- inner and outer. Establishing Inner Freedom domain became another milestone. And once done, it felt good to have this protection, equal to a copyright. I already felt another reality shift, as my website became more conscious and professional. While Rick searched for staples, he came across several pictures, which caused Snow to comment on his resemblance of John Lennon, and she found several pictures of John for comparison. Amazing. In fact, one picture of the two couples made me think they were look-alikes, because Snow resembled Yoko, at least in that picture, and she said people have commented on the similarities. Yet, in every picture of Snow, of American Indian heritage, she looks different; and so does Rick. You can see pictures on their website. Moving Right Along We didn't want time to run out on us, again, especially since Van and I needed to leave before 2:00 p.m. to avoid another day's rent, and we really wanted to move on. So, the time came when Snow shifted the Inner Freedom files to my computer, and I could feel ownership of the new design/format. And then she showed me how to change each of the colors and graphics; a momentous job, which would take time for me to accomplish. But, at least I would know how, and she assured me that I could call or e-mail, if I got stuck. The most important thing was to make sure Van understood what she was doing, so he could assume the webmaster role, at least to some extent, and he could help with much of the technical maneuvers. I was holding my own, okay, at learning and understanding, but when Rick asked me how the Money Makeover Membership program worked, and I explained, they suggested that using a password would be much simpler and more efficient. They told us how to do it, but I'd reached my limit of input and I hoped that Van understood. In any event, it was time to leave, and this time I felt a completion and ready to move on; much like the children in the Make a Dream Foundation that Snow works with. She had told us that she and Rick had discussed the matter and decided that they would each stay at their jobs another month, so as to give the kids more time to adjust to the new counselors who would replace her. I sensed that this decision would serve much the same purpose as the second meeting with us had accomplished: ease in transition and a completion. I could certainly understand how difficult it would be for the sixty kids to bond with someone else and to give up Snow's loving, supportive energies. The same is true for Rick and the kids he works with. They both bring so much of themselves into what they do, that when they leave it's a tremendous void, much like the silence, after the roar and high energies of the airplanes. I felt the same way, both times we parted. Yet, I know that I take those energies with me; in fact, they are all within all of us, if we tune into them. Sometimes easier said than done. When they returned us to Freedom, I pointed to the airplanes taking off over the ocean and I said to Rick, "Did Snow tell you about the airplanes?" He smiled and said, "Yes, now they are going out." We said our good-byes with hugs, and went our separate ways, yet each taking something of the other with us and feeling thankful for the blessing of having met and forming new friendships. I realize that change is a fact of life, but I find it much easier to handle when I remember that God is the Truth of Life.