A Place That Beckons

I spent most of yesterday away from home with my dog, Bodie, while an inspection took place for the sale of my house. It was apparently also National Cat Lady Day, so first a shout out to Morris, my curious and sometimes cantankerous orange tabby, who has handled all sorts of strangers coming into our home the past month with aplomb. Indeed, it could be said that he aided the buyer’s decision, she being a cat lover herself.

Next, a shout out to all the folks, especially those in small towns and red states across our nation, who peacefully protested a tyrannical contemptible president and his administration yesterday. I was with you in spirit and am proud and hopeful that so many were willing and able to engage during this Easter weekend—most impressively the older women!

For me, this past week was stressful yet ultimately successful, having obtained both a contract on my house and a contract for my ideal adobe house in New Mexico, as well as the aforementioned inspection here in Vegas.

But I’d like to share a bit of serendipity that happened yesterday, an uplifting message for me that I was indeed headed to a place where I was destined to land.

Having had boxes in bulk and other supplies delivered this week right up until Friday evening, I was anxious to get the packing underway (yes, I’m doing all my own packing after swearing the last two times that I wouldn’t), yet knew I couldn’t put the house in disarray before my 9 a.m. inspection on Saturday. But at 7 a.m. I felt compelled to fill at least one small box.

I’d pack up cookbooks and a few miscellaneous kitchen items, I decided. This entailed digging out a small, stored box that contained refrigerator magnets not displayed at this residence, many of them ceramic and therefore breakable.

Over decades I’ve collected magnets from myriad locales, though, unlike my coffee mugs and rubber stamps recently discussed in this blog, I haven’t given my protagonist Rowan Layne of my Other Worldly novels the same collection.

I have so many magnets, in fact, that it would not be surprising that I’d forget about one or two, making it pure magic when a particular treasure was unearthed from that small box. Larger than all the rest at 3.5 inches by 3 inches; a lovely hand painted piece of heart-shaped ceramic.

It definitely made my heart skip and beat and brought a smile to my face to see the words New Mexico, along with mountains and foliage depicting the White Sands area of the Land of Enchantment where I will soon be residing.

Hence, a moment of calm and exhilarating encouragement occurred yesterday after many moments of panic, uncertainty, angst, frustration, and sometimes even despair. Here was this magnet reminding me of a place I visited and loved enough to buy this heart-shaped piece of hand painted art.

Though all of my other magnets are now packed up and ready for the move, this one will remain on my refrigerator for the next few weeks as I pack each box, my back and knees and feet aching, reminding me that it will all be worth it.

Happy Easter everyone. May you all find your own bit of magic this week.