have pins will travel

Taking a break from an incomprehensible packing job to chatter at you. How do you pack lightly when going to a place where the weather may as likely be 85/sunny or 55/thunderstorms! Whew, you can see why I would rather type....

I am heading home (Maine) for my mom's 65th+1/2 B-day. Her birthday was in January and I was knee-deep in creating Communichi so she graciously let us postpone the festivities 6months till now.
So in this my first blog..... I'm contemplating all the ways that I am her daughter. How she has informed my choices to become a part of this movement. How she raised me to understand community and responsibility. My mom has been at the forefront of a lot of radical healthcare reform for most of her life. She was an early member of the AMHA (american holistic health association), the first to practice biofeedback in Maine (teach people how to regulate and balance their own bodies! crazy man!) did her Master's on the benefit of animals in healing (has two trained therapy dogs even now)back in the late 60's and joined the nurses stikes in Boston back when they were illegal and unheard of. These larger bookmarks aren't as significant to me as the little things. I had actually forgotten about her involvement in similiar movements till the day I was enthusing about WCA and wanting to create its likeness in Seattle. She grinned and began talking about her younger days in Boston, working to bring mental health care directly into communities and families during the Kennedy era.
I think that what she has taught me about my place and responsibility in a community comes from the little things she was always doing. How she would run over and bring a hot dish to the elderly neighbor on her way to work, make time for the troubled teen down the road who needed a grown-up ear to talk to. Actually that one pissed me off 'cause he used to pick on me all the time and I didn't get why she was nice to this kid just cause his dad put his fist through the wall. But I digress. She has a straightforward kindness and generocity to her that can't be faked and that people respond to. My mom isn't someone who will know which fork to use or what wine goes with what, and she doesn't judge others by such standards either. She's one of those folks that can't program a vcr, so when the last election campaign came around and she was volunteering-She didn't touch the computer,but those techy types squirelled away in the office had the best homemade snacks she could make, and every shut-in in Auburn, Me. had a ride to the voting booth on election day. That's the key, I think. Instead of looking around and seeing what the big buzz is. What's the cool, hip 'cause of the week, get your name in lights, thing to do is. Me mum, looks around and see's what actually needs doing that she can handle and quietly does it. I heard a spiritual teacher say once that one of the most spiritual acts one can do is to change the toilet paper roll in the bathroom. Its doing whats in front of you, making the place better for who comes after you, being in the present....
So, Happy Birthday Mom. Thanks
on my way../
now, back to packing...