Raven Synchronicity

Last night I started off in the bed in the corner of the motel room, but the mattress felt like the peaks of the Tetons. My hips were the highest point and my head was in the valley while my feet and knees struggled to stay on the narrow ledges. After about 2 hours of discomfort, I climbed into the other bed and had a wonderful night's sleep.

Breakfast was complimentary, and I expected continental style, but it included fruit, cereal, juice, toast, and make-your-own Belgian waffles. One guess what I had!

It was raining as I set out to explore a bit of the town of Jackson Hole, and I visited some interesting shops before I headed out to the Museum of Wildlife Art. This turned out to be the highlight of the day! As I was going in the entrance, a man was shaking a beautiful black feather dry. When I passed him, the feather flew out of his hand and landed in front of me. I picked it up and handed it back to him saying, "Are you trying to fly away?" He smiled and said it was a raven feather. I gushed a bit and asked him to find one for me. He laughed and walked into the museum and tucked the feather into a niche in the wall. It was then I realized that he worked there.

The exhibits in the museum were wonderful! There was a special Georgia O'Keefe exhibit which included some of her lesser known art subjects and techniques. A brief O'Keefe quote referred to the beauty of New Mexico desert and how she considered that a much more valid church than organized religion. The entire museum was inspiring -- one artist whose name escapes me, explained that she often starts a painting vertically, slabbing oils with a palette knife. Then, she switches to working on it horizontally and starts looking for subjects in the texture of the oils. Once she discovers the hidden, she works to bring that forth, allowing the painting to evolve. Her painting in the museum was a gorgeous work of bears and ravens. See how the raven thread is running through my day?

After a delicious lunch at the museum cafeteria, I encountered my "feather friend" again on the way out. I asked him if he had found a feather for me. He said to me that he believed in synchronicity. I allowed that I did as well. I spoke of my interest in Shamanism, and he said that he also believed in the messages we receive from our animal friends. He went on to say that because of our encounter, he felt that I was supposed to have that raven feather and he had been hoping that he would see me when I left the museum. He took the feather out of the niche and gave it to me. Naturally, I started to cry and asked if I could hug him. I did, told him I was Debbie from Pennsylvania, and asked his name -- it was Jay. I walked out of the museum holding my raven feather with tears streaming from my eyes. I was about a mile away from the museum when it occured to me that I had something to give to Jay. I made a u-turn, went back to the museum, and asked the woman at the desk to page him. When he came, I told him that I also wanted to give him a gift. I opened up a box of stones that I had decorated using tissue paper, raffia, gold leaf, and beads. I told him to select one that "spoke" to him. He did and was very touched.

Isn't it amazing how chance encounters touch the soul? I had a beautiful drive over a ridge of the Tetons, and I am now in Driggs, Idaho -- a very small town where almost nothing is open on Sunday. I am just about to head out to see if I can find a bite to eat. Keep posting your comments! I love hearing from you. Hugs to all from Idaho.