El Paso
Vincent and Lesley Dupont christen this MSIA staff trip by arriving in El Paso, Texas. This town, truly at The Pass between Texas and Mexico has a long and sometimes turbulent history. One can almost see the banderos, senoritas, cowboys, and some Indians too, coming from or going down into Mexico. Mary Ellen Agolia and Susan Shyne, the co-MSIA reps of El Paso and southern New Mexico, are on hand to greet Vincent and Lesley. Their smiles are as brilliant and warm as the sun is there. They’ve caringly arranged everything to a tee. Loving friends from Chihuahua, Juarez, El Paso, Alamogordo and other points north, south, east and west touch in for MSIA Services, and there’s even a sweet baby blessing to crown the visit. But before Vincent and Lesley can get too acclimated, they’re on their way to rendezvous with Roger Wakefield and Angel who themselves are winging their way to Denver.

Boulder
As fun would have it, Deborah Martinez, the Boulder DSS facilitator, Ezra Mack – our friendly volunteer roadie, and Richard Powell – our friendly groupie, also join Roger and I for our Southwest airline flight to Denver. Seems like a micro-mini-PAT 4 to me as we meet up at the check-in desk, grab a Starbucks and some snacks, and then board the plane. True to form, as the plane takes off, we zonk out for at least half of the flight! Once we all arrive in Denver and collect all the luggage everyone seems to be off and running in different directions. But all roads lead to Rome (OK, Boulder in this case) and soon each of us is settling into our own hotel rooms getting ready for the Services and events that will take place this weekend. Dan and Kate Kendrick, our Colorado MSIA Reps, who are also participating in the DSS class, have laid the groundwork logistics beautifully. Jack Henderson is our trusty Services coordinator–a challenging job that takes a combination of utter diplomacy and Ninja-like precision with tons of high altitude in attitude to orchestrate the scheduling of all the last minute changes and requests.

The next day, as John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young wing their way towards Boulder, Roger and Ezra start setting up the audio/video for the weekend and Lesley, Vincent and I head to Lewis and Susan Guthrie’s who’ve opened their tasteful and cozy home for Services. Deborah Martinez is there to do Services in the morning. Bruce Rosenfeld is on hand to keep going with his balancer training. It’s a merry and blissfilled three ring circus capped each night with a special event. John’s sharing crowns the nine months work of this DSS class. The following evening the Q&A is expanded to include all the Discourse subscribers. One topic in the sharing is on empathy, the fifth law of Spirit. I feel my heart move to a depth of greater understanding as John reminds us how all of us are embraced in the Spirit. All! The next evening is the whip cream and cherry-on-top of this visit…a dinner and Q&A fundraiser hosted by Roberta and Bertrand Babinet. They are not only the hosts but also the chefs magnifiques! And if you’ve ever had the chance to taste of Roberta and Bertrand’s gourmet creations you know what a treat this is for all attending….bettered only by the intimate and thorough sharing that John did with each and every participant!

As we drive away, the next morning, from Boulder, we look in our rear-view mirrors catching a farewell view of the snow-capped majestic mountains glistening in the sun. WOW! We get to practice detachment once again as we let go of these moments of beauty and grace and open to receive of the next gift the Traveler has awaiting us in Austin, our next stop.

Austin
I love this city! Brings out the cowgirl in me!
Fellow cowgirls and co-Austin MSIA Reps, Candy Spitzer and Carol Beau, have paved the way for us. Candy and Kate Ferrick, who’s arriving today, will also be joining us in learning capacity as they continue in their balancer-in-training mode. Of course, our first stop is the Whole Foods flagship store here in Austin…Just walking through this store is a treat of a field trip for provisions and goodies. Once we arrive at the hotel Carol Beau makes sure that we get our schedules, water and Services supplies so that all is in readiness for our work there. We take advantage of this free night –each in our own way- catching up on emails and a little rest. We’re sooo grateful to have this slight breather.

Then it’s onward and upward as our crew goes into full steam. Once again Ezra jumps in to assist Roger in set up for the two events. Carol Beau orchestrates the Services as Candy manages the big picture. We meet up that evening with John and Leigh for an open Finding Peace in Your Everday Life workshop. And surprise, we also see our dear friends…Marsha Scott, Henry De La O and a vacationing staff person, Linda Searle, who are on hand to assist. Before the formal part of the evening starts John does a baby blessing for Hesperia and Mark Blackburn’s newest addition, Lili. She’s precious and sets up the peace of the evening. Then Carol Barger, our masterful MC, begins the evening bringing up John and Leigh, who lead us through the Peace process, into seeing how we can bring ourselves first into the peace that is always present for us.

The next night our peace expand even more with another discourse subscriber Q& A with John. As part of the program Marsha Scott brings in a humorous look at ourselves and Texan personalities through the eyes of her “Tex Critter” and Robert McCreight brings a tender touch with his presentation of a “Blank Slate” that open the hearts and create a warm space for the Traveler to work with us more deeply. I know I am touched throughout this Q&A and taken away as my head keeps bobbing and I give over to that velvety cloak that seems to come down around us. With “Baruch Bashan” we snap to attention, give great thanks to John and hugs to all our friends who have gathered and assisted us throughout our stay here in Austin. Then it’s packing up the equipment as we’ll be on our way tomorrow morning for higher altitudes and our friends in northern New Mexico.

Santa Fe
What is a staff trip without a little adventure and excitement thrown in?! Today is no exception. We arrive at our Southwest ticket desk to find out first that our flight is delayed…no worries. This gives us more time to scout around for some snacks and catch up on the latest “who’s doing what” in the celeb magazines. (OK, that’s what I do. Vincent is far more diligent and already downloading any emails that may have come in during the past hour that we drove from Santa Fe to Albuquerque). Well, time passes, and we come to find out that there won’t be a plane coming at all! Southwest is scrambling to get us into Santa Fe sometime “tonight”! Oh boy, now the fun really begins. Finally seats for six of us travelling, as we now have along with us Kate Ferrick who is continuing her balancer-in-training training, are secured. Candy has gone on a different flight–lucky girl! Good news! we will get to Albuquerque by 9pm, bad news we have a long lay-over in Las Vegas. Oiy! the joys of travel! We move into a higher (more or less) state of cooperation and soon are on our way to Las Vegas. One-arm bandits with all sorts of jing-a-ling sounds and airport cacophony greet us as we disembark. By now we are good and hungry. Though Southwest air is fun, peanuts and cheese bits just don’t quite give us the nourishment we’d like. So we fan out to forage. I grab a hamburger and fries…hits the spot…who’s counting calories or fat grams at this point?! I enjoy spending a few of my own little dollars on Las Vegas’ cherished past-time, the slot machines. Ah, I’ve learned, quit when I win. Now this is the ultimate for me in detachment as the ding-ding-dings are so alluring. Still I come out 75 cents behind after all is lost and won–not bad for pure entertainment. Cost less than the water I’m drinking! And before I can get captured and locked into another ding ding quarter bandit, our flight to Albuquerque is called. Of course, we make sure a few Light columns are placed–for the highest good–here before boarding.

Then it’s up and away and back down again in Albuquerque soon to be greeted by our ol’ towering (way over six feet) buddy, Dennis Kelly. Dennis is all smiles and hugs with his deep sonorous voice. While we collect luggage and rental cars, he starts off with fair Lesley to blaze a trail to Whole Foods and make sure it stays open for us to get some nutritional snacks and water. We catch up soon after, and soon with happy tummies, we hug Dennis adieu for the evening and trek away to the 8000 feet heights of Santa Fe. While we drive I look up into the vast spread of sky and stars! Unbelievably gorgeous! And nippy too! Yep, we’re going into the high desert and boy, does it cool off at night. Going to Santa Fe is being transported again –to the land of pueblos and high mesas, pottery, pastel colors. John and Leigh who took an earlier flight have checked in. We’re happy to get to our hotel and go to sleep, for tomorrow is full on with Services and evening workshop.

Morning breaks and we’re up and rolling again. Marsha Winborn, our Santa Fe MSIA Rep, is all smiles. She along with Marion, Ruth, and some other lovely ladies, are hosting us and Services while Roger and faithful Ezra take off to start audio/video set up. Both of our days here fly by with hugs, loving, standing by as Spirit does the work in the Services. The first night’s event is the Finding Peace in Your Everyday Life workshop. it’s fun seeing some of the variations that John and Leigh bring this evening. We say “Hi” to our friends from all over New Mexico, some from as far as El Paso, some from Austin, who are following along on this tour. With humor and sweetness our MC, Christine Valentini, welcomes the group. Again we look at how we can “cease any againstness” we may have towards ourselves, others or any situation or circumstance as a big key to creating and finding the peace within.

The next night we have closed Q&A with John. To warm the space for the Traveler to be with us Cecilia Bromley shares some beautiful words from her original poems. Then John takes us through a magical mystery tour as he responds to the questions brought to him. Ah, it’s so rich in blessings of the answers that also come within as we listen. Afterwards there’s a merry pack-up party as all sorts of hands make the pack up truly “light” work. In between coiling and sorting cables, we visit with our helpmates and grab a few bites of goodies to keep our energy going. Marsha Winborn and Kathleen Beneke are some of the champion assistants that stay to the end, and we’re so grateful to them and to all who helped us throughout our stay there. Oh my goodness, bed feels good tonight; we’ll pack in the morning, for again we will be on our way –to Phoenix.

Phoenix
Now it’s been awhile since most of our little traveling band have been to Phoenix, particularly the Traveler…at least in the flesh. So as our plane lands and we take in this rather new landscape we re-acquaint ourselves with this part of Arizona. For me what stands out as we drive to the hotel is the shimmering heat, the rock formations and the cactus. These cacti are straight out of old western movies and I’m fascinated. Our hotel is actually more of a complex with swimming pool with falls on one end and buildings of rooms that go up and down several hillsides. It takes awhile for us to get our bearings as we realize how spread out we are from each other. Still it’s novel and we get into it. This evening we’ve been invited by an old friend to have a tex-mex casual/ watch the Lakers/Celtics game dinner….again it’s nice to have a put-our-feet-up kind of night and some home –really goood home cooking.

The next morning has us puzzling over how to get the right balancee to the right balancer (not to mention all of the balancers-in-training–we’ve picked up one more-Elizabeth Frumin) for Services. We finally get how to do it…we’ll get them carted up and down the high/by-ways of this complex on the special carts. Olga Elena Villegas, our hostess with the most-ess, has stepped in for Joan Clingan and Frank Cardamone, the Phoenix MSIA reps, to coordinate the Services. Frankie and Joanie had to go back East just when this visit was confirmed. We miss them, but are glad they held the Light for their community to have this visit. Roger and Ezra start set up for tonight’s Ministers and Initiates Q&A ably and enthusiastically assisted by Dave Wright. Dave is on hand to be a go-for in every way for all of us, and we’re so grateful for his willingness too! The day zooms by–all the balancers did get to the correct balancer!

Dave Wright, our man of many talents, steps up as the M.C. sharing his special story as a welcoming for John. Then John begins the Ministers/Initiates Q&A that becomes an amazing “A” for answer to all the questions that kept coming to our heads. He continues on for an hour and forty minutes in this form until we’re filled to overflowing. With his Baruch Bashan the cap and the final blessing on this trip is placed and our last pack up begins. More hugs and loving from these new/old sweet friends and MSIA family, and then after, what seems like the fastest pack-up ever, we’re back to our rooms, once again putting clothes into our suitcases to prepare for our journey back to Los Angeles tomorrow.

Roger and Ezra at quite literally the crack of dawn climb into the van and start driving the equipment back to L.A. I have breakfast with the balancers in training and laugh a lot over the learnings and growings along this trip. Then Vincent, Lesley and I do a few more Services before packing ourselves up and heading to the airport. It’s grace and ease all the way from there back to Los Angeles, as truly it has been, when we just let go and went with it, every step of the way. John and Leigh followed later. We are grateful to have been asked to visit once again the Southwest MSIA family and we send our heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave of their time, energy, loving and caring along the way. You are the fiber, and God/Spirit and the Traveler are what forge the fiber into a wondrous net that holds us safe and sound. Light to each of you too and thanks for holding us in the Light and love of your Spiritual Hearts. Now it is time to relax, enjoy and revel in the Health, Wealth and Happiness cascading over and through us during the coming Conference and the rest of this year.
Til we meet again!