Manifestation

The most amazing thing happened to me in the past two weeks; a new-to-me Honda CRV found her way into my heart.  My dear sweet Idgey is an eighteen and half year old Honda Civic that has been a true companion and care taker for me. I love her dearly and feel like I know everything about her … except how long she plans to remain a functioning part of my life. We have shared over three thousand miles together ~ laughing and crying.

This journey of manifestation began with an email from one of my appraisal clients telling about a REALLY big job that was in the pipeline and wondering how I would bid an enormous job like this.  I ignored the email for a couple of days as I weighed the magnitude of the job, the man-hours it will take to complete versus the fact that I am in the final two months of my Equine Gestalt Coach certification program with many important steps still to accomplish. Could I reasonably accept the assignment? I decided that I could and put together my bid. I know that many folks would say beware of starting a project with Mercury Retrograde but the funny thing is, I was born with Mercury Rx . This particular time frame, while annoying as all get out for many people, often treats me kindly.

After submitting my bid, I drove into Boulder to deliver an appraisal to a fellow who was to write me a check which I intended to take right to his bank and cash. I was feeling pretty good about life. I dropped off Idgey to get her oil changed, an appointment that I had already cancelled twice (remember Rx).  After that I joined another a friend for lunch and told him about my intention to land this big assignment.  He bought me lunch. Yeah !!!

When my friend and I arrived back at Hoshi Motor, I jauntily walked up to the counter and was met by my dear friend, Laurie, who owns the shop. After exchanging pleasantries, I causally said, “When you find a really nice $5,000 CRV let me know, I think I am in the market.”  Now I have no idea where the words came from, they weren’t premeditated as I wasn’t really looking forward to the whole car-buying adventure. I have known Laurie for almost thirty years and we have become good friends as she been the primary care giver to my last three Honda’s. 

A very mysterious/incredulous look appeared on her face. “I have it here.”

“What?”

“I have it here on the lot right now. Let’s go look at it.” All three of us were caught up in the serendipity of the moment. I watched in total amazement as she gathered up a set of car keys and we all three walked back into the sunshine of the early afternoon. And there she sat, four doors, four new tires and totally blue.  Laurie unlocked the door, handed me the keys and said, “Take it out for a test drive and let me know what you think.”

It took a few moments before I realized what was happening here. I looked in and noticed it was stick shift. Yeah! A five speed was on my list of things that I would be looking for in a car. My friend and I climbed in and took Miss Blue for a short drive around town. Sweet. Loved it, she ran quietly and after I got used to her clutch things went smoothly.  After a spin around town, my friend and I walked back into Hoshi, and I told Laurie that I loved the car and really was interested. I did not have the funds to buy a car at the moment, but that I had a strong feeling that would change in the next few months.

And then the next miracle happened. My friend said, “You know what? I really think this is a great car. I think this is your next car. I am willing to write a check for it right now and you have a year, interest free, to pay me back. I have done this before and my money is setting in a savings account right now hardly doing anything. I really want you to have this car.”

I am not making it up. Those were the exact words. I was flabbergasted. I replied that would be great but this all happened so fast that I needed to think about it for a day. I really said that; my head was spinning. I did indeed think about it all night and when I called the next day I gave my friend an out, just in case he had changed his mind. But no, he was not emotional about it; he just wanted to do this for me.  And so I said "Yes". I bought a new car before I knew that I was looking. WOW!

Yesterday driving west looking at the mountains, I asked my new car “What is your name?” 

I tossed a couple of ideas out to the universe and then I noticed a large coyote on the side of the road, so totally into his own adventure that he hardly noticed us.

“Coyote Blue.” The words just came to me; I said them out loud and we were both pleased. Her friends may call her “CB” for short.  She is dark ‘late-evening’ blue ~ kind of a purple-ish blue. Sweet.

Life Lesson: Trust that what you need will come. 

Life is good.

Life is amazing.

Life is manifestation.

WOW.

A Lesson in Time

Just the other day someone made a comment about the fact that I never wear a watch.  “That is remarkable” she said, “how do you make it to all of your appointments on time?”

For one moment I traveled back to a long ago event…

I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday.  I was standing in front of the elevator door watching the numbers light up as it traveled slowly up and then began its descent.  One of my best friends was back in the hospital, her stomach full of cancer.  I was taking time out from a very busy work schedule, and as I waited I was trying to remember every thing I still had to get done that day.  Then, you see, I would know how long I could comfortably spend with her on this particular afternoon. 

My watch band broke.  My watch slipped off my wrist and fell to the vinyl tile floor and laid there beside my foot.  Looking down at it I suddenly felt lost.  I bent down, picked it up and held it in my hand, confused for a moment as to what to do next.   I was embarrassed.  What in the heck was I worried about?  How much time did I have?  Hell, how much time did she have?  What is time?

As I gazed at the broken watch it spoke to me, “This is a gift. Go upstairs and be with her.  Time is of no importance.”  With a deep sigh, I dropped it into my purse as the elevator door opened in front of me.

((written October 5, 2008;  revised April 22, 2011 -  blogged today to prepare to receive my new CRV))

Ode to a Honda

I have been taking my Honda cars to Hoshi Motors for nearly thirty years.  My mechanic has become a dear friend; I have her birthday on my yearly calendar.  February 2009 I was having trouble with my car’s heater and I had them look it over during a routine oil change.  As I stood at the counter they gently explained what a head gasket was, and that Idgey’s was going bad.   I tried to keep up a pleasant banter as I questioned them about what to expect and what did this really mean?  The prognosis was grim, “It could last for two days or another two weeks, but it is going to fail you one day soon. You need to start thinking about a new car.”  I started crying on the road home and I cried for days.

My 1^st Honda was a little light blue station wagon, I have no idea what the vintage was, but it was used when we bought it before my son was born.  Her name was Old Blue.  My 2^nd  Honda was the large square wagon with dark tinted windows; it was blue as well.  It was my office on wheels, had tons of interior space, plus it had high clearance for barreling through the snow.  I always thought of that car as a juvenile delinquent but I loved it.  It was November of 1992 and my family was getting ready to drive to Missouri for Thanksgiving. I took my car to Grease Monkey for a quick oil change the day before we left.  By the time we got to Springfield, Mo the engine was wrecked.  I didn’t know how bad the damage was but I decided to take him to Hoshi as soon as I got home.  We had to add a lot of oil on that return trip.  We found out the engine was blown, but he carried us all the way back to Colorado and delivered us to our doorstep.  I still think of him has Brave Heart. 

I bought Idgey on December 5^th, 1992.  It was the first car I had ever purchased new, 36 miles on the odometer, and Bob talked the dealers into free air conditioning.  She is an opalescent light green, the color of the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes ~ one of my favorite books that they made into an excellent movie.  Idgey was one of the main characters so naming my sporty new car was easy.

To me an automobile is NOT an inanimate object.  Every component of my car is made of metals and plastics ~ which are probably compounds of mixed cellular structures.  She drinks fluids and, on rare occasions, may emit a little gaseous fume.  Even if my theory is weak on facts, my conclusion is the same.  She is my friend; she has a heart and feelings.  She has been there for me in the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health.  She has listened as I sing along to the radio, witnessed my tears and absorbed my anger.  I made up a song for her that I sing every once in awhile.  Every year on my birthday we pretend that it is her birthday as well and we go the car wash and get “the works” inside and out;  I pay extra for a squirt of “new car smell”. 

I can barely imagine life without Idgey.  She takes care of me.  Many years ago, coming across Kansas I-70 on a return trip from my parent’s house, I suddenly felt the power disappear.  In front of me was an off ramp.  Idgey coasted up the ramp, we made a left hand turn over the interstate and finally lost all momentum in front of a pay telephone at a convenience store.  She took care of me ~ there is no other way to describe it.  I called Hoshi, they checked my file and told me what had probably happened and how much it would cost to get it fixed.  When I got back home, I called my insurance agent to ask if I could be reimbursed for the tow truck.  “You didn’t need to pay for that, it is included in your insurance!” he exclaimed.  “It is?” I asked incredulously.  “Nothing ever goes wrong with my car so I didn’t remember that.” 

I have often joked about driving her for 400,000 miles, Hondas have been known to do that and we are well past 300,000 miles now!   Even I know that she is probably no longer safe for long highway trips, but I must tell you that she and I made four trips across Kansas a few years ago as my Fathers health began to fail.  I had other things on mind, to be sure, but I never thought for a second that she wouldn’t get me there and back again. And she did - four times in six months.

It has been more than two years since they told me her time was near.  I keep a very good record of all the antifreeze I add and I religiously watch the heat gauge, it will be one of my first warning signs.  I am still getting over 400 miles per tank of gas and she drives up Boulder Canyon like a trooper.  She is my friend, my ally, my office on wheels.  When her time is really up, I have a phone number of a charity that I can donate her body to, and she will continue to serve as a learning tool for an aspiring young mechanic.  I know that is what she wants.   But for now, I will continue to sing her song for as long as she will listen. 

((written July 6,  2008; revised April 20, 2011 -  blogged today to prepare to receive my new CRV)