6.27.2011

Attending PSG for the second year was both familiar and new. When you drive in, the people working the gate are eager to greet "virgins" and have them come ring the bell, signaling to everyone in earshot that some newbies have arrived. I found that welcoming last year, in my usual self-conscious way. But, this year, I was truly welcomed home. Despite the change in venue and the reduced size of the campground, it had the same energy around every corner. Talking with Ella (who *was* the virgin this year), we both had noticed the positive energy that everyone we encountered seemed to give off. We camped in very close quarters, dealt with rain and mud and even the threat of tornadoes. None of that came close to overshadowing the benefit of connecting, really connecting with people who are now family. I'm tearing up a bit writing this but, these words don't go nearly far enough. Coming back to the "real world" this time was even harder than last year. To elaborate, we camped next to a family with adorable triplets, three of the sweetest, most charming kids I've met. Add that to the three adults of the family being true kindred spirits in every sense of the term. Our late night talks and chats over coffee each morning made this PSG for me. I miss these amazing souls. Last year felt like a journey toward understanding myself more, through solitude (often) and that walk with the goddess in the candlelit labyrinth. This year, I walked with her again but found it more supportive and confirming of things I was finding from connecting with others, through externalizing my conflicts and being supported that way and through discussing memorable dreams as well as just sharing laughter, food and time together. I don't have a ready, pithy conclusion about what I've taken away this year and, I think part of that is an internal resistance to letting the experience and connections fade. It's also partly that I'm once more thinking deeply about what I really want and what makes me happy. I can't articulate those thoughts yet. Maybe with some more meditation on them. That's it for now except that I just want to keep feeling that love I felt surrounding me there and send it further afield to you all.