Sorry this is early. I am going to try to go to bed early and like to have these up for those ahead in time.:-)

Last weekend, Rog and I cleaned out my car. It was a mess. Under my dashboard, jutting out from the instrument panel is a little ledge (it's a Subaru, for those of you who know them, you'll know what I mean). On that ledge, I have small stones of rose quartz, carnelian, and smokey quartz. Immediately in front of the stones, I had a braid of sweetgrass which I had bought at a Powwow several years ago.

Two years ago, while getting ready to go to a friend's funeral, I drove home to quickly get something. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw a pheasant feather sticking straight up in my grass, being blown about by what had been an all-day fairly stiff wind.

The friend was part Native American and Pagan and we shared a lot of the same spiritual beliefs and practises. We had only had one or two really indepth conversations,the kind where you bare your soul, usually through the impetus of some crisis. I had not felt particularly close to her, until she did that one day over tea in my kitchen. Her death was unexpected. She'd been recovering well from cancer and one day while alone at home had a severe ashma attack and died on the way to the hospital in the ambulance. Her time to go.

I took the feather as a sign from her spirit to me. She had many, many feathers found and given, in her house, esp. on her altar. Plucking it from the grass I tucked it into the tied end of the sweetgrass, so they both lay supine, in front of the stones; a sort of travelling altar for protection, focus, and remembrance.

So, last Saturday, whilst cleaning my dashboard, I took the sweetgrass out. It was old, dried and brittle, still faintly tinged with that wonderfully clean scent it gives off. I carried it and the feather into the house; placed the feather in a wall sconce with some others and burnt part of the sweetgrass in a small ritual of letting go and cleansing. Didn't knwo why I was prompted to do this. The thought was just there. I acted upon it.

The next day, a mutual friend called. In the course of our talking, she mentioned that *Cookie* had died two years ago this last weekend. I knew it was in the fall, but had not paid any atention to the date. It was then, I gave thanks to the Great Spirit for the guidance I believe I received in letting go and moving on, by removing the sweetgrass and *retiring* the feather. It seemed such a simple, yet very poignant and fitting way to be reminded of her; a gentle reminder for the GS that she left then and it was time to let go, also, of those mementos I carried.

I do give thanks for the simple little inspirations such as this, for when counted and appreciated, they add up and strengthen one's faith in themelves and whatever higher power they may believe in.

Thanks for listening.

katlaughing