In Praise of Corn Silks

It's corn season in New England. The grocers and Farmers' Markets are brimming with burlap sacks full of sweet ripe ear upon ear of this summer cookout, clambake, and picnic favorite. Happily, I've been bringing some home, and in the shucking process, renewing my wonder at the all-essential silk.

Ever since Wellesley College Horticulture class where I learned about the function and purpose of this delicate floss, I've never looked at a corn cob the same. Prior to that enlighten-
ment, these hairy filaments were the messy, nuisance part about getting to the corn. They stuck to the counter, they stuck to the cob--and invariably you end up with at least one stuck in your teeth. I guess I just never stopped to think about it, but even if I had, I doubt I would've guessed that strand by strand, the silks produced the kernels, that each attached to, was responsible for one of its very own. If this occurred with one strand (stamen) and one ovary--or two or three, or even six or eight, that would be cool enough, but we're talking 300 or so kernels per ear here. That is downright amazing, if you ask me. That they plump and sweeten in (usually) perfectly ordered rows, and have been doing so time and again over the ages: well that's a miracle to me.

So here's to the intelligence, the elegance that corn silks are to corn. I am renewed in my amazement of them each time I open a new ear. "They've done it again," I think when I find yet more perfection, order, sweet abundance inside. I feel privy to the act, the force of Creation Itself, right here in my own two hands.

Random Notes on Causation

Each and every aspect of my life's experience is drawn to me by the thoughts I think, by the story I tell about my life--and my feelings about these. Assets or debt, wellness or illness, clarity or confusion, good treatment or bad, safety or danger, happiness or misery are because of the stories that I tell, whether silently or aloud.

"I try to use the Law of Attraction..." said a client to me the other day. "We can't NOT use it," I responded. For good or ill, we are always attracting something and repelling something else by virtue of what we are thinking and not thinking.

Something showing up that you like? Ask, "What was I thinking?!"
Something showing up that you don't like? Ask, "What was I thinking!?"

Abundance charms, manifesting mantras and the like are unnecessary when there is no belief, no thought of "not x" (fill in the x). It's only someone sorely aware of lack who walks around reciting, "I am prospered now," or equivalent. People who are wealthy or beautiful or talented or well loved, say, don't run around telling themselves they are (as if they might forget it): they just be it, and don't give it a moment's thought--except, perhaps, to be grateful.

Like what you see in your midst? Keep thinking and not thinking what you're thinking and not thinking. Don't like what you see in your midst? Stop thinking and not thinking what you're thinking and not thinking. Think something else.

Always has been; ever shall be.

What story are you telling? Love it--or leave it!

A Prayer for the New World

For all the indicators that our world might be "going to hell in a hand basket," there is ample evidence to the contrary--though it may not make front-page news. Right here, right now, it is our privilege to be part of the dawning of an extraordinary New World, for example--to be Ambassadors for that World even, whether by private or public actions.

The Shift of the Ages project is one such public action gathering notice and support. This inspiring confluence of indigenous peoples from numerous countries, joining to raise and transform the individual and collective consciousness for the benefit of our munificent, magnificent Earth and of us all, is a call to Love--straight from heart of Earth Herself, it would seem. I invite you to view Maya Grand Elder Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj's beautiful Ambassador Address--prepare to be moved! And I extend my deep gratitude for all (including you) who are co-creating, bringing heart and soul to this dawning moment by moment, thought by thought: motion by motion, clearing the way for Love.

The Flower in the Heart

Because when writing Kismet and posting my former roommate's photograph of Cleo I had the thought, "I should send this to Julie," a little gem-of-an artwork arrived in my mailbox last week. How is that? Because after a brief web hunt, I found Julie alive and well in Ohio, and I wrote to her. I shared about Cleo, the entry, the photograph, and I reminisced a bit. There was a special sort of sweetness to sharing this with someone who was there at the beginning, who knew Cleo from that day she entered my life. And because Julie is Julie, she received my note well--was delighted by it in fact. We wrote back and forth a few times, did some more reminiscing and a little updating about our respective lives. And the next thing I knew--because Julie is Julie--I was holding this gift in my hand along with the notecard that accompanied it:

Hi, Kathryn-

When I was on your Claritywork website, I found my way to one of your radio interviews. I listened--very interesting. While you and the interviewer talked, I just got inspired to doodle. So I grabbed whatever supplies were around me at home and drew away. Doing this is a great way to relax and really listen, at least for me. I thought, "Hmm, I should send this off to Kathryn..." And so here you are...

Cheers, Julie

Oh, how this warmed my heart! And I marvel at how inspiration moves and moves us to act and we act, create something, and by sharing it, touch another. In heartwarming circles, round and round this goes with no end, if we let it. Sometimes we don't let it. I might not have followed through. Julie might not have sent the package. We might have let our passing thoughts pass and that would of course have been that. But then this colorful, delightful, artful flower of the heart would have missed its chance to bloom.