Word of the Day

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication- Leonardo Da Vinci

I thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
for a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes.

(I who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings
1894-1962

A few years ago when I was in eighth grade, my teacher had us memorize this verse (above) by e.e. Cummings. It was one of my favorites. Every morning we would walk into class and settle in. After a few minutes of rambling with friends I would find myself at my desk. My class would try to start all at once without a que, just from feeling out when it was right to start together.

I just woke up from a nap after spending the night last night at my kindergarten teacher/life teacher's house. Her property is amazing, full of life and relaxation. Her house is defiantly a home away from home for  me. Uma, her daughter has been a shining light in darkness, and she can always sense when I need light in my life. She is a goddess beyond measure. My heart goes out to them <3. 

A day of rebirth this is. RE-vitalizing where we are lacking. RE-energising. 

I've been in the process of getting my license, I guess for my whole life in a sense, but really the past couple of months. I've been wondering what it's going to feel like to have control of such power. To drive a car is pretty big to me. It's a large responsibility. I would often ask myself where there will be self growth for me when I get my license. I've always thought there was some threshold that one crosses when learning how to drive; with age and your perspective. Now after spending time with my family and my close friends, I have seen in prominent places where I am shedding layers of past habits and past fears. I can see where I am growing into new desires and new goals. I can see it in the mirror, in my dreams, in all of the relationships that I cherish more deeply, and all of the things that I look at in a new way.

"It was like hearing a piece of fabric woven with all the colors of the rainbow"- Anonymous

Songs and Scribbles

It's all a bit unbelievable as I learn to believe.

It's interesting how I react to my experiences. I'll notice my reaction and see how it affects me, how I affect it. Sometimes I react before I even begin the experience; then I remind myself later that I shouldn't make assumptions. I shouldn't create these alternative realities inside my head to be let down or shocked when I am truly in the moment of experiencing whatever it was I looking forward to. When it has all sunken in and passed I bring it back into my thoughts and my reality. I warp the experience in which I know the truth of, but resist it and tell myself lies. I begin to realize that the moment is the only time we have control over. This moment now is the only time I will ever be able to act in. This moment now is the only time I can pursue my thoughts and change my reality; not into something that i've imagined from the past but a creation of myself in the moment.

A couple of weeks ago, before school got out for winter break, My friend/sister Jamie had an timeshare in Tahoe. There was one day left and the room wasn't being used, so we got some friends together (Jamie, my sister Ruby, another good friend Harly). We packed our stuff into the car anything we might possibly need in one days time in Tahoe. We each brought our sharing items (snacks trinkets crafts etc). Boots for hiking, bathing suits for the pool, and the hundreds of great jam songs.

On our way up under the starry night sky, through the snowy mountains as we were all singing along, we collectively contributed to the idea, and fact, that we need to start a band.  Ruby nominated herself to invent instruments that require no musical talent whatsoever. Harly- guitar and hula hoop dancer. Jamie- singer. and I would play whatever instrument I could learn by watching a tutorial video. After no songs were produced I decided to write some originals, I still haven't found a tune of music to sing them in but I have words.

Come to me crying, come to me flying 

Come to me up come to me down 

I'll listen to your smile and I'll hear you frown

Together we can swim against the current

that is constantly making us drown

We'll watch the trees turn from green to brown

Close your eyes and send yourself away. 

Send yourself far away, back to today

Let's feed the beasts then slay them all away

I'll find my king in the tower waiting with flowers

Till I breathe no more I'll be here and happy

Not a single thing will roll me over 

My track is now clear, I can take these steps. 

Leading to where I do not know yet

Together we will all walk and grow. 

The moon is bright the blood is thick

We're only so tough until we notice our clock tick

Tick tok tick tok until we fall like rocks

Until I burn like ice and freeze like fire I'll be so happy full of love and desire

My flames will run in and out of creases 

I am the only one who can say when it ceases 

Drown me in your happiness

Wrap me in your love

I am the wind, the soft white dove

Row me in your boat 

living protected by my castle mote

Pick up your binoculars and look across the lake 

I spy a little fish in the bottom of the sea. 

It's yellow and blue with eyes that look like drops of dew

On the bank of the water there's a little paddle boat 

Take it across and find my mote 

Leave my a message a letter or note

Tell me your fine, oh how you sparkle in my mind. 

You are mine

You one of kind. 

Outside Inspirations

Such a wise convoluted twist of sounds which you type with waves of your hands into rounds. They rhyme and sink deep into the mind to be realized and perfected time after time. This inspiration of shapes and analogies. Our minds are already shaped before we have the time to think with ease. We are made into ourselves before we know it. There is no manual, no instructions or first aid kit for the bruises our hearts will bare from the rocks our memory throws back from the past. I only hope for the god memories to last.

The Last Moments of Spain

The train ride away from my summer trip to Europe was one of the most depressing times of my life. 
My friends in 8th grade used to tell me how great high school was going to be. How we'll start over and make new friends. But really we were just changing schools.... If you want a clean slate, go to another country for 6 weeks. You can tell whatever story you want. You can be from anywhere you want. You can be anyone. But then I had to ask myself who I wanted to be. How I wanted to be seen. I chose to be in the moment. In a positive and a confident mind. Beside my sister I felt as safe as a baby holding it's mothers hand. Yet I was countries away from my mother and 9 hours ahead. The people that I met and places I went won't amount to anything else. Every moment was so unique and rewarding. In Germany I saw the most efficient living. A safe place. The most beautiful country I've ever been to. It looked like I was seeing the hills through an enhancing camera filter. The health of the land blew my mind. I melted into it, though I couldn't understand a single word anyone said. But most everyone spoke little English and it was not an issue anywhere to find help. The sun the moon and the stars there were stunning. The universe was different from that side of the earth. The air that passed through my lungs in Germany was like a fog of life force. I felt better I felt like I was a part of the earth that grew beneath my toes. There was no asphalt blacktops that covered towns. Cobblestone maybe, but it wasn't the same. People were responsible for themselves even the children. I saw 4 year olds out in town alone on their bikes. From birth the children learn to fend for themselves. They're taught how their own actions effect themselves and others. 

Awareness was a virtue that everyone I met had. The woman that hosted us (my grandmother in law) said that it was her home away from home. For me I couldn't relate to her, but I had grown a strong connection in just 6 weeks. The feeling that I found instead was almost just the opposite. I had the feeling of no home away from home. My home was a resting place, to rest before the next journey. I felt that away from home I could lose myself in culture and language that I could only understand with my eyes and my emotions. 

Meandering through the streets of Cadiz and getting lost through the cobble stone roads, was a high. When we left Cadiz, it was after the market, and we had ran to the hostel to grab our things in time to catch the train. It took us 2 minutes to run in, drop off our keys, and run out; on our way to the station. I was going through things in my head that I might have forgotten but I knew I had everything. It was all there on my back. Everything I needed to survive. I didn't need to go home and grab anything, because then, I didn't have a home, the street I was walking on was my home, the backpack on my back was my life. We picked up some necessities from the store: nail clippers, food, and soap, other than that everything I needed was in a backpack on my back. My sister Ruby walked beside me with the carry on bag (her little backpack and my camel back with the water). 
Everywhere we went we would bring containers and save any food we didn't eat. Restaurants in Europe didn't have to go boxes. It wasn't a natural occurrence to waste things.

I didn't have an expectation for the trip. I had life changing experiences everyday. Yoga practice everyday. Sending love to my friends and family many times a day. 

My ability to feel gratitude expanded. For those who raised me, for those I have learned from, and those who have given me opportunities, like going to Europe for example. All of the people in my community have contributed to my thoughts and my thought processes. Having watched others experiences and hear about them has given me the chance to take my own experience from it. I had a chance to put my own first hand experiences in my book. Being 15 years old and traveling to Europe and out of the states for the first time some may say it's early, or wow you're so young. But my whole life I've seen things from the bottom, looking up, trying to see things through everyone that was above me. 
Now I can look down at my niece go through stages of her terrible tantrums, and becoming harder to handle than I could ever imagine. Katelyn (my older sister) has my utmost respect. She is inspiring and I know I will only continue to connect deeper with her. Ruby and I had a conversation in Chicago before boarding our international flight to Spain, suggested by my mother when saying goodbye in San Francisco CA. Getting to know my sister even more gave me a chance to see how I have influenced her and even how she has influenced me in ways I have never known. It was perfect timing before spending nearly 7 weeks straight with her. Now we are on our way back starting the journey home. Beginning the 4 days of continuous travel back to Auburn California. 

Not being able to understand the language spoken around me has given me a chance to understand my own language. The language I speak to myself. The language I speak to the universe; and the words I say without opening my mouth. Speaking to myself about my manifestations. About what I'm learning from my past. And then maybe attempting to share those stories with someone I already share trust with. 

Being thousands of miles away from my loved ones might have made me miss them, but there was always Skype, FaceTime, or some means of communication that put them just inches away from my face. 
I thought about what I miss most about everyone back home. What they might miss about me. Maybe something I did that makes them smile or cry. I thought about things that I do that make me cry, or smile. I was thinking how could do more of the things that make others and myself happy. It comes down to doing what I feel is right in the moment, and following my instinct. People have to have a strong instinct while traveling on trains, especially when the announcements are in a different language. There were points where Ruby and I got off a train and got back on again. Or had planned to stay two nights in Seville, and after getting there and looking around we decided to get back on the train. We ran through the doors seconds before they closed. We boarded the same train as a family who was getting picked up and driving past our destination. We ended up hitching a ride and conversing with what little Spanish we knew. It turned out that the people we got a ride from knew our hosts. It's a small world. 

While traveling I got the feeling and the outcome of holding positive intentions in my mind, being confident in my actions, and being in the right place at the right time; because if it wasn't for that ride we would have waited a while perhaps a day to get back. Going with whatever comes up unexpected, and being able to accept it and not hold too many intentions is crucial when traveling, I've learned. 

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this trip!

Move Like Water

JANUARY 19TH 2015

This morning I woke up excited to take my Driver's Ed permit test --- only to find out that it was Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday. I got really aggravated and frustrated. After having time to think about how I reacted I realized how entitled and rushed I felt, needing to step back a minute and slow down; to be grateful about opportunities and advancements in life. Every birth of every moment is precious. Happy Birthday Martin Luther.

I am grateful for my quaint moments of reflection & gratitude. Opening myself to receiving on all levels has been interesting. I am seeing where I have resistance to things I don't have control over, and waiting to see how I can learn and better handle myself and my triggers. I hope I can get to the point of reflecting in the moment, instead of waiting to look BACK on things I would have done differently. I'll look for my roots, and nourish those that I want to thrive with and release that which is in favor of judgement and negative comparisons.

~~~Be fertile with your words, actions and outcomes~~~

After arriving home again from the DMV with a rather jostled temper, I began to pack the car, preparing for the departure to Ashland Oregon. My family and I stopped at a little health food store on the way up and got some delicious lunch. With our lunch uneaten, we drove to the Shasta Spring, filled up a water jug for the week, and had a picnic in the sun. The air was crisp and and cold. I love the cold here. Every breath I take is a cleanse. The shasta water was so cold and fresh.

Collin, one man who works at the super shop (the Bright Earth Foods Warehouse in Ashland), said the water that emerges from the spring takes 50 years to bring itself down the mountain and filter through the rocks and sand to be brought up renewed, bringing itself to the surface of the earth once again. Our first night in Ashland we went to the Dragon Tea House, and Collin poured pu'erh tea for my family and I. Ruby my mom and I scaled each and every tea pot on the shelf, sensing which one spoke to us and attracted us to it's shape and size. The conversations that were shared amongst Collin, my family and I were refreshing and inspiring. I was in great need of a collaboration of words that could feed and sustain itself bringing smiles to it's sources. I'm looking forward to seeing the workers at the Bright Earth Foods shop again. It's been a few years since I last saw them. Being in new places brings new things for me; new smiles and creations. Ashland is such a sweet, small, funky, creative place to be. I am happy to see what this next week will bring!

Introduction

Hello any and everyone who has found themselves looking at this blog. I am grateful I can incorporate writing and sharing my experiences into my education and curriculum of homeschooling. My name is Stella Beauchamp. I currently live in a two bedroom apartment in Auburn CA. with my sister Mom and Dad. We all moved downstairs when my sister Ruby and I came back from Spain in the summer of 2014. Now we rent out the main house. My oldest sister Katelyn lives in Germany with her 2 precious children and her wonderful husband Lindon. My brother Pierre is living in a dormitory in Spokane Washington, and attending Gonzaga University.
If there was a categorizing technique for blogging I would jump on it (being a bit OCD about organization) but arranging my entries from date will have to suffice.

I plan on writing about past adventures, as I have been wanting to create a blog for a couple of years. I will write the date of my posts according to there occurrences.

I hope I can create an enjoyable conjunction of words to read, new perspectives, and hopefully some intriguing ideas.