With Gratitude, Dillon Let us GO!
This blog has been manifesting for quite sometime, the emotions to be expressed are so eminently raw. I have been drafting the post for months and I finally came to realization that it will never be perfectly expressed, so I might as well let it go... hmm the message of the entire post. Other posts have been fighting for their appearance, yet something kept holding me back, so here it is the long awaited message, with it a release! Now I can keep writing and sharing our story.
It’s what I preach, “May you let it go!” With hope, I desire
in my teachings of yoga to guide the soul thru a transformation of
physically, mentally, and emotionally letting go. When teaching, I mindfully
sculpt my words for others, to draw insights into a posture embracing openness, to allow
space for vulnerability, to create awareness of the moment, to give way and honor
weakness, and to meaningfully release. No matter how big or small the change, I
strive for it to be an evolution, to exude a connection greater than within the
individual themselves, beyond the mat and fellow yogis, impacting the greater
good for our entire being. There may even be an echo in some’s ears (my
husband’s) of my voice saying “May you let it go,” but have I over used this
phrase with others in my defense of not letting go myself? It is not the
easiest of things to do, letting go, but sometimes a fresh start is exactly
what is called. On May 1st, 2015 a community gathered, created an
energy, and upheld a sanctuary, filled our family with endless gratitude and provided
a space to gracefully let us go.
Let’s briefly jump back to March 2015 a time when a
community started forming a stronger bond. Individuals living in this small rural
area created a conversation about a family, and spoke openly about the spark
that lit their fire, Archer. Thoughts and prayers had been out floating around
for some time now, and the amount of love being expressed for this little boy suddenly burst
and turned into action! Citizens of the community became civically engaged for
a greater good. Standing tall in the face of Archer. They shed their love, and
made a decision to belong, to join hands and rally together for one single
little boy’s journey. The call for action was out, and the date was set, May 1,
2015.
Let me shine light upon my favorite board game as a child,
yes actual pressed cardboard and game pieces that you physically had to move,
the act of communally sitting, taking turns, and shouting in unison “Let our
powers combine” “Go Planet!” Captain Planet, taught strong moral values,
especially with the inclusion of Heart as the fifth acting element (representing
love and communication, enabling the act of empathy). Dillon, MT is a community
of Planeteers… Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Heart.
On that first day of May 2015. We were grounded, our feet
were standing tall upon the earth, and mountains were moving. Being Dillon, the
wind was gently kissing our faces most of the day, but miraculously, by evening
had settled. Archer, our endlessly burning flame, arrived and lit the fire
inside everyone’s heart. It was a party of heart and soul, one that so
intensely held appreciation, you could feel the uplifting energy. Gratitude was
intrinsically shared. All that came that night had the intention of arriving to
give, to show kindness. This event created much more than giving of funds, it
created a space inside each and every one of us. In this space we shed light upon
the moment, we opened our hearts and became vulnerable to the expression of
just how far gratitude could reach. The evening wrapped up with not rain
pouring from the skies, but droplets of salty water rolling down the cheeks of
so many supporters. In return that night, people received the gift of a full
soul. We were saturated in a community that “let our powers combine!”
The event was titled ‘Archer’s Journey’ it wasn’t the
beginning of his journey, more of a launching party to strengthen our souls, so
we could successfully continue on the journey into finding movement and vision
for our little boy. The gratification of the event reached beyond the meaning
of Archer. It became a space where people came to give their appreciation for
our involvement within OUR community. No one wanted to say it, but deep down
could see it on the horizon, soon we would face our departure from this place
of nurturing. That night the community of Dillon created the space and Let us
GO. I will forever be grateful for all that I received from this soulful
community. It was the combined support of all… your efforts of showing that you
believed in me. I consider myself lucky to have called Dillon home for the last
10 years, it is from this community that I grew the strength inside of me to
achieve my dreams and live in the moment. It was your dedication of actively
participating in kissing the earth with your footprints! I planted seeds for my
roots to grow, little did I know I was cultivating the skills I needed to be,
not a typical mom, but one that creates a special path for my son to find his
own way in life, follow his own timeline and teach him that we stand tall by
his side and not in front of him, nor behind. Archer sealed the connection of
our own family, we are the ABC Sparks’ and will forever call the community of Dillon,
HOME. You all believe in us!
So, where has our journey lead us in the last 6 months? Our
eagerness to educate ourselves about Archer took us in many different
directions. We first made a road trip to Nebraska to visit family and attend
the 3rd annual CVI (Cortical Visual Impairment) conference, held in
Omaha, NE. We have ambitions of returning next summer, and I will be the
opening speaker in 2017! Our second big trip, Archer’s 1st plane
ride, took us out to Vancouver, WA to attend a 3-day training on CVI with Dr.
Roman the leading specialist in the country. Here we also had the opportunity
to have Archer evaluated and assessed. This trip gave us the tools and
knowledge we needed to ignite the use of Archer’s vision. Jumping into the New
Year of 2016, Archer will become a Shriner’s kid, and get his spine and
orthopedic support devices evaluated. Archer we begin exploring a new approach
on movement, traveling to CA and partaking in a week long intensive therapy
session with leading experts in neuro-movement. Following that weekend, he will
participate as a demonstration child at a workshop for neuro-movement. In the
Spring of 2016 we will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA where we will again visit
Dr. Roman, accompanied with a neonatologist, hopefully entering Archer into their
global research project. Whew… That night on May 1st you all showed
me I had the power to dedicated myself to tirelessly advocating for my son, and
to that I hold my actions to be true. Curve balls are thrown at us daily, we
have learned to find the sweat spots and hit them out of the park, sometimes
they turn up as foul balls, but we are seeing more homeruns, that’s the neurons
igniting pathways and connecting with each other!! Much LOVE-C
