9-11 Commemoration

I've had a very reflective weekend after being hit with a wave of sad news. It started Tuesday on my way to work when I drove by the IHOP shooting thirty minutes after it had happened. Then, I heard of the death of a friend's young family member from a heroine overdose. Believe it or not, it didn't stop there--another friend's 18 year old daughter has been given two years to live if a new liver is not found and my co-worker's 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Why am I telling you this? It's not to be a kill-joy but to share with you an insight I had during this weekend of remembrance. I was sitting in my garden yesterday and saying prayers for all those touched by the circumstances of the week, when I noticed a bee diving into the funnel of a fox glove blossom. I marveled at this as fox glove's flowers, seeds, sap, roots and leaves are all highly poisonous but apparently not to bee as this one extracted nectar again and again. As I watched, a question surfaced:

Is it possible to transmute poisons in our lives and turn them into nectar? 

The word "transmute" is perfect, for it means, "to change in form or energy." Often it's a term used in alchemy, such as transmuting lead to gold. I asked myself how I could possibly transmute the IHOP massacre? An answer popped up readily: I could go to the memorial outside the restaurant on Monday and leave my business card along with a flyer, offering free EFT sessions to anyone impacted by the event. And what about my friend's family member who died from the overdose? My husband had already covered that one by going fishing with our friend and planning more river time (he always figures things out way before I do:). What of the 18 year old and 16 year old battling for their lives? I called Chevy's restaurant and began planning community fund-raisers for both of them.

Next time "poison" presents itself, how might we respond like bee and transmute the experience? I think this is a wonderful question to consider on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 and maybe even more importantly, for all personal tragedies from the past and in the future. I look so forward to hearing your thoughts and pray comfort to each of you on this weekend of remembrance.