(not necessarily in that order)
Our three years of living in LA seems like another lifetime. Especially considering that we haven’t been here since 2017 — a full seven years and a pandemic ago!
The constant background noise is hard to believe after so long away. On the other hand, many sweet memories came to mind as we drove into the heart of the city.
It’s great to be back… temporarily!
Considering that I spent a total of almost three hours driving to and from Roseville for last night’s sleep study…
….and that I’ll be spending all day tomorrow sitting in a car on the way to Los Angeles for Yogananda Fest…
…I’m choosing to keep this short so I can fit in a short walk before it gets too late. My body needs to move a little!
While reading various journal entries and random notes uncovered during my recent “dig”, I started to realize the full extent to which my life has flip-flopped every decade or so.
In 1993 I had been living in San Francisco proper for almost twenty years, and in the San Francisco Bay Area for my whole life. Although there was much I loved about SF, the issues of noise, traffic, parking, and freeways were constant.
By 2003 I had basically turned my back on my orchestral and freelance flute career in order to move to Assisi as part of an Ananda singing group. Living in the rural Umbrian countryside was a complete revelation. It was quiet and peaceful, and — now that I wasn’t in the midst of millions of other people — I discovered that I could actually tune into my own energy.
But by 2013 I was living in Los Angeles, of all places! Well, Swamiji had asked so we went, determined to serve Ananda and Master with as much joy and willingness as we could muster. But in LA the issues of noise, traffic, parking, and freeways were magnified a thousand fold.
And now, we’re getting close to 2023, and I’m grateful to be living at Ananda Village. It’s not quite as serene of an environment as Umbria, but it’s totally quiet and tranquil compared to SF or LA! Not to mention that it’s populated by a very high percentage of saintly souls.
It has indeed been a study in contrasts, but every contrast taught me valuable lessons and ultimately ended up making me that much more grateful for where I am and what I have.
Wow! Look what I happened upon the other day…
It’s the video “Christmas greeting” (and year-in-review) from the Joy Singers, showing what we’d been up to that year. Amazing that this was only 2012; it feels like a lifetime ago!
We sang everywhere from churches to cafes, and from Skid Row to the farmers market (plus many other points in-between), in our quest to “get the music out”. What an experience.
And, yes, the music is the recording of The Christmas Mystery that we did that year.