Cognac Shots
Happiness in a bottle
For the past few years I have had a fascination with essential oils. I do not know why, but I have. And for recent months, I have become even more involved with them. I've been working with more than a dozen different pure therapeutic grade essential oils produced by a company called Young Living Essential Oils, founded by Dr. Gary Young, a strange man and visionary. However, oil in particular one touched me more than the rest. His name is JOY. So, I like to call it, the joy in a bottle! It has the most exquisitely beautiful aroma and every time I use it, I feel high. The theory behind of essential oils is that resonate with extremely high levels and therefore may increase the energy field around us and help bring our life things we want, be it wealth, peace or a cure of some kind. Not that the oils from the true source of these experiences in our lives, I think it is as to help us be open to the incredible wealth that is already there at every moment if only we have eyes to see.
For some time, has been I intend to experience more joy in my life, hence my strong attraction to this oil called Joy, and I have to say from what I've lived alone in this past week that some oil has been really helping me to do just that.
Two experiences come to mind, both very different, but deeply cheerful.
Here is my story. I woke up early one day this week, after it had been snowing and freezing rain most of the night for a country of exquisite winter wonderland outside my window. I felt the urgent need to run and experience, much as a small child want to run and play in the freshly fallen snow or a puppy wanted for himself wrapped in a white blanket and then shake it out and do it all again, again and again. I really could not contain myself much longer so I did just that. I put on my coat and boots and mittens, leather gloves is not my son, but my gloves, that seemed more appropriate for the time and rushed out.
I felt as if time had stopped just for me. I was alone in this magical place. Not a sound was heard, only my breath and my virgin steps on the pure white snow under my feet and the golden light of the Sun Dance wake up in the icicles, shining like diamonds. I felt intensely alive and overcome with joy.
At that moment I remembered when I was in Montreal and my mother died. It was late fall I remember sitting in the park after having just left the funeral home and see the leaves fall from the huge maple trees. It was a beautiful sight to see, but part of me could not trees help wondering if he was sad to see all the leaves are falling. Soon it would be completely naked and it would be like a death for them as it had been for my mother. I thought about how important it was at that time, my mother died in the fall just as the trees were letting go of life too.
However, today when I went walking in the snow, in the silence, I looked with new eyes at the trees standing proudly before me. Where once they had been naked, now they were each covered with white ice and I saw them in a way that I could not before. Each tree was distinctive, unique, a masterpiece in itself, breathtakingly beautiful. They did not feel like they're dead again, just different, and I should be like my mother is now, is not really dead, only different.
I stayed in this wonderland over an hour taking photos of each tree. And in a moment I decided to stand under a tree and take a picture of the icicles from under believe it could take a picture only. Just when I was buying the vaccine, nature took over and decided to have a good time with me. The branch of the tree and waved what looked like a mountain of snow fell on me and my camera. It was then that I realized that maybe people I watched and wondered what this crazy lady with red hair who was standing under a tree full of snow and icicles with a camera. But the fear of what people can I think I was completely overwhelmed by the uncontrollable laughter that emanated from my being at that time and I gave her. I stood there laughing. Laughing at me, laughing tree, laughing at the universe incredible sense of humor. I do not think I laughed so hard in a very long time and my body thanked me for it. What joy!
My next experience is very different but equally happy. Here it is.
It was a Thursday afternoon, about three and my partner James and I decided to go for a late lunch in our special Italian restaurant. The two had been working many hours per day and needed a diversion. We sitting at our favorite table by the fireplace. The sound of Italian tunes filled the room as our waiter greeted us. We decided to take our time today, for appetizers and just sit and talk. And then something happened, something wonderful.
A man entered the restaurant and sat near us, just in front me. There was something about him, something very different, but I could not put my finger on exactly what it was. He ordered a cup of tea and a glass of cognac. At the time I thought that this was indeed an unusual combination. And when his libation was delivered to him, I watched him closely. He held the glass of liquid gold in both hands as if was a lover and caressed. He raised his glass to his nose and inhaled the delicate bouquet. A look of ecstasy covered his face and smiled softly to himself. And then and only then sip the cognac. It seemed like an eternity before she swallowed. I felt as if they were witnessing a private moment and should not be watching, but I could not take my eyes of this man. He drank only one glass, nothing more. One was all I needed.
I watched him eat that day and that is exactly what he was doing, dining, not eating. When the waiter brought the meal was a time before he actually took the first bite. His eyes devoured the beauty of food and exquisite presentation. He ate slowly and gently and savor every moment and every morsel between singing Italian songs, along with the music. He had a beautiful lilting voice that kind of melted into the room and touched her heart. It was an impressive spectacle, to see someone so completely involved in the process dinner, so alive at that time present to the experience of enjoying food. And as the waiter brought each course, I realized I walked away smiling more than he had seen done before, and his step was lighter, much lighter.
I once read somewhere that if a truly enlightened teacher enters a room, everyone in the entire space will feel high and do not realize why. That is what happened in that little Italian restaurant in the glorious afternoon. Everyone was up because the man and his incredible vitality being in the moment. The man in the restaurant was really a master, not the kind he wore a long robe and beard, but not a teacher less. I raised and everyone else in that room and filled us with a deep sense of joy and love for life.
And it was an enlightening moment for me too. Until then I knew at some level that if I wanted to experience something in your life must be that something really had to be. You could read everything about it and dream about it and think about it, but so that the experience in reality, there really can be.
That man had become in joy! He walked JOY! And somehow reminded me of Mother Teresa. He did not talk about love, she did not start from a foundation of love, she does not talk people about love. She was only love. He lived and breathed love every moment of his extraordinary life and left a legacy of love for us all to follow.
I could not believe I had learned a lot just going out to lunch.
And they were preparing to leave the restaurant in the afternoon, I could not help but feel a little sad. I did not want the experience of having done. And then I remembered I never would have done. The universe is a wise and compassionate and would not have more experiences for me to enjoy waiting just around the corner. While I was open and ready to leave, I knew I would be there.
Miracles are everywhere, if only we have eyes to see. JOY is our birthright! And then I remembered, do not worry, after all, I always I have my joy in a bottle with me!
About the Author
Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer. Her work inspires others to be more of who they really are.
Telephone: 403-245-6815 Email: veronicahay@telus.net
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