Best Birthday Message Ever

A couple of days ago I was not exactly having the best Birthday of my life. It started out early with some minor surgery under the skilled hands of my wonderful dermatologist, and it pretty much went downhill from there. Until this:

I only use Facebook three or four times a year, but on my Birthday I usually check for messages in case someone from my past still imagines that this is an effective way to communicate with me. And I found this message waiting for me:

Hi Dada  I don't know if you'll remember me as it's been 40 years since we've seen each other, but, I was that kid you mentored in Tassie up at the South Hobart Ashram. I wanted you to know what a HUGE, profound and inspirational impact you had on me. I moved to "The Rainbow Region" of New South Wales when I was 16 (independantly, that should tell you a bit about how challenging my childhood was) , met up with a "Rainbow Warrior" musician, joined his band; Earth Reggae, as a singer/dancer/purcussionist, had 7 Rainbow Warrior/Earth Angel children with him (the oldest is now 33 and a budding and amazing spiritual teacher/mentor, himself, and wow, what a journey!

I was thinking of you last night, as my oldest son, Jarmin, was talking about his environmental values and it made me think of your song that had such an enormous impact on me. I raised my kid's on the road a lot, or in the bush, as a musical environmental/peace and spiriruality creative/activist, myself, and my children reflect that. So I wanted to say THANK YOU! for being my friend, when I was 12. You were a shining beacon for me and I am so, so grateful! I would LOVE to connect with you! 

Maybe come over to LA and do some collaborative music with you sometime. I am quite the singer/songwriter myself and working with you on a project would be AMAZING. Anyway lots and lots of love, from Neri to my beloved mentor Dada Nubanilananda. (sic) I love you so so much for your guiding light and soul-path activating presence in my pubescent development. You have been considered my friend for life. - Nerida

I have many happy memories from those times in Tasmania, with both children and adults, of singing songs and telling stories about how we need to love and care for the Earth, but I honestly don't recal my meeting with Nerida. But she sure does. Our moments of significance are not always the same moments that matter to others. I had to wait 40 years for the moment when it was Nerida's turn to touch my heart in a way I will never forget.

Life is so precious.

#Meditation #environment #childhood #lovetheEarth #savetheworld