I met Jose Luis in June 2007 on a non-profit delegation to Ecuador with an organization called Global Exchange. We spent two weeks traveling the diverse terrain of Ecuador speaking with local community activists to get the "real story" about what was going on with oil and mining exploitation in this small resource-abundant country. Our last 4 day stop was to a Kichwa community in the middle of the Amazon jungle called, Sarayaku. The community was internationally known for their successful resistance against oil companies from exploiting their land and ancient culture. They consider themselves protectors of the Rain forest.
While there I experienced a powerful, life-changing "love at first sight" experience. His name was Jose Luis. A ~beautifully souled~ man following the path of his Grandfather to become the shaman of his community. We did not speak the same language and knew nothing about one another. A soul-gazing moment was all that was needed to understand one another and feel as if we had eternally known one another. We both knew that our paths had crossed for an important reason, we just didn't know why at the time. When I left I wept uncontrollably. It felt as if I was leaving part of my soul there.
We emailed back and forth for a year. During this time we were so spiritually connected despite being on opposite sides of the equator. We connected in dreams, visions, and serendipitous encounters. I traveled back to Ecuador numerous times.
Sadly, with each visit the relationship started to sour. As the old adage goes: A fish and a bird may indeed fall in love, but where shall they live? I could not envision living the majority of my life in Sarayaku and neither could he in the United States. The relationship started to dissipate. I returned to the United States...not entirely alone.
On November 3, 2009, Mila Mayriri was born. What a miracle she is. She is so vivacious, *full of joy* and ~beams with love for life~. She was gifted with the power to attract all things good.
Mila and I visited Jose Luis this last summer 2011 and going against my intuition we gave the relationship another go. In the process I lost myself trying to be someone I am not. I started to realize that I deserve to honor the woman I was created to be and to be a good Mother I need to *protect my joy* for these two miracle beings. I needed to trust myself to steward the gifts I have been given with the integrity they deserve. Again, I returned to the United States...not entirely alone.
I am so thankful to now clearly understand the *soul-purpose* of our union; to birth and share the responsibility to be the spiritual guide to two children who come bearing gifts in this life. They are sacred bridges between worlds. I want to celebrate and honor Jose Luis' continued contribution and ancient shamanic lineage that pulses through these divine-beings. There is so much ~love, light & beauty~ to be celebrated.
