February 6, 2022
Once upon a time not very long ago, I had what I call a “God Shot” experience, the best kind of vaccine for my soul! It happened on my drive up a hill on a road I think of as the Green Mile of Quincy, a city known affectionately as “The Q” and also annoyingly known as the “City of Lights” since there are so many of them! The Green Mile is located on Quarry Street, which used to be 2 lanes in each direction for a total of 4 lanes. It is now reduced to a single lane in each direction with a new bicycle lane painted and barriers installed to protect the bike lane. At night, the barriers light up with reflectors shining out over the road that seem to keep going and going when you’re driving along side it. Unlike all the other light systems in Quincy, these lights are NOT there for stopping. It’s just Go and Green!!! On this particular drive, it was daytime though and I didn’t expect to see any lights shining back at me, and yet a Light stopped me. A woman. A total stranger.
She was sitting in wait, reading a book on a wall at the entrance to Avalon, a high-rise living complex. There were white, pink and purple flowers all around her in view at her feet. I was instantly captivated. She was a beautiful Living accent to the scene, dressed elegantly in all black so as not to take away from the colors of the flowers and instead complimented it perfectly. It was more than just how she was dressed though. It was her. She had an inner Light and its beauty was emitting from her Being with abundance, calling on me to capture it!
My heart was sparked with energy by what my eyes witnessed before me. As I drove past her the feeling of expansion in my heart fell to sadness and regret. The inner voice inside me said “Don’t neglect this moment! Go back and capture it! Listen to your Heart!”
I could not ignore the call. I turned the car around and drove back to her. I felt a bit of hesitation as I rolled the car to a stop and approached her. Another voice creeped in, the voice of doubt saying, “What if she doesn’t want her picture taken, you’re a total stranger!” Rather than drive away, I simply did the next right thing that came to mind. I rolled down my window, held up my camera and asked permission to take her picture.
She looked at me in astonishment and said “You want to take MY picture?”, as if she wasn’t worthy enough to capture and yet she SO was! Before I got the chance to even respond, she answered excitedly “Sure! You can take my picture! I will pose like I’m a model in New York!” Her Confusion was instantly replaced with a bit of Confidence!!!
I proceeded to get out of the car and cross the street. I only asked for one picture to keep of her beauty against the landscape. I had not intended for this to be a full-on photo shoot but she was having fun and starting posing away like the New York model she wanted to be in that moment! So I went with it and started to snap away like I was the professional photography I am not but sometimes dream to be.
She began to really enjoy herself and became more playful and creative with every pose. As she moved her body and as I moved around her trying to capture all angles, I could feel an energy building between us. She was chatting away as she moved telling me “I can do this and this!!” I echoed her energy back encouraging her with words like, “Yes, You go girl!, Yes, Yes, Yes!!! That’s Awesome! Keep going! You’re beautiful!” The energy between us was grand!!! I was intensely and awesomely Alive!!!
At the height of what seemed a Divine climax of energy, I said “What is your name?” She yelled proudly “Crystal! My name is Crystal with a C!” and points to her belt with a big C on it. I thought how perfect! Crystal! She was a Crystal Ball in my heart in this Moment.
Today, I look back on that day and the pictures of Crystal (below) and feel ALL the same energy in my heart for the Light that she is… a precious child of God willing to Live INTO the NOW moment with me. How divine it is when two sparks of Source energy, are open to allowing the Creator to create, witness and express the sweetness of his loving exchange through them. I know God would LOVE more of such moments. I would wager to bet that violence and all things ugly would fall away naturally if we listen and act in ALL the moments our heart gets captured by someone or something special to say or do.
It all starts by listening to YOU, the voice that matters most, the one within that speaks to you in silence when you’re open to seeing what can be seen in the Present moment. In that space, the “first” thought is usually the best One! The Gift!!!
The gratitude and love in my heart for Crystal is surely a gift of the most precious kind. FREE and Free-Spirited!!! I live with zero regret for honoring my heart-strings and daring to ask a simple question… “May I take your picture?” I can now look back on her pictures on ANY day to connect with the special Light who is Crystal of “Q” Land.
Here are pictures I captured of Crystal, my sister in the Spirit of God. May God’s blessings and goodness follow her all the days of her Life!!! Surely it will due to her willingness to Let Go and Let Loose the child within to play and pose for me… a Total Stranger.
Joined at the Heart ~ David Hasselhoff
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
Like spirits at the source
Within a silent driving force
Love that reaches everywhere
The energy from you is always there inside me too
Bound by inner visions that we share
I cut my finger and you feel all the pain
You cry and I can hear your prayer
Reading each other so close or apart
Two lovers (of God) joined at the heart
Two lovers (of God) joined at the heart
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
Like ships upon the tide
We ride the waves and don’t collide
I am you and you are me
Asleep and on my own
I never feel that I’m alone
You’re the dream illusion that I see
Holding each other at the altar of love
Worshipping souls on bended knee
Reading each other so close or apart
Two lovers (of God) joined at the heart
You know what I’m saying when I don’t make a sound
I hear your thoughts and set them free
Reading each other so close or apart
Two lovers (of God) joined at the heart
Two lovers (of God) joined at the heart
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
A light through the wall
A pure crystal ball
A mystical call between us
The Calling 