Tuesday, September 9, 2008

PROSE: MAGIC BY THE WATER

MAGIC BY THE WATER


It happened in the late 80s when I had just separated from my husband of 27 years.
With a broken and apprehensive heart my long time friend and I packed up my husband’s little yellow Alfa Romeo convertible (he was unable to drive it because of a health crisis), and headed south to Ojo Caliente Hot Springs. This was when Ojo was still funky, spiritual and magical, before it was bought by money and sterilized.

My friend and I had done the baths and were now luxuriating in the Milagro Wrap of cotton flannel and wool. By then we were the only ones in the women’s wrapping room which was small and cozy.

As I lay there, sweating profusely, unexpected tears began to flow as I saw all my married life flash before me, like a wind-up movie, rolling across my consciousness.
Tears flooding my sweat, mixing, cleansing, and washing away all that had been.

Finally, stillness came, quiet, silence and peace.

As I was reveling in the lusciousness of my reverie, all of a sudden, a soft angelic voice started singing a beautiful song. I didn’t realize my firend had such an amazing singing voice. My eyes were covered so I didn’t bother to look, I just accepted she was the only other person around.

Later, back in our room, I asked her, “what was the song you were singing?”
“That wasn’t me, it was you, I heard you clearly,” she responded.
“Well, it definitely wasn’t me, I think I know when I’m singing, no, it wasn’t me”.

So now our curiosity was beginning to soar. My friend walked back over to the bath house to ask the attendant about the song we had heard.

SHE SAID, “OH, THAT’S THE WATER SONG, SOMETIMES PEOPLE HEAR THAT WHEN THEY ARE HERE.
Patricia

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