9/2/07 Finale Day 7 at Burning Man

Chill mellow day, relaxing morning hanging out playing with the kids in our village, it really feels like a village here, you know it takes a village to raise a child, that line has always appealed to me. I think sometimes about living in community, kids all running together, communal meals and gatherings, one one hand it sounds really lovely. I think i would be great to do like one week a month, to look forward to, miss the group, but then i really enjoy alone and quiet too, being just with my kids. I guess that's why i like the homeschool camping trips so much, community for a week, once a month would be perfect, isn't it great what you're looking for is available.

Of course the community at Burning Man is a bit more colorful.. Reese remarked to me that he does like it better than the "real world" because anything is possible, you can do anything! It really does rewire your brain when you are here, I got very inspired creatively, I got very opened, and the celebration of diversity and expression is transformational truly! Everyone is so expressing their individuality that the possibilities for expression really get stretched out, you go way beyond tolerance to a state of real appreciation and celebration for each and every person you see and meet, it is hard to describe the experience but i can say it feels like magic.

We got to hang out with several of our friends today at center camp including Megan the Cat who we met at High Sierra she is a new teacher on a cool private school in Ojai and she feel in love with the boys! Reese hooped for the masses with 2 and 3 hoops, got his body painted with flames, played cards with new friends while Luc handed out ice (by the cube) and candy to anyone and everyone, he just love to give things away. I tell Reese he is going to make all the money and Luc is going to give it all away, they are a perfect pair!

In the afternoon we went to the Temple of Forgiveness where folks were still writing poetry, letters to parents, ex lovers, friends who died that they wanted closure or healing with, it was a pretty emotional place. Reverand Billy Bob somebody was there with a choir and they had a service of sorts.. he married two women, that was a sweet exchange and gave a great talk on forgiveness as a practice of unconditional acceptance. I forgive you, i allow you to be as you are, i don't have an idea of how you should be, or a role you must play for me, rather i discover you and celebrate you as you are.. it was very good.

Reese in the meanwhile was drawing.. i had gotten him a few big boards and a marker and he was going to town, he had 10 or so drawings and had made a sign saying Drawing Tatoos, want one? and sure enough folks were coming up interested, some picked his drawings and some asked for custom jobs, and after he drew on them, they usually gave him a gift in return. Many people came up and asked if they could photograph him saying he had captured the true spirit of Burning Man, it is similar to another organization i belong to that says their motto is love and service.

That night they burned the Temple and with it Reese's drawing boards, he really wanted to bring them with us but they were big and heavy and we are living in an RV.. so it was a great chance to talk about why they burn it at the end, how it symbolizes the impermanance of everything and how when you let go of what is now, you allow for what will be..
ok Reese said reluctantly..

We packed up, got 3 hours of rest and headed out at 2am, it took us 2.5 hours to drive the 9 miles back out to the road, we were grateful to be doing the road at night when it was cool instead of 95 degrees in the daytime. We drove to Klamath Falls and got a nice hotel with a pool, spa, and internet of course!