[Jonquil's Journey] DESTINY

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Jonquil

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Mar 17, 2013, 3:32:20 PM3/17/13

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DESTINY

Is the fact I'm in Boulder Colorado down to the desire to visit, many moons ago? Or is it simply a chance happening? Is it 'chance' I'm once again surrounded by mountains, as if they they call me toward them, acting as a necessary point of reference, in which I gather spirit, strength and focus? Or is it destiny, a creation sewn from spirit and the willingness to follow it? Maybe both?

Are my feelings of familiarity toward 'place,' imagined or past life? Are the two are interlinked, perhaps even the same?

No matter but it matters all the same - everything is matter, even if it's just empty space, like a mother, nothing can exist without her.

So, here I am in Boulder and placing the congenial, stereotypical US pleasantness and 'Happy Hour' tokens aside, I feel the old Indian spirit, even if it's just hiding in rocks. To me, the spirit lies as nature's guardian and witness, the grandfathers and ancestors to ways and wisdom we've either forgotten or trying to re-connect. One way or another there is a grand sense of appreciation to life here, outdoors activities abound, kids are happy, water is flowing, fish are jumping, the music is terrible and so is all the cheese on food but hey, at least it's not grey food or grey matter for that matter!

Outside my window the mountains stand to the west, the final frontier of an American new way of life, where stories have been buried in the earth and a stamping foot erased all trace of memory. As the sun sets behind them, magenta hues and electric blues light the magic with majestic beauty. Once almost 350 million years ago they were as grand and tall as the Himalaya but time, as we know it, plays its own accord.

Boulder is a settled, academic community, young, hopeful, liberal and healthy. In what feels like the middle of gun worship terrain, republican supremacy and Christian ideology, Boulder is unique. It questions life even to the extent of boycotting the gun. However, from what I've gathered, people in Boulder are mostly frowned upon for being 'too liberal,' as though it were a sin. "They've lost the way and don't know the truth!" I heard one woman recall, as though her way was the only one. It is legal to buy marijuana here for example, but you have to a certificate from a doctor. I can't imagine what it would say, "Artist seeks new inspiration?" "Hippy needs peace pipe?" "Student needs calming down after too much cocaine?" But I think it's mostly for people with cancer or other health issues like constipation. Who knows? I've seen kids at corner stops smoking pipes, next time I'll ask them, "What did you tell your doctor?" I wonder if the doctors' that prescribe it get bonuses like they do for other drugs. Prescribe Marijuana and we'll give you sweet Maryjane brownies for a year, hmmm, Boulder life!

Kids cycle or skateboard everywhere, going to lectures, or to the pizza job they're doing for their weekend pursuits and for their Maryjane brownies perhaps? Fast forward another 200 years and the pioneering University built in the middle of nowhere 150 years ago, will perhaps draw tourists like Oxford and Cambridge, to check the history and take photos and whilst they're at it go water rafting, fishing, (if there are still fish - but that's another story) hiking, or as they say here, horseback riding.

Question is what am I doing here? Hmmm...
Bigger question - what are we all doing here?

It started with a film I made about Mt Kailash called, 'THE PILGRIM' and Gaiam TV - based in Boulder bought the license. Now, after making the film, 'THE ROAD TO THE END OF THE WORLD WITH INTI THE SHAMAN AND THE WARRIORS OF LIGHT' in Peru, I'm here to (hopefully) finish the edit.

Is it my destiny to finish it here? Is it not? We shall see, maybe.

Yesterday, I wanted to walk into Boulder shopping centre and asked someone for the way.

"Do I follow the creek up or down for Boulder?"

"You're in Boulder." Came the reply.

"I mean the centre."

"Oh you mean, 'downtown' you follow the creek up."

"I go up to go down?!"

"Yep."

It was an easy stride along the paved cycle path and the day was bright, gorgeous, even warm. Girls were out in shorts and young men jogged without tops. I wanted to be a kid again, sense the freedom on my skin.

Instead, upon entering 'downtown' Walnut and Pearl St, I stumbled into a bookshop, as adults do. Suddenly, standing by the section, 'Boulder's Bestsellers' a book literally jumped off the shelf. I'd always wanted this to happen to me but it landed by someone else's toes and I couldn't help but turn and communicate to her.

"The book, what is it?" I bent down by her feet and picked it up.
It was a book about dogs. A Weimaraner was pictured on the front. In another life I would have a Weimaraner. However, since I don't have a dog, I didn't take the book as that significant, until the lady started talking to me.

"Oh, this book is amazing. My dog is just like what this book is about." The lady said.

"Really, what's the book about?"

"I'm a therapist and my dog is really psychic. The book is about their psychic abilities. When I have a client, my dog goes up to them and just stares into their eyes like this..."

Within a beat of a second she zoomed into my face like she was an X-ray about to take a photo. I saw her eye to eye, immediate strangers, immediate intimacy.

I placed the book back on the shelf.

"Where are you from?" She questioned.

Clearly not from around here, I said, "London."

"What are you doing here?"

"Work."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a filmmaker."

"Well, good for you." She replied motherly.

"Thanks." I said, "It was a pleasure meeting you." I took out my hand.

"You too." We shook.

This is how we greet people in the UK I wanted to say.

Neither of us picked up the book but I haven't stopped thinking about whether I should. Perhaps it's in my destiny? Maybe one day I'll have a dog and a psychic one at that!