Goddess of down~to~earth warmth Helena/Charlie

The more alert we become to the blessing that flows into us through everything we touch, the more our own touch will bring blessing.
- David Steindl-Rast "A Listening Heart"

I met beautiful Helena
on my first day of boarding school
I was 16 and naive and new to the dorms and the town
My first day away from my family and the farm and my blue room

The long long blocks of building partitioned into small spaces of living
a chipboard unit of desk ~ wardrobe ~ bed all in one
twenty girls all in the one *space*
I was overwhelmed by it all
Wondering if I'd made the right decision
Wondering why I'd left behind all things comfortable and familiar and loving
To live in a land of boxes with strangers

I met a few of the girls, and I thought ...
nice enough, but not of my kindred

Then there was a knock on my partition
and there was Charlie.

Charlie. Helena. The one and the same.
The most comforting sight.
Beautiful wise eyes ~ filled with light and warmth and love
Gorgeous warm smile
The friendliest freckles
and the dearest open face
It was like seeing an old friend when I met Charlie.

When I met Charlie
all my fears faded
I found a new home away from home
in White Dorm, then Green Dorm

I knew Charlie only a year before she graduated
and we've stayed in contact this last five years
reconnecting in particular these past few months

She sends me such beautiful warm emails
encouraging me with this blogger
sharing her life and her love

I am just so so over the moon for her to have found
her own beautiful boy to spend her life with

So today I honour the
magical
down to earth
loving and entirely loveable
sincere
loyal
encouraging
thoughtful
endearing
warm
open hearted
presence in my life that is Charlie.

She is a precious stone of the finest kind.