Who’s Who in Orangeblossom’s Zoo (continued J-R)

Jodene

“A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam. And for a brief moment it's glory and beauty belong to our world, but then it flies on again. And though we wish it could have stayed, we feel so lucky to have seen it.” - author unknown

I met Jodene (also known as Jo and Dimple Boffin!) while I was in New York and we instantly discovered we shared an unsaid bond. Still today, even if we don’t see each other for ages, when we do, we pick up right where we left off. There are no judgments, only happiness and joy at being able to be in each others company. Jo exceeds her young, earthly age to such an extent, that I tend to see her in a light of far greater wisdom and maturity than my own. I have seen her spiritual and personal growth expand in these recent years and she surprises me continually with her views and words of knowledge and understanding. She has an ability to see every side of an argument and her compassion and patience with others is truly remarkable. I bask in her sunshine. I hope to continue to walk this path with her, and I know we will have buckets full of fun along the way! We tend to speak in our own language and I often wonder if people think we can even understand one another when we chatter. People have asked if we are sisters, to which Jo informs them “No, we are not sisters, but we are soul sisters.” Touché. Soul Sista’s indeed!

I saw a butterfly go fluttering by on wings of orange, and silvery blue, and yellow too. She floats in the air, making her home most anywhere: The rainforest, field, and prairie land, on mountaintops, and desert sand. I said, "I'd love to fly with you and sail around the way you do. To fly up toward the summer sun. To have but one moment of such an exquisite flight, would be like a dream where all seems so right. But, alas, I have not your graceful charm. I haven't got wings, just these two arms. I've been designed to walk around and my human feet must always touch the ground.” Then she spoke to me and told me what her wish would be. She said, "What I'd love most to do is walk upon this Earth with you, to squish it's mud between my toes or touch my finger to my nose.” I reached up to her and carried her, gently, in my hand. I placed her on the mud and slowly sank until she could feel the squish. I brought her back up and she kissed my nose, then lifted me on her wings so that I could flitter through the clouds and kiss the petals of the flowers. And so I continue to carry my butterfly, and she continues to take me to greater heights.

Johan

I have known Johan since 1999, back when he was still in the Belgian army as a young recruit. Since then, we have always remained in contact and he continues to enrich my life with his stories, life and interests. Johan is a Leo too! (people are going to start thinking this is a criteria for me!) But besides this great quality, he possesses an ability to get you totally wrapped up in his writings. His passion is film and I swear he will break Hollywood soon! He has such a deep understanding for the art of film making and he carries this through in his scripts. I saw his first film earlier this year and I loved it (even though it cut out before the end!) It was so original and I got the full lowdown from Johan too – the behind the scenes action. Besides our mutual love of movies and books, he got me interested in Greek and Roman and general history, because he shared so much of what he learnt and understood with me. He is such an interesting, sensitive and well rounded spirit and I can really write about anything to him, and he will always express his opinions and views very honestly and openly. He has so much to offer the world and I hope that the world is graced with all his energy, passion, and enthusiasm!

Lee-ann

I am not certain of the exact moment when Lee-ann and I met, sometime in high school, we were mostly in the same class the whole way through. But with Lee-ann, we always managed to find ourselves getting into all sorts of mischief and trouble. How could I ever forget the drama and stories of Monty’s, Bucknalls and Wild Side! And energy surrounds her and is magnetic (and the fact that she is oblivious to this, makes her even more charming!). She draws people to her, and she has such a contagious laugh and sense of humour, you just laugh with her always. Lee-ann has gone through many battles in her short life, but she continues to succeed in everything she endeavors. Besides the fact that she is a Leo as well, she naturally processes a bright inner light that shines through her. We share a therapist/patient relationship and visa versa and are always advising and commenting on each other’s love lives! Our motto is “Whatever happens, happens for a reason.” I know her angels are guiding and protecting her always. She is an angel herself, she just doesn’t realise it yet!

“Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.” - Author unknown

Natasha

Tash was my flat mate in London back in 2001 and I met her when she was 8 months pregnant and I was there when her stunning baby girl, Jade, was born. Tash is an extraordinary person, she has overcome such hardships and struggles, but she has always kept afloat, through it all. She has gotten her life on track and she amazes me with her enduring and deep love for Jade. I can always sit back and relax with Tash, she holds no pretenses and we are always up for a giggle and chat. She brings out only the best in me, she sees the good in everything and everyone. She will always fight for the rights of others (both people and animals) and she has recently undertaken a child psychology course with the open university. I think it is her mission to learn to help others help themselves. I have sent her my angels to look after and protect her and I hope to always be near to give her my hand.

An extract from “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying”

I walk down the streetThere is a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in.I am lost. I am hopeless.It isn't my fault.It takes forever to find a way out.I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalkI pretend I don't see it.I fall in again.I can't believe I'm in the same place again.But it isn’t my fault.It still takes long time to get out.I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I see it is there.I still fall in? It's a habitMy eyes are openI know where I amIt is my fault.I get out immediately.I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I walk around it.I walk down another street.

Rene

I met Rene back in 2003, when I returned from New York, back to England. She was my uncle’s girlfriend’s daughter (but she is now my cousin-in-law!) and I got her number from her mom back in South Africa. We met up in Camden and went for a coffee that lasted 3 hours! We share many common interests and over the last two years, we have both been more open and inviting to new alternative ways of thinking and looking at life. Rene has gotten me hooked on Angel and Tarot cards (thank you my special Earth Angel!) and I every time I catch up with her, we get whisked away into our own world of esoteric discovery and wonder. I love the exchange of energy we have when we are together and I only wish everything of the pure and good upon her, because she deserves all that and so much more.

She drifts on the clouds as they float peacefully by. Like an angel out to play, she dances with fairies as they all roll and tumble around on puffs of cotton, making shapes and forms of earthly creatures and self portraits of themselves. She tip toes from one to another, like a game of hop scotch, and when she sneezes, she blesses the earth with vital showers of rain, life and love.

Roxanne

I her Bumblebee and she my Hunny Bunny. Rox sat behind me in our Std 6 class and actually was not very fond of me at first (cant blame her really, I was a bit of a snob and used to pass papers back to her in frustration esp if she took like more than 5 seconds to take it from me!! Shooo!) Anyway we have Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” book to thank for bringing us together (it’s a long story and I wont delve into it – but it involved our English teacher, Accounting teacher and our vivid adolescent imaginations! Enough said!). We were then separated for the next 4 years, and it was only really in our final Matric year that we became close again. I share a rich history with Rox and in the years that I have been overseas, our friendship has strengthen and evolved. It keeps evolving, but my love and affection for her never changes. Rox is very picky with her friends (aren’t I the lucky straw that was picked!) and I am grateful for every experience and moment I have been with her. There is never a dull moment when we are together – there is always raucous laughter bellowing out of us. Sometimes I don’t know why we laugh so much – maybe it is the invisible feathers that our merging energies tickle us with. Rox has obtained her degree in occupational therapy and it is with this and her natural gift for healing, that she touches the lives and souls of those lucky to be close enough to feel her warmth, love and compassion. She is always craving deeper knowledge and understanding of the human body and psyche, she is a Piscean mermaid and she sings songs for all to hear in her deep ocean soul.

She sits by the ocean sitting alone on a rock, combing her hair of gold. Watching the coming and going of tides, watching the gulls as they hover above, watching the yachts as they head to the shore. She waves at me standing on the edge of the tide, I wave back, wondering what hidden beauty she must see beneath the crashing waves. She smiles, takes a deep breath as she stares at the moon and takes the plunge backs into the deep blue. She sees snails wrapped in curls and oysters wearing pearls. She glides past the lumbering whales and plays hide and seek with the clown fish in the coral. She catches a ride on dolphins back and takes a peek above the surface – I see her! Her hair is covered in white sea foam, and as she takes a last look at the world above hers, she throws me an amber streaked seashell so that I will always hear her song with me.