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One Piece of the Whole by Jamie Dyer

One Piece of the Whole by Jamie Dyer

October 24, 2018

One night a certain crew member practiced Reiki on me. We were working for the Feather River Land Trust in Sierra Valley and camping among 3 foot tall sagebrush next to a tall abandoned farm house from the early 1900s. We moved farther from the group’s tents and nearer to the abandoned home for some more peace and quiet. After the Reiki, she told me that the animals were uncharacteristically active while she practiced. A bird of prey flew overhead, voles played a couple sagebrush bushes away, a praying mantis rested on her shoulder, and a rabbit hopped along the road next to us. After a two-way “thank you,” the crew member walked down the road and back to the group. I lingered to change into pajamas on the other side of a vehicle, out of sight of the crew.

I first noticed the skyline through the reflection on the car door – soft pinks and dark purples cushioned a black mountainous horizon, the moon was a blood-orange crescent paired with a single star. Then, a white faced owl silently swooped from the failing wooden skeleton of the abandoned home. It flew away long enough for me to realize what it was, and then turned in my direction. Losing altitude, I thought for a moment it would sweep just over my head. Instead it veered slightly off, but while still slowly flying closer to me, cocked its head so that our eyes met. They locked, each pair equally intent on learning the most of one another in the fleeting but slowed moment.

Physically relaxed and spiritually renewed, I returned to the group to find every crew member in a pile on a too-small tarp. They are singing and laughing. In that reliably surprising way, someone plays a techno song and another crew member springs to his feet, whipping out impressive dance moves that progress for minutes. The whole crew is baffled and encouraging.

That particular night was just another wondrous realization of the unique events that led us to each other. A certain knowing fills the space around us. Every person here brought their own magic to the group. Candid exchanges of each other’s gifts synergize the P-CREW experience, and every person here is a vessel of importance.

-Jamie Dyer