I have been to a lot of events, but none have been more inspiring than the Braveheart Women’s Rise Conference last weekend. The back to back notable speakers were brilliant-- gorgeous, intelligent and well-spoken. It was like watching “The View” on steroids. All we had to do was to keep up with all the information and upliftment coming at us.
A full spectrum of women’s issues were presented and discussed; everything from health, spirituality, abusive relationships, dream analysis, finances, and pole dancing to awaken the inner goddess. ☺ Even the breaks were a lot of fun as people danced in the aisles to loud, upbeat music.
There were so many highlights. Let me just name a few. Ellie Drake, founder of Braveheart Women, gave an overview of her driving vision that was so high minded and passionate -- it still give me chills. She is out to change the world by empowering women and bringing us together in a global community to help bring about healing and world peace.
One of the things that I really learned during this star-studded week-end. (with Maya Angelo, Muriel Hemmingway, Marla Maples, Michael and Ricky Beckworth, Kate Eddlemen, Stephanie Powers, Delta Burke, Courtney Cox, Rolanda Watts, etc. etc.) was that, without exception, every celebrity that I met — all of these great talented movers and shakers on the public stage — are genuinely philanthropic individuals with passion for their causes. Like all of us, they are interested in making the world a better place. Bravo to all you Braveheart women!
It was an amazing experience to be in a congregation of women all devoted to raising the planets energy by being authentic to themselves and their intrinsic feminine power. I was able to network with women from around the world. I’m telling all my friends about Braveheart Women. See you online!
(Photos posted below)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Muriel Hemmingway is so down to earth and authentic that everyone wishes she was their best friend. She has started her own brand of health and beauty products and recently invested in an organic farm. The produce from her farm will be used in developing her products.
I wish I would have asked her what she does to stay so seriously fit. Genetics? - or Pilates?
I love Stephanie Powers! In the 80's, I was a big fan of ABC's "Hart to Hart and wanted to be just like (the fictitious) Jennifer Hart." Stephanie would rather be remembered for her many philanthropic causes. She is the president of the William Holden Wildlife Preservation. She is an international speaker for her causes and is fluent in six languages. (- and she is drop dead gorgeous!)
Ellie Drake. Remember the name. This woman is out to change the world. She is the founder of Braveheart Women. Her global vision is powered by integrity, stunning intelligence and an incredible personal magnetism. I want whatever she's having!
Click on "Older Posts" below to see the rest of this story!
I was impressed with how kind and genuine Marla Maples is. She uses her celebrity to put the spotlight on global healing. Spiritual inspiration and metaphysics are what concern her most, as well as being Mom to her 16 year old daughter. But I've just got to say it ... she has the best legs in the whole world. ( ! )
Kim Kiyosaki, (wife of Robert Kiyosaki who wrote Rich Dad, Poor Dad,) has written her own book, "Rich Woman; Take charge of your money. Take charge of your life." She has some amazing statistics about women and finances. For example: "In the first year after a divorce, a woman's standard of living drops an average of 73%." and "Of the elderly living in poverty, three out of four are women, yet 80% were not poor when their husbands were alive."
I got her book and I'm going to read it.
---- Live long and prosper!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Hummingbird, A True Story
by Marilyn Churchill
Mother loved hummingbirds and kept a hummingbird feeder outside her kitchen window. These unusual birds are colorful, feisty, and industrious; all words I could use to describe Mom as well. No wonder they were her favorites!
Mom was quick and I was slow. We had always had our differences. She was practical and down to earth; I have always been an artist and a dreamer. But the love we had for each other was beyond measure. Through all our conflicts there was never any question about that!
One day, I called Mom to tell her that I had received a commission to create an oil painting that included the image of a hummingbird. My new client was a lovely middle-aged woman who wanted a memorial painting, and she told me the heart-wrenching story behind it. Four years earlier she had adopted twin boys and one of the infants had died in his crib of SIDS, (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)
After the funeral, overwhelmed with grief, she sat alone on her patio, crying. Like all SIDS mothers, she wondered if perhaps she could have done something to prevent her baby’s death. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she prayed for peace, and for faith to believe that her baby was now safe with God.
Suddenly, she looked up to find a hummingbird hovering right in front of her face. The hummingbird took one of her tears, and then flew away. She felt awe, and a deep sense of peace, believing her prayers had been answered. Now, four years later, she wanted to memorialize this experience with a painting of her two sons; one in the arms of an angel, the other one walking alongside and holding the angel’s hand. Overhead, in a bower of wisteria, I would paint the hummingbird.
I was actually a little worried about what Mom would think of this mystical story. But I had completely misjudged her. Her mother’s heart embraced it. And she wanted this painting to be the best thing I had ever done!
Every year, Mom, Dad, my older brother and I got together in Maui for a two week family vacation. I brought my “work in progress” that year, setting up my easel outside on the lanai overlooking the beach. Over my shoulder, Mom watched me paint with a critical eye. “Can’t you make that angel a little thinner? Her robe is too poufy,” she said. “I don’t like that tree,” and, “Can’t you use a different shade of blue?” It made me feel self-conscious. I found it hard to take, even though I knew that she only wanted me to succeed.
I gave the painting my very best effort. The finished work was well received by my client. Mom was moderately pleased. What pleased me most about the painting was the way the colors seemed to glow.
Three years later, Mom was on vacation in Maui again. But that year I was unable to go. Instead, I was in California looking out my ocean view window at a rainy day, and wishing that I were in Maui with Mom. I was talking to a friend on the phone when suddenly there was a fluttering at my window. I gasped! I had the impression that an enormous bird was throwing itself against the glass. At first, I thought it was a seagull.
“What is it?” my friend asked on the other end of the line.
I looked again. “It’s a hummingbird!” I said with surprise.
“What’s it doing?” my friend asked.
“It’s hovering in my window and just looking at me!” I said with astonishment.
The hummingbird was five feet from where I stood on the other side of the glass. Except for its wings, it didn’t move. And it was looking me right in the eye! I was amazed that it did not fly away.
“Is it gone?” my friend asked.
“No, it’s still looking at me!”
“Well, hello there!” I said to the hummingbird, wondering if it could hear me through the glass. I was enchanted. And then, I actually began feeling alarmed. On one hand I wanted to commune with this tiny bird that was paying so much attention to me. On the other hand, I thought it should fly off like birds normally do. I stood with the phone to my ear for almost two minutes, not saying a word, and stared at the hummingbird as it looked back at me. Then, finally, the hummingbird flew away.
“Well, that was certainly unusual,” my friend agreed.
I looked at the clock. It was 2:40. “I gotta go,” I said. “I have just enough time to get to the library and back before my 4:00 appointment arrives.” We said good-bye and I hung up the phone.
I returned from the library shortly before 4:00 and picked up the mail on my way into the house. I smiled when I saw that there was a letter from Mom—and a postcard as well! I would save the letter to read later. But I read what Mom had written on the postcard with a picture of a Hawaiian red hibiscus. She wrote: “It’s not the same here without you. I dreamed about you last night. I love you!”
I was still thinking about Mom’s note when I saw the blinking light on my answering machine. It was a message from my brother. He had terrible news. Mom had suddenly died in Maui of a heart attack. She had been making Greek soup for my Dad and my brother and said she wanted to lie down for a minute to rest. It had happened at about 2:40 PM, California time. Immediately, I heard the doorbell ring. It was my best friend arriving for our 4:00 appointment. With tears streaming down my face I opened the door and rushed into her arms.
Over the next few hours my friend prayed with me. We talked. There were calls from my family. I lit candles and listened to Handel’s Messiah and wept.
Later that night, the memory of the hummingbird penetrated through my sadness. I was jolted out of my tears. Slowly, I began to realize that I had just received a beautiful gift, and it had been tailor-made for me. The poetry of the hummingbird's visit was overwhelming. Everything seemed connected and all the loose ends were tied up in a bow. Life had meaning, and the meaning was love! Mom had sent me one more message! I could just see her mischievous grin.
Could all this have simply been a coincidence? If I had seen that hummingbird on any other day, I would always have remembered it. But on that day, at that time… I’ll always have strong feelings about it.
The hummingbird touched my heart in such a profound way that I found strength to sustain me through the sadness. On the long plane ride back to my family home, and as my family assembled for the wake, while I read my eulogy and when I played my Mother’s favorite hymns on the piano at her funeral, through all the tears, I had an overwhelming and abiding sense of Love. I had the strong feeling that the veil between heaven and earth was very thin, indeed.
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