Attention doubters!

Anyone who wonders if there’s anything “out there” watching over us (guardian angels, God, the Universe, or yes, even Santa)… read on…

Three days ago I read my astrological forecast for June at Susan Miller’s Astrology Zone. Though I realize that such things are written in very broad strokes for all people in all signs, I still find them interesting, amusing, and sometimes inspiring and even enlightening. June’s was much the same. Mine began…

The month starts out with a lunar eclipse June 4 in Sagittarius, 14 degrees, a full moon, so things may be busier than you anticipated – keep your bags packed. It may be that you will be asked to get on a plane, rapidly.

Little did I know that this month’s forecast wasn’t written in such broad strokes…

Two days ago I received an email titled “A Last Minute Opportunity.” Someone was forced to cancel their participation in next week’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute at Eastern Mennonite University and would I be able to take advantage of filling the spot, which came with a scholarship that would cover most of the expenses (without which there is no way I could participate).

Yesterday, after a flurry of emails with folks at EMU, and conversations with my wife Lindi, I accepted. So rather than utilize next week to catch up on all the “to do’s” that have piled up while I was away in May, I’m jetting off to Virginia on Saturday for a week of deep learning.

Today, I’m finishing up as much as I can on my “must do” list. Tomorrow I pack. Saturday I fly.

The class in which I’ll participate is called “Healing the Wounds of History: Peacebuilding through Transformative Theater.” From the class description:

How do cultures emotionally integrate a legacy of perpetration or victimization? How do we prevent the rage, guilt and shame of one generation from haunting a people for generations to come? In this course, participants will learn how to use techniques drawn from drama therapy, psychodrama, sociodrama, improvisation, expressive arts therapy, Theatre of the Oppressed, and Playback Theatre as methods to approach intercultural conflict transformation and collective trauma.

I’ve communicated with the professor, Armand Volkas, director of the Living Arts Playback Theater Ensemble, to obtain the advance reading material. He has “met” me several times through viewings of Traces of the Trade. We both look forward to meeting each other in person. I’m excited to learn his approach to working with historical trauma through theater.

What a surprise! What a gift. My deep gratitude to SPI and the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (home of Coming to the Table and STAR) continues to grow. Y’all are wonderful! Okay, gotta run. Lots to do!

And, yes, Santa Claus, there IS a Virginia!