on festivals and small wonders ~ from Rachel x

it was the first of a long summer trading at festivals for us at the end of may. last year this same festival disappeared under two feet of water and three feet of mud, and although it had been a triumph of mind over matter - we can survive without washing for 5 days, eating weird one pot concoctions and whilst sleeping 8 inches above the rising tide in a damp tent - i was not looking forward to it as much as i might have been had it been a week of sun kissed bliss.

so first there was wind..it buffeted and thrust its will upon us and made all seem impossible. and i thought 'this is pointless..i want to go home..there is no way we can erect a 20ft army marquee in a gale...i want to go home'. i asked Mother Nature to at least calm the wind for a while, i prayed to God, i called to the Divine Mother, i asked Angels... then a Fellow arrived. gap toothed, thick fingered, pierced in all directions, head half shaved, probably terrifying after dark.. and asked 'do you need a hand?' and we did.. so he lent us both of his, and another hammer and some great iron pegs he had made for himself but could spare us.. and between us the marquee went up. and then the Fellow went back to putting his tent up in the healing area with our hearts and gratitude in his hands. Healers come in so many shapes and sizes!

then oh there was rain..

and then there was the sun.. and the sun.. and the sun.. for days and days

and we went to the Hurly Burly cafe for lunch. the food was lovely; quinoa and pomegranates, mint and lemon, goats cheese and rocket and chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce if you so desired..so wonderful after so much hard work and so little sleep! then an announcement came ''the hurly burly disco will begin in 5 minutes'' and in what seemed like a very short 5 minutes later the music began. the music began and all the staff stopped. they stopped what they were doing and began to dance in formation all around us.. the us who had stopped eating in disbelief to watch and gawp. they danced the whole song out, to our increasing delight and wild applause at the close. and then? they just calmly went back to work. Smiling. Smiling. Smiling and Smiling all around. i could not think of a time when i had felt so infused with total and utter Joy.


many hands make light work.. many smiles make light hearts


oh what was the track? 'Same as it ever was' by Talking Heads.
have you read the lyrics? .. god works in mysterious ways!