BUY NOW LULU link lets me get the most return for YOUR dollah! So snag it there ok? Thanks in advance...only get it if you want to improve your love life or life in general!!
www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/paperback/product-17ejn995.html
eBook available on Lulu.com which gives me more bang for your buck! www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/ebook/product-189j6m7n.html
Also available on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble/NOOK, & Kobo! https://www.amazon.com/Love-Crazy-Lessons-Creating-Happy/dp/1387463489/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Love+Guru+Uma+Love+Is+Crazy&qid=1567983280&s=books&sr=1-1
BUY NOW LULU link lets me get the most return for YOUR dollah! So snag it there ok? Thanks in advance...only get it if you want to improve your love life or life in general!!
www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/paperback/product-17ejn995.html
A quirky, single mom is mugged in South Central LA, chases him down and wonders how she got there…an unbelievable fictional tale based on a true story to follow her heart from Sedona to Seattle to South Central LA. But her fiancé suffers from an incurable disease (seriously I did not make this stuff up!) and her children have no choice but to follow her as she learns invaluable love lessons while singing her heart out in this riotous, topsy-turvy adventure in love. She travels by 4-wheel jeeps and tortuous Greyhound buses, takes cross-country drives, and deals with a pathological liar, her fiancé’s teenage brat and his hallucinogenic prescription drugs. She survives Sexaholics Anonymous and powerfully positive self-help groups. Our heroine learns to do whatever it takes to find and keep love, but is it enough?
eBook available on Lulu.com which gives me more bang for your buck! www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/ebook/product-189j6m7n.html
Also available on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble/NOOK, & Kobo! https://www.amazon.com/Love-Crazy-Lessons-Creating-Happy/dp/1387463489/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Love+Guru+Uma+Love+Is+Crazy&qid=1567983280&s=books&sr=1-1
www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/paperback/product-17ejn995.html
eBook available on Lulu.com which gives me more bang for your buck! www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/ebook/product-189j6m7n.html
Also available on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble/NOOK, & Kobo! https://www.amazon.com/Love-Crazy-Lessons-Creating-Happy/dp/1387463489/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Love+Guru+Uma+Love+Is+Crazy&qid=1567983280&s=books&sr=1-1
BUY NOW LULU link lets me get the most return for YOUR dollah! So snag it there ok? Thanks in advance...only get it if you want to improve your love life or life in general!!
www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/paperback/product-17ejn995.html
A quirky, single mom is mugged in South Central LA, chases him down and wonders how she got there…an unbelievable fictional tale based on a true story to follow her heart from Sedona to Seattle to South Central LA. But her fiancé suffers from an incurable disease (seriously I did not make this stuff up!) and her children have no choice but to follow her as she learns invaluable love lessons while singing her heart out in this riotous, topsy-turvy adventure in love. She travels by 4-wheel jeeps and tortuous Greyhound buses, takes cross-country drives, and deals with a pathological liar, her fiancé’s teenage brat and his hallucinogenic prescription drugs. She survives Sexaholics Anonymous and powerfully positive self-help groups. Our heroine learns to do whatever it takes to find and keep love, but is it enough?
eBook available on Lulu.com which gives me more bang for your buck! www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/love-guru-uma/love-is-crazy-lessons-in-love-creating-your-own-happy-ever-after/ebook/product-189j6m7n.html
Also available on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble/NOOK, & Kobo! https://www.amazon.com/Love-Crazy-Lessons-Creating-Happy/dp/1387463489/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Love+Guru+Uma+Love+Is+Crazy&qid=1567983280&s=books&sr=1-1
My new book has so many helpful hints for your life: AffOrmations, vision boards, meditation and more. Next books will include EFT, Four Agreements and many useful life-enhancing tools. Afformations are questions you pose like, "Why is my new tune When you Smile hitting the Billboard charts so quickly?" and "Why is everything always working out for me?"
I love it!! It's even more helpful than affirmations...give it a try!
BOOK 1 EXCERPT (sorry it's all caps, WEebly is funny sometimes!)
Love is Crazy - Lessons in Love: Creating Your own Happy Ever After (Edited for colorful language)
Chapter 1: The End and the Beginning
The city bus jerked me awake; I felt completely shocked that I’d fallen asleep, especially here in South Central LA. “This is not the safest place to fall asleep,” I thought to myself, but I was so beat. It had been three months with no job and two sons to feed; their dad had been no help. I felt so blessed to finally have a teaching post, and my first paycheck in hand. It was going straight to food and Christmas gifts.
There was a strange whirring sound as my sons, ages 4 and 9, & I walked across the parking lot of Florence Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. We were passing the Laundromat on our way to their dad’s house. Then I felt my canvas bag being ripped from my shoulder.
“Shoot, my paycheck’s in there!” I thought to myself.
Immediately, I started running after the guy and my sons chased after ME! The jerk was tall, black and thankfully a bit overweight. He couldn’t have known that I’d been running daily, for the last 6 months. At the edge of the parking lot, I jumped on his back, in hopes of getting my bag back. He flung me off, like a dirty sock.
Still, I continued my pursuit. Max, my youngest son, stopped running early on, but my oldest, Daniel, kept on following me. Luckily, I learned later that a nice, older Hispanic gentleman held Max’s hand while waiting with him at the corner. I began cursing and yelling at the top of my lungs, while chasing the mugger at a furious pace…
I continued screaming, “You’re gonna give me back my bag, you Sonuvabeep! You may as well drop it now, cuz I’m not giving up…I’ll chase you down to the ends of the earth, you flippin' butthole! Listen buddy, you better give it back, and I’ll let you go on your merry way. That bag is vital to my survival and I’m not giving it up easily!” As you can probably tell, I was not going to let him get away. But he continued running and I continued chasing.
“You mother Hubbard, you better give me back that bag!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. And I kept yelling at him for the next mile, while I chased his ass down. I knew he had to give me back that bag; he just didn’t know it yet. He obviously didn’t understand that feeding my sons was important enough to me to chase him down, no matter what.
We passed people on the street; I yelled for help, but everyone ignored me. This was South Central LA, after all. The chase went into the middle of the street and luckily cars slowed down to avoid hitting us. I continued with a barrage of filthy words, “Pisshead, you better give it back now, because I am not giving up ‘til you do, you mothertrucker!” Next my shoe fell off, but I kept racing after him. It was a damn good thing I’d been running in Seattle for the past six months, just to stay in shape.
We crossed the street and he finally dropped my bag, after realizing the crazy white lady chasing him was not giving up. I grabbed it and kept running after him, while I checked to make sure my wallet was in there with the check intact. Once I was satisfied, I finally stopped running, then noticed Daniel had followed me the entire way.
I asked him, Where’s your brother?”
Daniel replied, “Back there I guess.”
“Crap,” I thought to myself as I prayed that Max was alright. We raced back to the Laundromat to look for him; we were happily surprised to find him holding the old man’s hand, still waiting for us on the corner. We began the four-block walk back to their father’s empty house, while my heart still raced from the adrenaline pulsing in my body.
I drew a hot bath, and finally took a deep breath, to try and relax: to take in all that had just happened. Shit, I just realized that mugger could’ve had a knife or a gun on him. I was so blessed that he didn’t, and that he couldn’t outrun me. My body was still shaking from the rush of adrenaline, that comes from running past the point when the body says ‘stop.’ It took a good hour for the shakes to stop.
I rested my head on the edge of the tub and asked myself, “How the hell did I get here?”
It all started in May of 1999: I knew something was coming my way. The feeling that things were about to change, was undeniable. I was living in Sedona, Arizona; home of the incredible red rocks and New Age mecca, I truly adored. I was working as a jeep tour guide. I loved my job, as it was adventurous and great fun. Compared to my previous job as school teacher, which I did love too, but the daily monotony drove me bonkers. Sure, the elements were unpredictable, and the passengers were sometimes stingy with small tips, but overall, it was my most favorite job so far.
I never knew what was coming next: time off sitting in the guide cabin reading a book if there was a slow stretch, or back to back days with no breaks. Sometimes, there was hardly time for lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Cowboy Club. It’s still there in Uptown Sedona, where I frequently consumed the buffalo flank steak or buffalo burger! Yummy… makes my mouth water just to think of it. There was always plenty for leftovers. However, more often than not, one of my growing sons would snatch it, before I did! Unless I hid it in the back of fridge, but then I might forget it was there.
I’d survived many strange, love relationships: an on-again, off-again with the father of my sons and recently with a brilliant fellow jeep driver. He had a photographic memory, which included post-traumatic syndrome from recent service combat. He couldn’t even conceive of being around children! Love had been mistreating me horribly, but I knew I couldn’t give up.
I remember calling Bobby’s name and shaking his hand as we met…he was a passenger on my jeep tour. He was ready for a thrilling ride through the red rocks. He sat next to me, and almost immediately I felt giddy, like I was in high school again. I knew Bobby felt it too; the electricity in the air was undeniable.
The tour was just short of magical, as it always was, traversing through the high desert on dusty roads to Arrowhead trail. Aptly named after the old Western movie filmed there, way before it was a tourist attraction with so many homes and shops. From the first 2-foot rock I climbed with the 4-wheel drive jeep, I had him in the palm of my hand. Or maybe I was in his, I’m not sure anymore. He was one of my best audiences anyway.
We were not alone, mind you, although everything & everyone else seemed to blur into the background. It was like we were the only ones on planet Earth for those two hours. The other passengers included a couple who sat in the back seat, which had been converted to face forward for a better view. I bet they could tell something was up, as the air seemed to be positively charged with a magnetic, invisible energy. Almost immediately, Bobby and I started politely flirting with each other.
I asked him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I live in Seattle with my two sons, who are 6 and 9, and my 14-year-old daughter. But my parents live in Mesa, Arizona, where I grew up.”
Bummer, I thought to myself, and responded, “And your wife?”
“We’re recently divorced. Luckily, we get along better now we’re apart. She’s seeing a new man, who gets along well with our children.”
“That’s cool,” I said. “I’m not with the father of my children anymore either, and we get along fairly well.” At least we had some common ground: two single parents with 2 or 3 children. My mind was already thinking of the whole Brady Bunch scenario: if we got married we’d have FIVE children to take care of! That could be a nightmare or an adventure depending upon your point of view.
Neither of us could deny the sparks flying; it felt like live dynamite. I began my spiel about the rocks, how they formed over millions of years, how each layer was made of a different combination of sand. I explained what makes them red: the iron oxide, which basically makes them rusty old rocks! Next, I spoke about the vortices and the Sedona Vortex Effect. Imagine you’re in my jeep getting the ride of your life, like a nature rollercoaster with your eyes closed on occasion! Hanging on for dear life, during rough spots, where I put the jeep at a 45-degree angle! I continued talking and sharing; it went something like this:
“Folks, the vortex energy can be felt by just about 50% of the visitors who vacation here. More than likely, if you’re female, you can feel it more than if you’re not. Perhaps that’s because some women can be more sensitive to some things. Not that men are not sensitive, it’s just more likely that ladies will feel it. Some people feel a positive vibe while visiting here, while others don’t feel anything whatsoever. As a long time, Sedona resident, who’s lived in many other spots, I can say for myself, that I do feel more uplifted and happier when I’m here. I also practice meditation more however, which may have an effect too.
Evidently, the vortex energy was discovered in the 60’s by a psychic from Phoenix. She would bring groups up to Sedona to meditate and explore their own psychic energies. Some may call it ‘Woo Woo’ and others call it bull crap. I have had some majorly amazing experiences with those energies and psychics. Even hiking during the full moon, on a red rock vortex, but that’s another story for another day.
Many people come here from all over the world, in fact, we get almost as many visitors as the Grand Canyon. We expect about 3 million tourists while the Grand Canyon gets about 4.5 million. Sedona started out as a trading town between Cottonwood and Flagstaff, back when wagons delivered goods, while traversing dusty, craggy roads.
There had been a booming farming community in nearby Oak Creek Canyon, where apples and pears grew in abundance. This was attributed to an innovative irrigation system constructed by one of the early residents, Frank Pendley, who built at Slide Rock State Park. Settlers were attracted to Sedona; they raised cattle and horses. Eventually, the slow mail system prompted T. C. Schnebly to apply for a local post office. Many names were submitted (including Schnebly Station, Red Rock Crossing and Oak Creek Station), which all were all too long for the cancellation stamp. These were refused, and eventually he submitted his wife’s name, Sedona. She was originally from the Midwest. On June 26, 1901, the post office began in the back of the Schnebly home.”
I shared what makes Sedona a popular vacation & tourist spot. My edutainment included animals and plants, and their many medicinal, food and other useful properties. This included: Banana-leaf Yucca, Jesus Crown or Mormon tea, Soap-tree Yucca, Snakeweed, shaggy bark Juniper, Manzanita, Agave, Prickly Pear cactus, Bear grass and the beauty of various pines, Mistletoe, Sugar Sumac, Cliff Rose, Mesquite and more. The ‘wait a minute bush’ would stop cowboys during their journey, if they got too close and tangled up in it! I made sure to include local pop culture, like which famous movie and music stars owned 5+ million-dollar homes nearby. I entertained people on my tours, I even sang sometimes, but not today. As the handsome, energetic man from Seattle had quickly captivated my attention and affection.
One of my first jokes spoke directly to him. Being that my jeep was pink, I said, “Yeah, this is my Barbie jeep and I’m looking for a new Ken.” Little did I know at the time, that he used to be called ‘Ken’ with his former ‘Barbie’ wife, back in high school. My next joke got him as well. I liked to stop the jeep abruptly and say, “Oh, there’s a deer!” Referring to the John Deere tractor parked alongside the trail, instead of a live deer. We all got a good giggle on that one. Fooling him that easily tickled me immensely and he was surprised too. That was the beginning of one wild rollercoaster ride.
When I would usually take people up for a better view and brief hike at Chicken Point, Bobby and I got a few moments alone. My inquiring mind gathered facts, like his job: engineer and a hobby: hiking. We continued to flirt mercilessly, as we both found each other irresistible. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t believe I was flirting with someone who lived 3,000 miles away. Was it just my regular MO of wanting unavailable men? What was the point anyway? I wanted someone who lived closer and who could be with me in a meaningful way with marriage in the future. Still, I couldn’t fight the overwhelming attraction that grew within two short hours. We both hinted at seeing each other after the tour, and finally exchanged phone numbers after the other passengers disembarked. We met that evening for a drink and dancing.
At the Barking Frog Grille, Bobby asked, “Shall we dance?” That sounded way too familiar to when the father of my children said to me, “Shall I love you?” Luckily it didn’t bring up any old shit for me, right then. I thought it was awfully sweet of him to take me dancing on a first date. He had pulled out all the stops to try and impress me. When we slow danced, I knew I was a goner. He had these big, strong, muscular arms and shoulders which seemed to embrace my entire being with longing and love. I felt at home at last, like I truly belonged with this man. He smelled good too, not like cheap cologne, but something tasteful with a hint of manly spice. Since I don’t like strong smells, that was certainly in his favor.
After he asked me to take him somewhere romantic with a view, he brought a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates: milk and dark, in case I liked one and not the other. I thought to myself, “He must’ve hit up the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory! It’s the best and I think this guy likes the best.”
We were at the top of Airport Road. The view of the sunset was amazing as usual. It seemed like a good time to sing one of my favorite songs for him – a gospel tune from Agape, my former church in California. Michael Bernard Beckwith, the motivational speaker from the Oprah Show and The Secret movie and book, started it. Ironically, that’s the same place I had met the father of my children. Use Me spoke right to his heart. Bobby seemed to melt as I sang of my love for God, imploring the great Creative Spirit to ‘Use me.’ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/uma4
The lyrics, written by Rickie Byers, basically talk about: God as the creator of everything, letting our lights shine and standing for the Creative Spirit in our lives. The words also ask God to command us to do whatever we possibly can.
Whatever I can do, in service to God, I’m up for! My take on the lyrics was more Universal than his perhaps, but we found a common ground in spiritual matters. For me, that’s a crucial piece of the Man Puzzle I’d been searching for! This definitely contributed to an enchanted moment in his rental car, where we had our first kiss. Our lips seemed to mold together, like they’d been made for each other. I felt a fire burning inside me, which was slowly simmering and getting ready to explode. I had not experienced this passion and burning desire in many, many years!
(EDITED for the internet...for the juicy details, buy the book!)
Soon thereafter, Bobby sat me down on the futon sofa and told me, “I have to tell you something serious.”
I responded with, “Whatever it is, I can handle it. I’m stronger than you know.”
He hesitated to reveal, “I have Parkinson’s.”
I apologetically replied, “I don’t know much about the disease. What does it do to you?”
He told me that it made him weak and shaky sometimes and that eventually he might become debilitated. It would probably shorten his life.
I tried to understand the enormity of this news, but I couldn’t really fathom it completely. I wouldn’t let something so seemingly minor stand in the way of our budding love affair. Once my boys were asleep in their room that evening, we quietly enjoyed each other's company. I was definitely in heaven with this man, who must’ve been sent from God straight for me, to answer all of my hopes, dreams and desires.
He ended up staying with me for 3 days instead of heading home the next. It was important to me that my kids liked him as well. So, we all hung out together part of the time, to ensure that happened. We visited the sights of Sedona, including hiking at Oak Creek, meditating in the forest, and shopping at the New Age ‘Woo Woo’ shops, filled with crystals and incense. We dined in some of the finest restaurants in town. It was like a whirlwind tour of the top local spots. Perhaps, I shed a tear or two upon his departure. I know, how can you fall in love in 3 days?!
I said to myself, “I think I’m going to like life with Bobby.” Little did I know at the time, that life would be mostly insane and quite unbelievable!
Lesson in Love #1: Keep your eyes open for love, because it can catch you anywhere and anytime!
I love it!! It's even more helpful than affirmations...give it a try!
BOOK 1 EXCERPT (sorry it's all caps, WEebly is funny sometimes!)
Love is Crazy - Lessons in Love: Creating Your own Happy Ever After (Edited for colorful language)
Chapter 1: The End and the Beginning
The city bus jerked me awake; I felt completely shocked that I’d fallen asleep, especially here in South Central LA. “This is not the safest place to fall asleep,” I thought to myself, but I was so beat. It had been three months with no job and two sons to feed; their dad had been no help. I felt so blessed to finally have a teaching post, and my first paycheck in hand. It was going straight to food and Christmas gifts.
There was a strange whirring sound as my sons, ages 4 and 9, & I walked across the parking lot of Florence Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. We were passing the Laundromat on our way to their dad’s house. Then I felt my canvas bag being ripped from my shoulder.
“Shoot, my paycheck’s in there!” I thought to myself.
Immediately, I started running after the guy and my sons chased after ME! The jerk was tall, black and thankfully a bit overweight. He couldn’t have known that I’d been running daily, for the last 6 months. At the edge of the parking lot, I jumped on his back, in hopes of getting my bag back. He flung me off, like a dirty sock.
Still, I continued my pursuit. Max, my youngest son, stopped running early on, but my oldest, Daniel, kept on following me. Luckily, I learned later that a nice, older Hispanic gentleman held Max’s hand while waiting with him at the corner. I began cursing and yelling at the top of my lungs, while chasing the mugger at a furious pace…
I continued screaming, “You’re gonna give me back my bag, you Sonuvabeep! You may as well drop it now, cuz I’m not giving up…I’ll chase you down to the ends of the earth, you flippin' butthole! Listen buddy, you better give it back, and I’ll let you go on your merry way. That bag is vital to my survival and I’m not giving it up easily!” As you can probably tell, I was not going to let him get away. But he continued running and I continued chasing.
“You mother Hubbard, you better give me back that bag!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. And I kept yelling at him for the next mile, while I chased his ass down. I knew he had to give me back that bag; he just didn’t know it yet. He obviously didn’t understand that feeding my sons was important enough to me to chase him down, no matter what.
We passed people on the street; I yelled for help, but everyone ignored me. This was South Central LA, after all. The chase went into the middle of the street and luckily cars slowed down to avoid hitting us. I continued with a barrage of filthy words, “Pisshead, you better give it back now, because I am not giving up ‘til you do, you mothertrucker!” Next my shoe fell off, but I kept racing after him. It was a damn good thing I’d been running in Seattle for the past six months, just to stay in shape.
We crossed the street and he finally dropped my bag, after realizing the crazy white lady chasing him was not giving up. I grabbed it and kept running after him, while I checked to make sure my wallet was in there with the check intact. Once I was satisfied, I finally stopped running, then noticed Daniel had followed me the entire way.
I asked him, Where’s your brother?”
Daniel replied, “Back there I guess.”
“Crap,” I thought to myself as I prayed that Max was alright. We raced back to the Laundromat to look for him; we were happily surprised to find him holding the old man’s hand, still waiting for us on the corner. We began the four-block walk back to their father’s empty house, while my heart still raced from the adrenaline pulsing in my body.
I drew a hot bath, and finally took a deep breath, to try and relax: to take in all that had just happened. Shit, I just realized that mugger could’ve had a knife or a gun on him. I was so blessed that he didn’t, and that he couldn’t outrun me. My body was still shaking from the rush of adrenaline, that comes from running past the point when the body says ‘stop.’ It took a good hour for the shakes to stop.
I rested my head on the edge of the tub and asked myself, “How the hell did I get here?”
It all started in May of 1999: I knew something was coming my way. The feeling that things were about to change, was undeniable. I was living in Sedona, Arizona; home of the incredible red rocks and New Age mecca, I truly adored. I was working as a jeep tour guide. I loved my job, as it was adventurous and great fun. Compared to my previous job as school teacher, which I did love too, but the daily monotony drove me bonkers. Sure, the elements were unpredictable, and the passengers were sometimes stingy with small tips, but overall, it was my most favorite job so far.
I never knew what was coming next: time off sitting in the guide cabin reading a book if there was a slow stretch, or back to back days with no breaks. Sometimes, there was hardly time for lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Cowboy Club. It’s still there in Uptown Sedona, where I frequently consumed the buffalo flank steak or buffalo burger! Yummy… makes my mouth water just to think of it. There was always plenty for leftovers. However, more often than not, one of my growing sons would snatch it, before I did! Unless I hid it in the back of fridge, but then I might forget it was there.
I’d survived many strange, love relationships: an on-again, off-again with the father of my sons and recently with a brilliant fellow jeep driver. He had a photographic memory, which included post-traumatic syndrome from recent service combat. He couldn’t even conceive of being around children! Love had been mistreating me horribly, but I knew I couldn’t give up.
I remember calling Bobby’s name and shaking his hand as we met…he was a passenger on my jeep tour. He was ready for a thrilling ride through the red rocks. He sat next to me, and almost immediately I felt giddy, like I was in high school again. I knew Bobby felt it too; the electricity in the air was undeniable.
The tour was just short of magical, as it always was, traversing through the high desert on dusty roads to Arrowhead trail. Aptly named after the old Western movie filmed there, way before it was a tourist attraction with so many homes and shops. From the first 2-foot rock I climbed with the 4-wheel drive jeep, I had him in the palm of my hand. Or maybe I was in his, I’m not sure anymore. He was one of my best audiences anyway.
We were not alone, mind you, although everything & everyone else seemed to blur into the background. It was like we were the only ones on planet Earth for those two hours. The other passengers included a couple who sat in the back seat, which had been converted to face forward for a better view. I bet they could tell something was up, as the air seemed to be positively charged with a magnetic, invisible energy. Almost immediately, Bobby and I started politely flirting with each other.
I asked him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I live in Seattle with my two sons, who are 6 and 9, and my 14-year-old daughter. But my parents live in Mesa, Arizona, where I grew up.”
Bummer, I thought to myself, and responded, “And your wife?”
“We’re recently divorced. Luckily, we get along better now we’re apart. She’s seeing a new man, who gets along well with our children.”
“That’s cool,” I said. “I’m not with the father of my children anymore either, and we get along fairly well.” At least we had some common ground: two single parents with 2 or 3 children. My mind was already thinking of the whole Brady Bunch scenario: if we got married we’d have FIVE children to take care of! That could be a nightmare or an adventure depending upon your point of view.
Neither of us could deny the sparks flying; it felt like live dynamite. I began my spiel about the rocks, how they formed over millions of years, how each layer was made of a different combination of sand. I explained what makes them red: the iron oxide, which basically makes them rusty old rocks! Next, I spoke about the vortices and the Sedona Vortex Effect. Imagine you’re in my jeep getting the ride of your life, like a nature rollercoaster with your eyes closed on occasion! Hanging on for dear life, during rough spots, where I put the jeep at a 45-degree angle! I continued talking and sharing; it went something like this:
“Folks, the vortex energy can be felt by just about 50% of the visitors who vacation here. More than likely, if you’re female, you can feel it more than if you’re not. Perhaps that’s because some women can be more sensitive to some things. Not that men are not sensitive, it’s just more likely that ladies will feel it. Some people feel a positive vibe while visiting here, while others don’t feel anything whatsoever. As a long time, Sedona resident, who’s lived in many other spots, I can say for myself, that I do feel more uplifted and happier when I’m here. I also practice meditation more however, which may have an effect too.
Evidently, the vortex energy was discovered in the 60’s by a psychic from Phoenix. She would bring groups up to Sedona to meditate and explore their own psychic energies. Some may call it ‘Woo Woo’ and others call it bull crap. I have had some majorly amazing experiences with those energies and psychics. Even hiking during the full moon, on a red rock vortex, but that’s another story for another day.
Many people come here from all over the world, in fact, we get almost as many visitors as the Grand Canyon. We expect about 3 million tourists while the Grand Canyon gets about 4.5 million. Sedona started out as a trading town between Cottonwood and Flagstaff, back when wagons delivered goods, while traversing dusty, craggy roads.
There had been a booming farming community in nearby Oak Creek Canyon, where apples and pears grew in abundance. This was attributed to an innovative irrigation system constructed by one of the early residents, Frank Pendley, who built at Slide Rock State Park. Settlers were attracted to Sedona; they raised cattle and horses. Eventually, the slow mail system prompted T. C. Schnebly to apply for a local post office. Many names were submitted (including Schnebly Station, Red Rock Crossing and Oak Creek Station), which all were all too long for the cancellation stamp. These were refused, and eventually he submitted his wife’s name, Sedona. She was originally from the Midwest. On June 26, 1901, the post office began in the back of the Schnebly home.”
I shared what makes Sedona a popular vacation & tourist spot. My edutainment included animals and plants, and their many medicinal, food and other useful properties. This included: Banana-leaf Yucca, Jesus Crown or Mormon tea, Soap-tree Yucca, Snakeweed, shaggy bark Juniper, Manzanita, Agave, Prickly Pear cactus, Bear grass and the beauty of various pines, Mistletoe, Sugar Sumac, Cliff Rose, Mesquite and more. The ‘wait a minute bush’ would stop cowboys during their journey, if they got too close and tangled up in it! I made sure to include local pop culture, like which famous movie and music stars owned 5+ million-dollar homes nearby. I entertained people on my tours, I even sang sometimes, but not today. As the handsome, energetic man from Seattle had quickly captivated my attention and affection.
One of my first jokes spoke directly to him. Being that my jeep was pink, I said, “Yeah, this is my Barbie jeep and I’m looking for a new Ken.” Little did I know at the time, that he used to be called ‘Ken’ with his former ‘Barbie’ wife, back in high school. My next joke got him as well. I liked to stop the jeep abruptly and say, “Oh, there’s a deer!” Referring to the John Deere tractor parked alongside the trail, instead of a live deer. We all got a good giggle on that one. Fooling him that easily tickled me immensely and he was surprised too. That was the beginning of one wild rollercoaster ride.
When I would usually take people up for a better view and brief hike at Chicken Point, Bobby and I got a few moments alone. My inquiring mind gathered facts, like his job: engineer and a hobby: hiking. We continued to flirt mercilessly, as we both found each other irresistible. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t believe I was flirting with someone who lived 3,000 miles away. Was it just my regular MO of wanting unavailable men? What was the point anyway? I wanted someone who lived closer and who could be with me in a meaningful way with marriage in the future. Still, I couldn’t fight the overwhelming attraction that grew within two short hours. We both hinted at seeing each other after the tour, and finally exchanged phone numbers after the other passengers disembarked. We met that evening for a drink and dancing.
At the Barking Frog Grille, Bobby asked, “Shall we dance?” That sounded way too familiar to when the father of my children said to me, “Shall I love you?” Luckily it didn’t bring up any old shit for me, right then. I thought it was awfully sweet of him to take me dancing on a first date. He had pulled out all the stops to try and impress me. When we slow danced, I knew I was a goner. He had these big, strong, muscular arms and shoulders which seemed to embrace my entire being with longing and love. I felt at home at last, like I truly belonged with this man. He smelled good too, not like cheap cologne, but something tasteful with a hint of manly spice. Since I don’t like strong smells, that was certainly in his favor.
After he asked me to take him somewhere romantic with a view, he brought a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates: milk and dark, in case I liked one and not the other. I thought to myself, “He must’ve hit up the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory! It’s the best and I think this guy likes the best.”
We were at the top of Airport Road. The view of the sunset was amazing as usual. It seemed like a good time to sing one of my favorite songs for him – a gospel tune from Agape, my former church in California. Michael Bernard Beckwith, the motivational speaker from the Oprah Show and The Secret movie and book, started it. Ironically, that’s the same place I had met the father of my children. Use Me spoke right to his heart. Bobby seemed to melt as I sang of my love for God, imploring the great Creative Spirit to ‘Use me.’ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/uma4
The lyrics, written by Rickie Byers, basically talk about: God as the creator of everything, letting our lights shine and standing for the Creative Spirit in our lives. The words also ask God to command us to do whatever we possibly can.
Whatever I can do, in service to God, I’m up for! My take on the lyrics was more Universal than his perhaps, but we found a common ground in spiritual matters. For me, that’s a crucial piece of the Man Puzzle I’d been searching for! This definitely contributed to an enchanted moment in his rental car, where we had our first kiss. Our lips seemed to mold together, like they’d been made for each other. I felt a fire burning inside me, which was slowly simmering and getting ready to explode. I had not experienced this passion and burning desire in many, many years!
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Soon thereafter, Bobby sat me down on the futon sofa and told me, “I have to tell you something serious.”
I responded with, “Whatever it is, I can handle it. I’m stronger than you know.”
He hesitated to reveal, “I have Parkinson’s.”
I apologetically replied, “I don’t know much about the disease. What does it do to you?”
He told me that it made him weak and shaky sometimes and that eventually he might become debilitated. It would probably shorten his life.
I tried to understand the enormity of this news, but I couldn’t really fathom it completely. I wouldn’t let something so seemingly minor stand in the way of our budding love affair. Once my boys were asleep in their room that evening, we quietly enjoyed each other's company. I was definitely in heaven with this man, who must’ve been sent from God straight for me, to answer all of my hopes, dreams and desires.
He ended up staying with me for 3 days instead of heading home the next. It was important to me that my kids liked him as well. So, we all hung out together part of the time, to ensure that happened. We visited the sights of Sedona, including hiking at Oak Creek, meditating in the forest, and shopping at the New Age ‘Woo Woo’ shops, filled with crystals and incense. We dined in some of the finest restaurants in town. It was like a whirlwind tour of the top local spots. Perhaps, I shed a tear or two upon his departure. I know, how can you fall in love in 3 days?!
I said to myself, “I think I’m going to like life with Bobby.” Little did I know at the time, that life would be mostly insane and quite unbelievable!
Lesson in Love #1: Keep your eyes open for love, because it can catch you anywhere and anytime!