Anita's Other Space

It's just after 5 am. I have been awake since just after 2 am.

My wakefulness has nothing to do with the light in Yellowknife, which would stream through windows all night if not for this hotel's thick curtains. I like the light. I've always liked the light. I think it has more with a wakeful mind, and perhaps something which I will walk away from 24 hours from now.

I love this city so much. I have loved my time at the NorthWords Writer's Festival. I have spent time with horses, healers, and friends all under this northern sun and its lovely light.

I mentioned circles. A couple of lovely connections have found me over the past few days.

On Thursday I had a mentoring session with a lovely women I had met once before--or so I'd thought. She was at a workshop I gave in Yellowknife a little over a year ago. During our conversation it came out that she grew up in Baker Lake. "Oh," I said. "I went to school in Baker Lake." it turns out that she is only two years younger than me, and knows the same people I remember, and what became of them. Some of them, anyway. I felt like I'd found a cousin or someone closer. We played on the same playground. Probably, I played floor hockey with her.

Yesterday there was a second "Open Mic" night at JavaRoma, a coffee house. I was so happy to see Mildred, a woman I knew well from my days with the Territorial Writer's Association, but have not seen in several years. We'd known that we had both at one time lived in Sault Ste. Marie--compared memories of restaurants. Last night we learned not only that we'd also both lived in Lynn Lake, MB, but also that we were there at the same time. She was the editor of the newspaper. We know the same people. We played on the same playground, in a manner of speaking. We did not play floor hockey.

It is good for the heart to find these connections, and to see so clearly the circles our lives take in making them. Energizing.

And thus...no sleep.