Cloud Busting
The greatest lessons in life are the easiest to miss.
“If you really want to remove a cloud from your life, you don’t make a big production out of it, you just relax and remove it from your thinking. That’s all there is to it.”
~ Richard Bach - Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
Today is the last day of school for our local school district. My son has failed the 7th grade, and will be attending summer school. The school district was never so generous in my day. Progress, it seems, is a slow grinding mill. We are, however, grateful for this opportunity, and I am hopeful that he will finally learn to take his education seriously by accepting the responsibility of doing his work.
Yesterday, I arrived at his school about thirty minutes before end of day. Parking was scarce, but I was able to find a spot facing an open patch of late spring sky draped with delicate low hanging cloud-work visibly drifting on gentle invisible currents. Little puffs of fluffy white floating in a clear blue sea.
With plenty of time, and nothing better to do, basking in the warm peace of the moment, I thought I'd try cloud busting a few to see if I still had the touch. It was years ago last I'd tried, and difficult under those circumstances, but things are better now, and it felt right.
I started with a small wispy specimen, held it softly in my gaze, took a slow deep breath feeling the cloud within me, and let it all go. Slow and easy, it dissolved into nothing.
I smiled. 'Not too bad' I thought. Let's try another.
I found one, a little more substantial than the first, and repeated the process. It took a little longer, but in the end it too melted away, reclaimed by the pristine azure above.
I was so thoroughly engrossed in the activity that I hadn't noticed the time pass while I erased a few more. My son approached the car and I greeted him as he climbed in.
“Whatcha doin?” he asked.
“A little cloud busting while I wait.”
“What's that?”
“You don't remember?” I'd showed him when he was little, but we've been through a lot since then so I reminded him. “It's when you pick a cloud and make it disappear. Here, I'll show you. You see that little 's' shaped cloud right there? The one that looks like a little snake.” I pointed, waiting patiently while he scanned the sky. “Here, follow my finger.” I leaned toward him to help guide his eye to the target.
“Oh yeah! That one.”
“Okay. Now we're going to wipe it away.” As I spoke the area behind the head had begun to fade. “See, it's starting to go. Now we'll work our way down to the end of the tail.” In less than a minute the head was all that remained. “And now for the head, though it kind of looks like a three fingered hand now, doesn't it?”
“Yeah, it kind of does.”
“It's trying to be stubborn, but it'll go. Just watch.” Another thirty seconds or so and it was gone.
“What do you think of that, kiddo?” I asked. “Is that cool, or what?”
“I guess. It's kinda weird.”
“Dude, it's not weird. It's awesome. All the other clouds are still there, but that one I picked is gone! I think that's amazing.”
As we pulled out of the parking lot I explained that I first learned the idea from one of the books I have at home, and haven't tried it in years. It was much easier this time which must be a good sign. I told him the story of when I showed my first wife, and that she thought I was crazy. But she couldn't explain why it was only the clouds I picked that disappeared. I mean, what am I supposed to think?
He recently discovered the joy of reading as he was required to read a book for one of his classes this year. It was the first book he's read that wasn't a graphic novel, and a proud moment for both of us. There's a short break before summer school starts. I think I'll hand him my old copy of Richard Bach's Illusions, and see where it takes him.
“A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed. It feels an impulsion… this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.”
~ Richard Bach - Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah - From the Messiah’s Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul.
I remember cloud busting...now I've got to try again! Thank you!
Intriguing.