Invasion of the Water Snatcher

Here on Gilligan's Island North, we have a lot of work to do. Survival has short term and long term requirements. Both of which need tending to. Short term requirements... Stuff like eating, staying warm, and mending fences... That doesn't take much in the way of planning, per se. At least not on a day to day basis.

The long term picture... That's a different story. Planning is a necessity. More than just planning, though. When you are faced with the prospect of stewardship of a beautiful and plentiful environment... A place to share the beauty with others, and a duty to do so... For years to come. There is room to dream. And that's where it starts. With dreams.

Not the type of dreams where you wake up and say, "Wow! Now that was a dream! Hope i remember it later..." No. This is conscious, thoughtful dreaming. Where you start with the thought that all things good and wonderful are possible. And go from there. You can't plan it if you didn't dream it first.

Many will laugh at this vision. Somewhere along the line they bought in to a belief that an environment, where all things are good and wonderful, is simply not possible. The truly grateful - those in whom appreciation and wonderment thrive and prosper - will marvel at and embrace it. Count me in the latter. Count me in the group who find it inspirational beyond that which most people will ever experience. i find this to be somewhat unfair on a global social level. How could it be fair that i get to experience all of this and someone else can't?

This sense of fairness... Justice if you will... This sense inspires me to be the best me i can be so i can share the bounty with as many others as possible. When you sit under the stars at night and absorb their light... Soaking it in from all directions. Slivers of white magic energy piercing the tree tops to reach you. Knowing that they are reaching out to every woman... Every man... Every child... Every animal... Every plant... Every stone and piece of dirt lying atop this beautiful planet we share... Knowing that these same stars are reaching out to every being. And wondering how many are actually open to receiving this gift... You cannot help but be humbled.

It is from this place of humility that i find the need to share. How could i not? Other beautiful people are sharing with me... The Universe is sharing with me... And dreams are being shared with me.

Yesterday i had the opportunity to see some of these dreams laid out on paper for the first time. Amongst a group of passionate, sincere, intelligent, thoughtful, and loving people. The interim cumulation of the thoughtful consideration of numerous minds and spirits... Years of consideration by some. Months by others. Sharing of dreams and visions between one another over a period of months... Reconciling the interfaces between natural and unnatural... Always leaning in favor of the natural.

Putting the interim interpretations on paper. To be pored over and discussed. To be constructively contemplated as a group. Around a table in the light, airy and warm shelter of a domed space. Then spatially experienced as you walk around in the trees and open spaces...

Moving as a group. Connected by a shared vision and the acceptance that independent, individual input is necessary to fulfill the dream. That this is so much bigger than any one of us, or even us as a group. That it isn't about us as much as it is about everybody. Discussing the practical realities of transferring the little colored shapes on the paper to the rocks and trees of the earth. "Should it really go there? Is it the right size? Will it get enough sun? Is that too much sun? How will visitors feel when they approach this? What about kids?" 

And the water. Always the water. We have hot water and cold water. Surface water and well water. Artesian and pumped. Creek water and river water. Always moving. Always roaring as she flows among the boulders on her way to the sea. Or a Southern California lawn.

With this bounty comes responsibility. A LOT of responsibility. Our first duty is to protect the water for all the beings and ecosystems that depend on it. Period. And we take this very seriously. Because that's who we are. Since we are not the be-all-end-all Authority Having Jurisdiction (yet), we have ancilliary responsibilities to seek permission for any dreams and plans we may have in, around, for, and with the water. This relationship with water involves a great many agencies, legalities, and mazes to navigate. 

To help us navigate, not only the dreams and plans themselves, but also the people and paperwork of this nebula, we tap into the collective knowledge of consultants. Four of whom are with us here this weekend. It was an interesting series of thoughts and emotions before they arrived on Thursday evening... Which lingered for part of the day on Friday... "It's strange not being the consultant. And it feels GREAT to have so much help!" 

There are a great many thhings to discuss, and decisions to be made while these talented folks are here... As stated, the water is, without a doubt, the greatest consideration. Many tests and samples and engineering reports and who knows what else, will be required between now and then. And we have to understand, from a scientific perspective, just what we're dealing with. We need to measure and record temperatures and flow rates and bacterial counts and mineral compositions. We need to observe and study what comes from where and what happens when we do this... Or that.

The scientific experiments began almost immediately when the consultants arrived late Thursday afternoon. Well, after they enjoyed a refreshing soak in the magic mineral water... Three of them arrived as a group, after meeting with various representatives of the Legal Nebula. But it wasn't so much as when "they" arrived as it was when "he" arrived. "He" is whom i shall call the Water Snatcher.

i first encountered the visitors as i was pushing my car from one part of the property to the other. On my way to go move more firewood. For the sake of avoiding worry about mechanical breakdowns on your part, i should point out that my car is a wheelbarrow. A nice, new wheelbarrow that will see some modifications in time. The first victim to meet me was the architect. A sincere and nice guy who stepped into a pile of you-know-what when he asked me what my favorite feature of a wheelbarrow was.

Being me... A soul who has just happened to consider the many merits and shortcomings of wheelbarrows... And their proper operation since childhood... i was adequately prepared to embark on a five-minute demonstration and discussion of the topic.

It wasn't until i had gone on my way, across the bridge, just past the mulberry tree, that i first encountered the Water Snatcher. A shorter, furry guy, with a friendly and inquisitive spirit about him. He wasn't interested in me at all as he jogged toward me. i guess you'd call it jogging... He was definitely moving with purpose and faster than a stroll... His eyes immediately went to the shiny orange five-gallon bucket in my car. i saw the way his gaze fixed when he was still fifteen yards away and approaching... And i braced for what i thought would be the first real test of my willingness to share since arriving on GIN.

The fresh air and inspiration of being here has quickened my response time. There is less shit in and on my mind to get in the way of being present. Really. Really. Present. i knew what was coming and i knew i would say "No." Not because i didn't genuinely want to share, but because my bucket was in use. Thankfully, the Water Snatcher didn't ask. i didn't have to not share. And that was a relief. He looked in my bucket and saw that it was being used. He really wanted a smaller bucket anyway. i pointed him toward a place where his search would result in success, then headed up the hill to take care of my chores.

i had been invited to join the group for supper. Last i heard, that would be about 8pm. After tending to chores and continuing to detail out Shackteau, i dressed up, then ventured toward supper. Making sure to leave in plenty of time for an invigorating soak along the way. i had strategically chosen clothing which would be easy to get in and out of for soaking, knowing that i would most likely want another soak, later in the evening, on my way home. Arriving on the changing deck about seven fifteen, i looked forward to the warmth of the water awaiting me.

Tiptoeing into the tub, i found that the water was indeed warm. Not so warm as hot, really. Uncomfortably hot. And the level was down. The water flowing in thru the hollow log was nearly scalding. i stayed in for just a couple minutes... Soaking interspersed with frequent climbs onto the rocks and wooden platform to cool off. It really was too hot to enjoy at this point. i traversed the lower tub and climbed in the darkness to adjust the cold water supply. In these tubs, especially in the darkness, it doesn't matter whether i'm wearing my glasses or not... i can't see shit, either way... i'm either blind 'cause i don't have them on, or my glasses are fogged up.

Being blind, in a wet, rocky, slippery environment, means you better move slowly and feel your way around. As i felt my way toward the hatch door over the cold water supply valve, i felt a piece of paper and knew that the tests had begun. Reaching for the hatch, i found a padlock. i knew the tests had begun.

This turned out to be the first real test of my willingness to share, and the Water Snatcher brought it on after all. Though i cursed the Water Snatcher, in a playful and teasing way, behind his back... i passed this test of spirit with flying colors. In my heart of hearts, i was glad that we were progressing... One beautiful scientific step at a time... Toward fulfilling the dreams that will become reality here on Gilligan's Island North.

There are gonna be some times when you just can't soak in every hot tub whenever you feel like it. This is one of the prices to pay in order for the dream of really sharing to come true. 

When the seeds of inspiration come your way, plant them. Nurture them. And watch them grow...