Traveling Jo

  Circles:   We live in circles. Large and small. Circles of life and circles of learning.  Circles of new beginnings and circles of endings.  Circles of death and circles of rebirth.  In these circles, we have access to the codes for healing ourselves and the world.  Through these circles, we learn to change, to become one with ourselves and one with all.  As one of our circles expands and changes, they all do.  Graphic Design Image by Katie Jo   The plane landed in Dublin, Ireland. My travel companions and I consisted of myself; my stepdaughter Keisha, Suzanna, and her husband Buck, a seasoned Vietnam war veteran. Keisha was our elected driver. We had anticipated that it would be tricky to drive on the other side of the road with a steering wheel on the right-hand side of the car- but we couldn’t have anticipated the extreme challenge of what it would take to navigate through a new city with narrow streets and one-way roads under hazy and debilitating jet lag.   We found our way to t

The first impression of Scotland as the airplane begins to descend from above the pillowy clouds onto the Edinburgh runway is how green it is. The earthy, deep tones of green and charcoal grey stone that seems to welcome you and warn you of the strength and foundation you are about to step foot on.  This is the land of the enduring. Those with strong spirit and a history of surviving harsh conditions with a heart of jovial merriment that can turn murderous if necessary. The land and the people, offer rustic beauty, deep soul while also a challenge to meet them head on.  As I wandered up and down the cobblestone streets in Edinburgh on the Royal Mile, my mind zig zagged between modern day and history.  Bagpipes play in the background by street musicians in full Scottish Regalia, their cases on the ground filling with coins. Tourists from all over the world swarm the bistros, pubs, and souvenir shops in a symphony of languages and yet, on every building you can see plaques that denote th