Our Story

Once upon a time, deep in a wooded grove there lived a young couple.  The couple's house throbbed with the same warm hues of reds, oranges and yellows that nestled deep in the woman and man’s hearts.  The house and surrounding forest felt dense with sweet liken and evergreen huckleberry life.  And the young woman and man loved each other very much and wanted a child made of the same love they felt for one another.

The young woman hoped for a child with eyes the color of ocean and sky, just like her beloved husband's.  The young man had hoped for a child with strong, graceful hands capable of nursing family and earth, just like his cherished wife's.  They hoped for much.

One autumn day when the leaves showne with brilliant ambers and the wind settled for the sun, the woman felt a change in her body and heart.  She and her husband knew she was with child.  The young couple’s hopes were being born--they were going to be parents.  Such love they felt for one another!

 The child grew and grew in her mother’s womb.  With time, the couple learned that they were pregnant with a baby girl.  The young one was full of firery movement.  Each evening when the curtains were drawn and the husband rubbed the great belly full of life and the wee girl kicked with fire delight and sumersaulted freely maybe three, four, sometimes five or six times before her night's rest.  “She is her own, is she not?” laughed the couple, also snuggling in for the night.

In her dreams and while doing her daily chores, the young mother began to hear a sweet voice sing softly to her, “Wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya, wind-aa-ya, ho-ho-ho-ho, heh-ee-o, heh-ee-o, ya-ya-ya.  Nora va, va.”  The woman was confused by the words, for she did not know what they meant.  But she knew they were of importance. 

While tilling the earth for a new garden, the young mother again heard the sweet whispered song and knew what needed to be done.  She held her growing belly and the hand of her beloved, “Husband, I believe our daughter’s name is Nora, and we must honor her with this name.”

“How do you know, dear wife?” 

“The wind and dreams told me.” 

From that day on, their daughter was called Nora.  Beautiful Nora.  

 As the air became cooler and the earth hardened the woman felt a freeze run through her.  The gentle wind again spoke to her.

“Your child is not yours.  Your child is of the air and of the fire.  Your child is of fierce truth and understanding.  You must learn from her and not be afraid.  Her life cycle on this earth is for now and only for a short time more.  You will birth her in love and you will release her so she may venture to where she is needed.  Young mother, do not be afraid.  For you and your loving husband will be cared for while you learn to understand the meaning of your daughter.  You will never be alone.  You will be held in love, the same love you hold for your Nora.”

The young woman cried deep sobs.  She did not want her Nora to be anywhere but within and later beside her.  She wanted time.  She wanted Nora to live a long life on the same soil she and her husband walked and loved. 

She stumbled to the forest where her husband worked.  “Please help me,” moaned the wife.  “I am afraid.  I have heard the wind speak that we have little time with our Nora.  She is not meant to be of the earth but of the air and fire.  We are supposed to learn yet I hurt too badly to think of anything but my heart.  It feels broken.  What are we to do?”

The healing husband hugged his wife.  He loved her so and while feeling his own pain whispered, “We are to feel the pain right now and think later.”

At the foot of a nurse log covered with fresh dewy mother ferns, the young couple began to feel older than their years.  The tears ran down their rosy cheeks large and fast, blocking out all vision except that of their family.

The earth held them tenderly as they felt their sadness.

It was time to sleep, yet the mother and father could not rest their bodies or minds.  They yearned for strength to move through the pain.  They needed guidance and help, so they hugged deeply and spoke aloud, “Where are you?  We are afraid?” 

The dark room filled with rose light and a voice clear and true sang, “I am here.  I will never leave you.  You are my mother.  You are my father.  I am your daughter.  I am your teacher.  You shall always love and remember me.  I am of your heart and mind, and although I will be away from you physically, I will always be with you in your thoughts and feelings.”

“I feel comfort in your words, dear Nora, but please tell us more.  We feel weak and broken.  We need your guidance.  What will you teach us and how will we understand?” begged the mother.

“I will teach you how to see me.  I am of fire and strength.  I show the meaning of love.  You will understand more as time progresses and you exercise patience and acceptance.”

“What will we do when we feel weak and hopeless and when we miss you?”

“You will sing my song and feel me with you.  You will always love me and will never forget.  We are a part of each other.  We are family.  I am a part of your life story.”

Softly then the wind sang, “Wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya, wind-aa-ya, ho-ho-ho-ho, heh-ee-o, heh-ee-o, ya-ya-ya.  Nora va, va.”  And the parents were soothed to sleep.

Nora’s birth was perfect.  Mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, all children sang Nora’s song as she entered the world.  She was born and passed to her next journey in the same moment. Her earth life story had been the warmth and calm of her mother’s loving womb.

Through the tears of sadness the wife and husband felt deep gratitude that their beautiful daughter had only known sweet softness in her life.  They missed her yet they knew she was with them always.  They also knew they were parents and even though they must parent in a very different way from others, it was their responsibility to share Nora’s life with others and celebrate the love she continuously offered them.  They needed to honor the life she lived on earth and the life she was to live in air and fire.

On an unusually warm late-winter day, the parents of Nora walked along a pebbly beach with hundreds of loving family and friends to build fire, sing songs and open their hearts to the possibility of a greater appreciation of love and life.

Just as the fire began to roar an eagle graced the skyline, soaring high, so high she seemed to kiss the parted clouds.  The husband and wife, who were now full parents, held one another in strength, unity and yet—so much hope.

And with each passing day, the parents grew stronger and happier for they felt Nora in each step, each touch of garden blossoms, and each raven call.  And in this strength they heard the wind sing loud and true, “You are to be parents again to two more children of earth and water.  They will be their own and live a full life cycle on earth beside you.  They, like Nora, will teach you many things and you will teach them of their sister. They will love her tenderly and protectively.  They will be fuller humans because of her.  You will learn deeper levels of love from and with one another.  Call to these children and do not be afraid.  Trust in the strength of your hearts.  Trust in the strength of your family.  You will live a blessed life because you will see it as that.”

The wind then sang deeply and purposefully, “Wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya-ho, wind-aa-ya, wind-aa-ya, ho-ho-ho-ho, heh-ee-o, heh-ee-o, ya-ya-ya.  Nora va, va.  Fin-ley va, va.  Kai va, va.”  The children were soon to come and the woman and man would begin the second journey. 

In spring’s warm grasp, during a deep, difficult night, full of sleeplessness, the mother with eyes the same color as the earth felt the movement of change.  Moss, rosehip and budding lavender held her hand as she told her dearly loved husband that summer was approaching and they were to have a son. In the nearby tree, a raven family called the song of truth that the cycle was to begin again.  The mother and father knelt in the rosemary bush and cried, not for hurt but for the delicious taste of joy and possibility.