Flying with Blodeuwedd

By Christina McClendon

Breath deepens

In and out.

Lungs expand

In and out.

Eyelids close and the waves appear.

As the wave crests, I see Her face.

And then She is gone.

Another wave comes, again, Her face.

The curve of Her smile, the wisps of hair under Her hood,

The wide large eyes of Blodeuwedd.

Stillness.

Complete Bliss.

Perfect Unconditional Love.

Come with me,

Fly with me,

See through my eyes…

We wind our way into the tree trunk and up the spiral staircase.

At the top, the staircase opens to one lone branch.

We walk out together.

What is your heart’s desire, my love?

Our eyes meet and we smile with complete understanding.

My arms open and the feathers spring from my skin.

My eyes widen, and where my feet once stood, now talons, sharp and ready.

With a deep breath and complete confidence, I take flight and soar through the moonlit night.

The apple orchard is so small from this height!

The Tor approaches, and we circle our ancient and Sacred Space.

Silver leaves glisten on the trees in the dark of night.

The water around the island ripples and sparkles with the movement of the cool night wind.

Above us, the stars are glittering orbs of light, illuminating our flight.

What do you see, my love?

Her soothing voice sings in my mind.

I search for the “right” answer in the underbrush of the trees, the apple that has fallen to the ground, or maybe the budding plant near the Tor.

No, my love.  What do you SEE?

Colors, auras, and a patchwork of light appears all around me and my eyes fill with love and beauty.

What do you hear, my love?

Again, I strain to find the detail she seeks.

The insect’s beating wings? The rattle of the leaves in the wind? The rippling song of the water below?

No, my love.  What do you HEAR?

A soft symphony tickles my ears and the song grows as I soar in the night.

A host of animals, plants, and insects perform the sweetest love song I have ever heard.

What do you feel, my love?

I spread my wings and spread my talons.

This time, I am sure I understand.

The wind.  The mist in the air. The cool temperature on the surface of my body.

No, my love.  What do you feel?

My heart and lungs fill with warmth that spreads to the tips of my wings and into my belly and through my feet.

It is the caress of Wholeness, Authenticity, and Oneness.

We soar back to the tree and as we float to the ground, the transformation begins again.

My toes touch the cool grass and my eyes adjust to the full moon above.

What did you learn, my love?  

There are no words.

We embrace, and the beauty, the symphony, and the warmth of her touch pervade every cell.

With tears in my eyes, I understand.

I have tasted pure freedom.

The drum beats and the return is bitter sweet.

The breath deepens again.

My toes and fingers move, sweeping into a curved stretch and a slight yawn.

Eyelids softly blink as the knowing smile spreads across my lips.

Until we fly again, Blodeuwedd.

---

Originally Published in Flower Face: A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Blodeuwedd (Avalonian Devotionals) Paperback – June 6, 2016, by Ninth Wave Press.

---

About the Author: Christina McClendon

Mermaid, mother, feminist (not always in that order).

I love to giggle and help others find their giggles.

I love to hear strangers’ stories and the touch and smell of dog ears.

I love to taste the wind of new places and to experience art of all kinds.