—by Greta Belanger deJong
Years ago, CATALYST art director Polly Plummer (not yet Mottonen) and I attended the Talking Gourds Poetry Festival in Telluride, Colorado. There, we met Judyth Hill, a force of nature who, after 9/11, wrote the acclaimed poem, “Wage Peace.” Each year Judyth writes a birthday letter that reads like Dr. Bronner on the happiest day of his life. We love them. Here’s an excerpt of this year’s letter:
Judyth’s 11th Annual Birthday Party in the Sky
The Everything’s Always Possible Party! ~ The Let’s Be Divinely Happy Party!
The Everywhere to Go & Plenty of Time To Get There Party! The Nowhere to Go & Nothing to Do Party!
Here we are again! The Celebration that comes to YOU!! This year I am declaring my birthday:
Dreams Comes True & Ecstatic BeautyMaking Jamboree!!
This is our More is More Day!! Sigh deeply! ~ ~ Feel that? Yummmmmmm!
We get to Be in 100% JOY! Remember how great this is?
What Have You ALWAYS wanted to DO? Climb Machu Picchu? Dance with the Monarch Butterflies? Write the Great Pan-American Novel??
Learn to play the alto sax? Take up Watercolors? Make a fish pond? Sail, skateboard, crochet? Sing lead in a Garage Band? Dance for hours & go for breakfast as the sun comes up? Like we usta?!
Forgive Everyone you need to? Write a poem thanking Seeds!
Do absolutely nothing and feel fine? Go to India and serve in an Ashram?
Dye your hair purple and paint your doorways blue??
Write everyone one you Love & say so!
Why not? It’s our day! It’s our life!
Feed Birds! Swim! Tango & tangle! Day dream! Find yummy hot water & loll joyously about for hours!
See 3 movies & eat buttered popcorn! Procrastinate!
Give just-baked cookies away one by one! Take a walk & smile at Everyone!
Be Happy for no Reason!
For Every Reason!
Make Prayers for Peace & and cuddle up close! Go to Work & Be at Play!
Go where you’ve always wanted! Seychelles? Bequa? The Altai? Your back porch? My kitchen?
Visit the Monets? A playground with swings? A Kirtan?
Fajitas and Limonada after?
Lobster roll with extra wasabi? Pho?
Sag Paneer, Sherpa Hot? Carnitas with pico de gallo, guayabas and pineapple on
a balcony overlooking your life,
in gratitude for every blessed second?
A chance to say I love you one more time? And have it said back?
Say it again and again! Aren’t our hearts so full! Whew!
A luxurious nap with a thick blankie, Assam tea with cream? More Kisses?
A Hot bath, scented rose geranium, reading Neruda? Aloud! Coltrane and Tinarwien, Billie H and Bob D?
You Are Invited! You are My Guest! Come to my Party! Start Now!
Come as You Are! How else could you be?
Don’t worry if you are Late – Come as you were! If you are Early – Come as you will be!
It’s all in my heart for us! See you here! Or there! Now! Or later!
Invite your friends! Always room for More Partiers!
And know I Love you Best!
Let’s stay thrillingly, heartbeating wildly, in love & that…that!
Will make Our Dreams Come True!
& Know I love you dearly today & today & today & today…..
xxxxxxxxJudyth
Read about Judyth at JudythHill.com