There it was the next day.The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper headline: 350,000 New Mexicans light candles. Serendipitously, it happened on my birthday. It was a banner for me.I felt all that candle energy for my birthday. As the blackout surrounded all of us,my work world suddenly stopped on March 18 at around 3:30 pm , coincidentally my birth time. Yet my birthday was lit up and I felt the Universe acknowledge my birthday in a big way. Later I would joke that those candles were for me . It was the biggest unplanned birthday celebration. In reality it was due to a fire at the Four Corners Generating Station that affected the Southwest.

The year 2000 had brought Y2K along with the doomsday panic concerns and fears. On the eve of the new millennium,new century, all had continued to run smoothly despite those fears and concerns. On the eve of Y2K, I had enjoyed guests for a New Year’s Eve party and was sufficiently stocked up on the basic essentials. But as 12 midnight loomed, I filled up the bathtub, just in case. As 12 hit Times Square in NYC, jubilation filled the air and swept across the country, I felt relief and gratitude that it was going to be alright or as my friend, Minnesota Meg, would say EWOP.

As a reminder to practice EWOP, I am always wearing an EWOP bracelet, a gift from Meg. Destiny and Mother Nature had brought us together on the tiny front porch of the old rambling yellow house located on east side of Paseo de Peralta. Might I also say it was said to be haunted. It was raining . This rambling house was now home to three apartments. Visiting a neighbor two doors down from mine, Meg and her friend Suzy Q quickly took shelter under that tiny roof only to meet me and the houseful of 7 year olds that we were hosting for the celebration of Fiesta de Santa Fe burning of Zozobra, “Old Man Gloom”. It was a big deal. The entire downtown of Santa Fe shuts down to celebrate the Fiestas on the Plaza with live music and dancing .

Zozobra in Spanish translates to anxiety, gloom , anguish, or uneasiness. In the 1920s, artist Will Schuster helped create the 50 foot marionette effigy that became Zozobra . “Old Man Gloom” is burned annually on the first September weekend for the last 100 plus years. From that porch meeting Meg became a regular client and an incredible friend ,enlightening me to many paths including shamanism. Meg worked for Ross Lewallen at his gallery on East Palace. Ross was famous for inventing the ear cuff which sparked a “worldwide trend”. Soon I was doing her nails, walking her across the Plaza to work . I was totally taken with the meaningful, handcrafted sterling silver healing beads. Each bead that Ross created was inspired by his spiritual practice and the healing arts, drawing inspiration from his worldly travels. Each bead represented a quality of healing, wellness or state of being. EWOP comes from Hawiian spiritual and metaphysical teaching and stands for “Everything Working Out Perfectly”. It was popularized by Serge Kahili King, an author and teacher of Huna. A modern New Age system, Huna is loosely based on Hawiian spiritual concepts. Soon I was wearing only that bead on a climbing black perlon rope bracelet. I would gift “Build Your Own Bracelet” to family and friends.

Today I was getting married, “Married to the Universe”. What had started out as a huge cocktail party at The Eldorado Hotel in the Presidential Suite fast became an April 1st fundraiser on Museum Hill for three of my favorite children non profits. On the Ides of March,as the love of my life stormed out of the front door at our house wearing his weathered Outback Aussie hat, a wave of emotions were unleased. Grieving his father’s recent death, he was swept up into his own tsunami, blinded by the grief. With days to my big planned 50th birthday party, I scrambled. The blackout on March 18, 2000, had enlightened me beyond my wildest dreams. I decide that on April 1st aka April Fools Day to host a fund raiser Birthday Party at Museum Hill for several children non profits. Make A Wish, Kids First and Girls, Inc would be the recipients of donations. In lieu of presents, my suggestion to my guests was to make a donation to their choice of Make A Wish, Kids First or Girls, Inc. The event was to be hosted at Museum Hill. We would walk the labyrinth, mingle over refreshments, followed by “Get Married to the Universe” ceremony performed by Minister Susan Voorhess. I was marrying the Universe knowing that the Universe would provide me with everything I would ever need. Standing on the outside balcony, facing east, viewing the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as the Waning Crescent Moon appeared, we closed the Ceremony, launching 50 environmentally friendly balloons. The Waning Crescent Moon was in Pisces, my Astrological sign. The Pisces Waning Crescent Moon brought focus to intuition, feelings, and closure. This was a sign from the Universe to practice EWOP.

It sounded well planned. However on the morning of April 1st, execution of the planned day came under several challenges . First both the spa receptionist and manicurist called out sick. With manicures and massages booked , off to work I went. Meanwhile, I was supposed to be setting up for the planned event on Museum Hill. Soon I was silently chanting EWOP. Minutes after opening the Spa, two local real estate agents came in and bought out the entire Aveda product line to stage several open houses planned. With that unexpected cash windfall, I could have closed for the day but I hesitated . It was like a moment right out of Happy Days. It was the episode when Richie Cunningham ( Ron Howard ) dad’s business window was smashed. Richie stayed on after the store had closed to get it repaired instead of going on his planned big date. Instead, I stayed. My first client was the Hilton Hotel’s Food & Beverage Director, from right down the street on West Water. When she heard my dilemma, she volunteered her services to set up at Museum Hill. As the day progressed, my daughter and her future husband, Matt, showed up to cover the desk and volunteered to close up when the last massage was finished. And Meg showed up to be my driver to the event. So off I went to marry the Universe all because of EWOP.