Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: metaphors for life

  • Page 166

    Sacred Stories

    I walked out of my office, having just posted a Sacred Story titled: Like Talking to Your Dad Again!. He had passed 49 days ago, and his daughter was having a sense of his presence.

    My husband was sitting at the dining table reading a book about the history of our area.


    He asked what I was doing, and I mentioned having just posted the sacred story about our friend.

    “I am looking at a photo of him right now,” her husband said, pointing to a page in the book.

    I immediately sent a text message to his daughter. “I just came out of my office having published your sacred story and here is a picture of your dad on the page of a book my husband is reading.” I sent her a copy of the cover of the book, and the photo of her dad. “Your dad’s photo is on page 166!”

    “That is….I don’t know what word describes it!” she texted back.

    “Now your dad is just showing off,” I responded.

    “He always did have a flair for the dramatic,” she shot back.

    Be mindful of your experiences so you can recognize and share your sacred stories. They lift us all up….

  • Moth Magic

    Sacred Stories

    When she woke up, she walked outside and this beauty was on the door.

    Automeris io, the Io moth, is found throughout the eastern half of the United States, as far west as Utah, Colorado, and Texas. Its range extends as far north as Quebec, Ontario, and southern Manitoba, but as with many other moth species, it is less common now in parts of its range.

    Just the evening before she had sketched this Emperor gum moth in preparation for her Young Naturalist nature sketchbook class scheduled for this very morning:

    While it was not the same species of moth, it is just as beautiful, and magical. She had never seen this species in her area before.

    She wrote: Life and art…. art and life…

  • Linear Garden

    Sacred Stories

    She was out enjoying an early morning bike ride with a friend. The friend was sharing about a program she had seen the night before featuring the ecological benefits of converting cultured lawn space back to nature’s landscape.

    As she turned onto her road, a magnificent linear garden stretched out before her.

    She pulled over to take this photo.

    No fertilizer and no irrigation….

    Be mindful of other ways we have discarded basic beauty for believed better.

  • More Turtle!

    Sacred Stories

    She was visiting with her young granddaughter, out for a walk near the canal. They saw this turtle.

    As the turtle began to move away from them, her granddaughter motioned to the turtle saying, “More turtle.” She had learned to do that with the dog.

    The turtle stopped, turned around and came back their way!

    Imagine recognizing divine intelligence everywhere. Breathe into the wildflowers, “Grow.” Tell the coronavirus, “Soften.” Whisper to your sweet spirit, “Fly…”

  • Trees!

    Sacred Stories

    She sent a tree emoji in a text message to a friend, including one with the yoga tree pose.

    A little later during a gathering via Zoom, several people expressed how trees help them get or stay grounded and centered. Late arriving to the group, one woman explained that she had been painting a tree, and even turned her iPad around to show the group the trees outside her window!

    While her phone’s ringer was off, she had received a text message from another friend. That friend was sharing a video of her baby daughter looking out the window, talking to the trees.

    The baby was so engaged with the trees she did not even respond when her mom softly called her name a couple of times.

    The only words in the text message were: She knows about the 🌲 🌳

  • Bluebird

    Sacred Stories

    His mother-in-law had passed and his wife’s family was gathering at their home to share a meal—safely, out-of-doors.

    After setting up tables and doing preparations, he was so surprised to see a bluebird visit.

    In over 35 years of living here, bluebirds had never been part of his backyard birds. His lot was too wooded.

    When the family moved to to the other side of the house to take advantage of shade, the bluebird followed.

    It was then he recognized the visitor!

  • You Are My Sunshine

    Sacred Stories

    After his uncle passed, he received a message to give to his aunt. It was the light-hearted song “You Are My Sunshine.”

    Although he felt a bit awkward with the message, he felt compelled by his uncle’s spirit.

    His aunt was so touched!

    “That was our song!” she exclaimed.

    They both knew he could not have ever guessed or made that up.

    This mind, which is unborn and primordially pure,
    is spontaneously present from the very beginning!
    ~ Flight of the Garuda, by Lama Shabkar, Tsogdruk Rangdrol

  • Catalpa Tree Magic

    Sacred Stories

    During break time on the last day of their meditation retreat, out for a bike ride, she stopped to take photos of some gorgeous blossoms on the side of the road.


    June afternoon dharma talks under the catalpa tree… blossoms drifing down on them. Fabulous fragrance. She knew the photos would be precious to her meditation teachers, and a friend who always attended the retreats too.

    She had ridden this same route the day before but had not noticed the blossoms. How could she have missed them? They were so beautiful and there so many of them!


    Sharing the photos with her sister they realized it was soooo significant for her to have seen the blossoms on Father’s Day. Their dad owned and operated a bait and tackle shop, and he always gathered the worms that fed on the catalpa trees!


    She shared this story with another meditation group a couple of days later. Several in the group had connections with catalpa trees, and one woman shared an amazing story. She had been told to choose a tree, put her forehead against that tree, and imagine connecting to the lead fairy of that specific tree species. Artists, they were to be able then to draw or paint the image. She chose a catalpa tree.

    Her fairy image was an Aboriginal-like child with wings where the ears would be!

    In the middle of the fairy’s forehead was a spout, out of which light and love and wisdom and blessing poured down upon anyone who was looking up at the tree.

    After sharing her drawing, she learned that the noun ‘catalpa’ derives from the Creek katáłpa, a compound word that translates literally as “winged head.”

  • Privet Promise

    Sacred Stories

    It was not unusual for their dog to look out toward the deck and bark. The dog obviously could see people walking on the path to the beach, or a squirrel in the yard. This day was different.

    Walking to the patio door and looking out, she saw nothing that would invite the barking.

    What did catch her eye was one lone privet branch sitting up about a foot above the deck, twirling around like a whirlpool. Just spinning round and round.

    Looking at the branch, their dog continued to bark.

    There was no wind this day — no lake breeze was moving this branch. It was totally still. So still that not even a single leaf was waving in the highest branch of the poplar trees.

    Four months today her husband passed.

    Suddenly she realized the manifestation! Standing for about ten minutes in silence, she watched in gratitude knowing he was still with her….

  • Hot Tub Visit

    Sacred Stories

    She was alone in the hot tub praying and having awareness time.

    She was thinking of him.

    Today was his 53rd birthday.

    Twenty five years ago, her husband had been 28-years-old when he passed.

    All of a sudden, the hot tub jets turned on!

    Just like someone had pushed the button….