Love Story: In The Web of Life (22 page)

"I haven't got to the best part yet. I told you
about Dr. Candice Montgomery. I visited her and her husband in
their home in Altadena. Her husband, Tom Watson, a Hollywood-type
composer/arranger, also does personal counseling in something he
calls space-time therapy. He explained to me how we are like
spiders in the center of this web of information, with filaments
connected throughout space-time. Some of the filaments are
connected to what we call conscious or subconscious memories in our
lifetime. Some people in therapy trace filaments to other space
times. Tom doesn't call them 'past lives' because that implies the
reincarnation thing, souls transmigrating from body to body in a
timeline. Tom says that filaments connect people in space and time
that have an emotional connection for some reason. He thinks there
are a variety of reasons for this connection.

"I asked him how it works, and he said for me
to do it and find out. We started with a sore knee, which bothers
me when I play squash, and ran the thread back to a childhood
injury when I fell on my knee. Amazingly, my knee hasn't hurt since
the session with Tom. Then, we did some emotional threads, like the
last time I was really pissed at Zaza, which went all the way back
to my second grade. I was kind of on a roll so Tom kept going on a
variety of things. After, two hours, a strange thing happened: I
went earlier on a thread, through childhood, and then I saw a vague
picture of another young man that I thought was a brother-not my
brother in this life-standing next to an ancient biplane, the kind
they fly in movies about World War I. The vision didn't last long
so I didn't get much information about him. At that point, we had
to stop because I felt an incredible surge of happiness. I was
blown away, so excited about this exploration I booked another
session tomorrow afternoon."

Tina looked startled and asked, "Was that a
past life? I have a friend who did past life therapy and claims she
was all kinds of people."

"Not exactly. Tom says it was a connection to
another person in space-time. No DNA or reincarnation
implied.
It is connection with a
space-time that holds some idea, emotion, unfinished business, or
physical injury that I need to address.
Tom says it is
unnecessary to understand the big picture of why this connection
exists. We can get rid of all the web attachments of information
with negative emotional power."

Tina observed, "I have never seen you like
this. Is there more? Your energy is about to blow me right out of
this chair."

Then, our margaritas came. Tina told me about
her week teaching. I gradually settled down from my high. We
chatted while we ate, and I observed that Mexican food was very
grounding.

As we finished, Tina said, "I love how you are
changing with all this space-time stuff."

"I also learned how these new friends have
homes that express ideas in space-time. The log cabin above Rocky
Butte, the surroundings, the love, the solitude, and privacy are
unique in space-time. Candice and Tom's place in Altadena is very
true to the Bungalow Style and the Craftsman idea of detail,
workmanship, and integrity. When I walked into the place, I felt
intense feelings that this was somebody's loving home, a caring
creation, a unique place in space-time.

"In reflecting on the subject, I recalled that
my mother tried to maintain the family house as it was at the time
when my brother and I were in high school, my father was alive, and
we were a close family. When she passed away, our rooms were about
the same as when we went to college, with drawers filled with our
high school sports jerseys, Boy Scout uniforms, and silkscreened
T-shirts from the various events we had attended.

"When I look at where I live now, my apartment,
all it says is 'expensive address,' 'talented interior decorator,'
and 'big furnishing budget.' The place is no more to me than a
suite at a five star hotel would be. I am not connected to it as
the people I visited are connected to where they live."

Tina grinned and added, "You are changing. I'd
like to meet Candice and Tom and see their house
sometime."

"I'm going there tomorrow for a session with
Tom. You could come along. I'm not sure if Candice will be there.
You might have to sit around alone for a couple of
hours."

"It sounds great. I have a pile of unread books
on my Kindle to entertain myself. I'd like to see Altadena. Maybe,
we could stop by the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena on the way
home. It is time for me to have another Impressionist fix. Have you
ever been there? There are lots of good places to eat in Old
Pasadena, sidewalk cafes and bistros. It's pleasant to wander
around and shop this time of year. Have you ever been to the Norton
Simon?"

"Not for a long time. It might be a good way to
ground myself after spending an hour or two traveling in space-time
with Tom."

I paused and then said, "One of the things I
like about you is how much space you occupy, how you can mentally
go to Altadena and then flash over to the museum, go through it,
probably visualizing some of the paintings and then move through
the list of sidewalk cafes, probably recalling the menus, and then
go shopping, all in less than a minute.'

Tina tilted her head down in mock coyness,
glanced hesitantly at me and said, "You left out how I started the
day, I was in my place, making breakfast for you."

I felt that pleasant glow around my heart,
raised my hand, and said, "Waiter, check please."

****

It was a beautiful day in Altadena. A late
spring cold front had passed through during the night, clearing out
the LA haze and smog, making the sky sparkling blue, dotting the
mountains with a procession of small puffy clouds. I observed that
this would not have been much of a soaring day on the desert, it
was a good day to be doing something else, particularly with
Tina.

As we drove through Altadena on the way to
Candice and Tom's, Tina was admiring and commenting on the variety
and architecture of homes, Victorians from the early days of
Altadena, old bungalows from the depression era, some of which
might have been the prefab kits sold from catalogs by companies
such as Sears and Roebuck. Small tracts of thirties houses were in
a stucco Mediterranean or Spanish style. We seemed to agree on what
was ugly, and what was well done. I was having fun.

When we got to Candice and Tom's, Tina said,
"Oh isn't that darling, so well done, with river stones covering
the foundation and pillar bases. I'd bet they came from a nearby
creek. I see what you meant when you described it as a home that
somebody loves. Look at the detail, those stained glass panels;
the, old–fashioned windows with the three sections at the top; the
way the beams and eaves are notched and fitted together.

When we walked up to the front door, I saw a
note taped to the glass. It said, "Dave, I am with another client.
Go on into the living room and make yourself at home. Coffee, tea,
and a bowl of fruit are in the kitchen.

As we walked in, Tina exclaimed, "Oh, this is
just perfect. Pasadena and this area have Craftsman homes. Local
artists make Mission Style furniture and ceramics in the Craftsman
tradition. Notice the dark hammered copper light fixtures! Look at
the green ceramic vases, the finely–crafted bookcases, couch,
rocking chairs. The door and window trim are without ornamentation,
made of only flat boards, precisely fitted together! The
light–green color of the walls, sets off their dark natural stain.
The facing on the fireplace is made from custom tiles. Oh, this is
really wonderful!"

"And," I added, "that picture is by a
California Impressionist."

Tina went over to the picture, examined it
carefully and said, "This could be a Payne because it looks as if
it could have been painted of the view from the back yard. Those
mountains look the same. Payne liked to paint around here. Look at
the detail in the wildflowers."

I was puzzled and asked, "How did you get to be
such an expert on California Impressionist paintings?"

Then, we heard Tom saying goodbye to his
client, a well–dressed lady, at the front door. Tom came into the
living room and greeted us with a hearty welcome."

I introduced Tina as Tom looked at her
intently.

Tina said, "I brought along lots to read. I'll
sit right here as quiet as a mouse while you go away."

Tom grinned and said, "Make yourself at home,
and use the kitchen to make coffee or tea. There is a big bowl of
fresh fruit that needs to be eaten. You can sit on the back patio
if you wish and enjoy this beautiful day. The bathroom is right
down the hall. We will probably be a couple of hours. There is a
trail that leaves the back yard and goes up the hill to a
viewpoint. Watch out for snakes."

Tina replied, "Thanks, I think I will do all
those things. I know how to look out for snakes. Dave told me about
Mr. Spider. I think I'll visit him. I'll be careful not to disturb
him."

"He is behind the avocado tree at the end of
the yard."

We went into Tom's office.

Two hours and fifteen minutes later we emerged.
I looked around and found Tina taking a nap on a chaise lounge in
the shade on the back patio. As she heard the screen door open, she
sat up and smiled. "Back from space-time travels?'

"Yes, it was really amazing."

"It looks like it. You are really radiating
that amazing energy." Tina exclaimed.

I thanked Tom, we chatted a bit and then said
our goodbyes. As we walked to the car I said to Tina, "Why don't
you drive. I am still a bit distracted, not totally back in present
time."

"Still feel like going to the Norton Simon?"
She asked.

"Yes, I think that would be perfect. How about
something simple for lunch?"

She thought a minute and then said, "There is a
little latte and snack bar in the courtyard at the museum. They
have sandwiches there. How about that?"

"Great."

After we drove away Tina asked, "Do you want to
talk about what happened in your session?"

"Yes, that would probably be a good idea. I am
still trying to assimilate what I experienced in visiting that
space-time."

"It was some time at the beginning if World War
I and we were in Germany. My brother, he was about 20, and I, about
22, were fascinated with learning to fly a biplane that a local man
flew. He sold rides and gave flying lessons. My recall skipped
until when my brother was killed in a crash of that same biplane,
when a wheel came off in landing and the plane flipped over. I
experienced intense grief. I got back to that space-time because
Tom ran me back on a grief thread that started from the time when
our family dog died in this lifetime.

"Then, I followed the thread of 'crashing
airplanes' and skipped to when I was flying in a German biplane
squadron. The other pilots were a scary, brutal bunch of guys,
fiercely and ruthlessly competing for some award or prize for
shooting down enemy airplanes. I could feel their vibrations of
anger. I was caught up in the game and shot down many airplanes.
Everyone thought it was a noble endeavor; we were like knights
jousting for honor. I re-experienced several dogfight scenes,
machine-gunning other airplanes, following them down to the ground
to make sure they crashed and burned. I could hear the sound of the
biplane motors, smell the engines, and feel how the airplane
responded to controls. I feel as though I could get into one today
and know how to fly it.

"I'll have to read up on the era. There was
confusing stuff I don't understand. I have a sense that there is
more of that story to be recalled from that space-time."

Tina's eyes were wide as she asked, "Do you
really want to follow all that by looking a Monet's
Water Lilies?
"

"Yes, I need a change of
space-time."

The Norton Simon Museum sits on Colorado, the
main street of Pasadena, on the path of the New Year's Day Rose
Parade. As we walked up to the unassuming grey–tiled building, we
passed several bigger-than-life Rodin bronze sculptures in a
courtyard. We could see through the glass lobby into the garden
with a large pond, hundreds of trees and shrubs, and many pieces of
sculpture worked into the landscape. Two exhibition wings connected
to the lobby. We went directly into the garden to have
lunch.

As we sat at one of the garden's wrought iron
tables, enjoying a simple lunch, Tina said, "I love this place,
where we can sit and look over the pond and see works by Rodin,
Laurens, Henry Moore, Hepworth and Maillol and others. What a
visual feast!"

"I'm impressed by your knowledge about art," I
commented.

"My course work for my masters degree has
included quite a few art history and art criticism courses. As I
have really learned to look at art, I have found a different level
of appreciation. With some artists' works, after I look at them a
while I start to feel the emotion of what the artist was
experiencing when they painted the picture. For instance, one of my
favorite pictures, Sous Bois, by Cezanne, in the LA County Museum,
shows a scene in a wood. As I study the picture I can smell the
leaves, feel the humidity, feel the love of the scene, and marvel
at the shapes of the trees. It is as though I am getting into
Cezanne's head.