Ma Cherie
Ma Cherie, ma Cherie. Never will I forget that song that brought me nothing but the brightest fortune for the upcoming year.
Sitting in the car of my wonderful host and his friends taking me to a concert in the snowy mountains of Kazbegi. For the fourth time. "We will have a party tonight for the Bedobe up in a hut in the forest on top of the mountain. We built it for two years. Do you want to join us?"
There went my quiet day as I'd decided to stay another day in this beautiful guest house between the twinkling majesties, have an introspection time for myself starting into the new year.
"Yes, I would love that" I hear myself saying, feeling the excitement and honor of their invitation. Me a foreign woman in my Sakartvelo invited to the holy place of the Georgian mountain men where they spend their day of fortune to manifest love and peace for the world for the upcoming year.
Only few hours later, I'm back in their car hearing Ma Cherie for the millionth time, laughing, singing along as we're making our way to the mountain picking up food and drinks. It's dark, it's freezing, the snow is deep.
I receive a message: "I just want to write you and say hi. Thats all. Share the gratitude for you in my life. For all the times we were and will be together. I care for you so much. And I’m so happy we’ve met. For everything we’ve realized thanks to each other. Oh… the life is so magical.. I love you dear ❤️" My heart is filled. Abundant blessings. I feel deep gratitude and magic arising as in this fortunate day I've received another one earlier this day:
"Meine liebe Lina, Tage der inneren Einkehr liegen hinter mir und durch viele Gespräche zu anderen Themen habe ich immer mal wieder Momente absoluter Klarheit gehabt - wo ich stehe, wo ich hinmöchte und welche Menschen mich auf dieser Reise begleiten. Dir möchte ich danken, für all die Momente des Lachens, der Anregung, dass du ein Teil meiner Reise bist... Es erfüllt mich mit Wärme, zu wissen wo deine physische Reise dich schon hingebracht hat und wo sie dich noch hinbringen wird. All meine Liebe, Marci". I feel truly holy. As it will appear more throughout the course of the upcoming hours but that was still yet to come.
We start walking into the pitch black, the snow up to our knees. It's New Moon. My moon stone cross around my neck. Cross my heart and hope to die. What did I get myself into? My adventure spirit starts growing inside of me. Already after a few minutes I need what will be the first of four breaks up to the hut. Vazha is holding my hand, encouraging me for each meter, lightening the path preparing the foot steps for me to step into up the mountain. "I promise you, the hardest part is over. I will pull you up, you don't have to walk so close. Are you mad at me that it's so difficult?" Haha of course I'm not, only am I breathing like an old Georgian car in this cold, sweating in my six layers, feeling that this will be sacred. This will be a holy experience for me. I can already imagine myself trying to get back that mountain after midnight half my blood consisting of alcohol.
After what seemed almost an hour we finally arrive at the wooden hut. A small Christmas tree in front of it. Vazha ushering me inside to the oven where the first two already prepare mushrooms with onions and roasted potatoes.
"Lina you should take off your first two layers so you get warm. We're going outside so you can change" I try to stop them but they're too polite, all three of them going into the snow waiting for me to change.
Only minutes later our two other friends arrive, setting me into the cosiest place, making sure I have it warm, filling up my plate, the toasting of our Supra starts, I'm already blown away can I not remember that I've ever been taken so kindly to such a magical place breaking the traditions of these amazing men including me into their ritual, inviting me in their holy place as the night takes its course.
The first toasts go to God, protecting the country and the people, as they move on to our families, parents and siblings that we love so much, to peace, understanding, acceptance and love in the world, to respect each other, connecting our hearts and cultures all over the world. The hut becomes more crowded. More guests, full house. This must be magic all these young men showing up in the darkest night in the middle of nowhere to share their love, their brotherhood, making me part of it in making it sisterhood. Let's raise our glasses, again. The next toast will be to me, for me, the gift of God that was sent to them for the new year for luck. I feel like a holy princess. My whole me is shivering of joy throughout the night, my heart shining while everyone is trying to share their story with me, translating for one another, lightening more sparklers extending the new year, making all our wishes come true. To all the women in the world they extend the brother-sisterhood with all their heart's respect of truth.
"Somehow they treat you like the holy one from the Occident." I hear my dad saying. I tell them I went to church today. I found a ring, bright blue for my ring finger right next to my grandma's. That space I made only a few weeks ago giving my friendship ring to my love. They start smiling, words are exchanged, they laugh. I smile, I look at them: "It means I will get married with a man in Kazbegi uh?!" They look at me and laugh more. Yes. We're combining our spirits. Our stories of our broken hearts, this toast will heal our wounded souls when we gave our love freely. Unstoppable. Sia. I sing. The boys sing. Georgian singing, I missed it. I become part of them, their culture, their feast that they have prepared unintentionally becoming a vegan dream ceremony for me.
As I'm writing these words Givi is sending me pictures of the last days. The boys and the girls, the men and the women, from different worlds becoming United into one.
Time passes as midnight approaches, we're getting ready to make our way down, again everyone making sure I will feel comfortable as mountaineer and life saver is taking me by my hand backwards guiding me down the entire mountain making sure I will not be hurt in the snow, being safe in my space. The snow is sparkling so bright under the flashlights. So crystal clear and magical in the darkness of the night. It's beginning to snow again.
Arriving back at the house Vazha is making me his friend. "You don't have to pay nothing, you're our friend now. Friends don't pay. You're always welcome here whenever you want to come back. You know in all the years we have the guest house I never did this, you're the only one. I can see my brother likes you, he's a good person." I've seen that, I've felt that over the last days, throughout the entire time. This goodness, his kindness, his care and protection, his clear open mind, his sensitivity and heart for everyone around him, making me wish nothing more than to care for him in the same way wishing for an angel to be send to him returning what he's been giving. Saying it, he naturally is helping, ushering his tired brother to bed inside. We keep talking for a little while longer about our struggles with life, our emotions, sharing our truth. Moshla ar Moshla.
Deep drunk sleep of fortune dreams closing the circle in the here and now. The Marshrutka returning to the big city where I left my friend a few days ago broken hearted. Wholeheartedly coming back another cycle completed. My friend driving me to the Marshrutka, sharing some last sacred moments together. More new friends, another new home, more treasures in my heart, more love received as my guest homes, friends and family grow connecting old and new ones magically, effortlessly. Dona, Kari, Alban, Nikoloz, Lia, Maria, Laila, Eteri, Ana, Bacho, Vazha, Givi. One week. One month. One year. The sun in my face. Again. So bright I can barely see. Empowered by the glittering snow of the mountains around me. Ways are getting shorter, hearts richer and views clearer. A day of fortune manifesting my upcoming year. My heart shining (b)right like a diamond. Oh MA CHERIE. My holy angel from the Occident in Gods Garden. How did you get here? You believe God is a woman? He or She. Amin.
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