Launa Helps, Dixie Heals: Collaboration #6 w/ Barb Carlson

This is part six of a Tuesday WE collaborative effort of myself and Barb Carlson. In the previous installments, Dixie arrived at her Uncle's farm house, just in time to see a bear trying to climb in the backseat of Tia's car, where an injured Launa lay. If you missed part one or two of this tale, please go back and start  HERE. Barb and I both  I have index' to our tales of Launa and Dixie, so if you have missed the back story of either, please go check them out.

Dixie was becoming more anxious by the minute, thinking about Launa's amazing gifts, and wondering how she could possibly help her with her nightmares. She was pleased to have something to keep her busy. Cooking had always been a stress reliever for her, and at times, an escape from the verbal and sometimes physical abuse that Jack, her late husband, had heaped upon her on an almost daily basis. She took pride that she could make a delicious meal from just about anything, and these past few days had put that theory to the test.

Placing steaming bowls of thick, hearty bean soup, cornbread and  a wilted lettuce salad on the table, Dixie called out to her two new acquaintances "Soup's on, Ladies, come and get it while it's hot."

Launa and Tia came into the kitchen, all smiles.

"Wow, Dixie! This is great!" Tia said. "This reminds me of my mom's cooking." Her smile faltered just a bit at her mother's memory.

Launa patted Tia's back in sympathy and looked up at Dixie. "Yes, m'am," Launa said, "you are one fine cook! Thank you so much." Then Launa stopped and looked at Dixie speculatively. She came around the table to where Dixie stood and hugged her. "You're worried. Don't be worried." She brushed her hand across Dixie's forehead and sent calming energy. "Relax. Enjoy the meal you made. It will be okay." She smiled reassuringly.

Dixie felt a flush of warmth gently billow through her as Launa touched her forehead. She instantly felt much more at ease. "Did you do that, Launa?"

As Launa nodded her head in affirmation.  Dixie , in awe of the strange change in her own demeanor, exclaimed "Wow, Ok, then, lets eat," letting her astonishment of Launa's gift go undisclosed, for the moment.

After they had all eaten their fill, Dixie felt as if she could burst, both from the huge meal, and also at the feeling of companionship she felt with these women, at this moment. She had not had a real "girlfriend" since moving back into her mother's home, and she felt blessed to have fallen so easily into friendship with these two errant travelers.  A twinge of remorse made her pause, as she could sense it was all about to end.

After the dishes were done, Tia said, "I'm going to go poke around in the attic for a while. I love old trunks and finding treasure." She looked at Launa and Dixie. "You two have your talk. I'll be up here for a while."

Well, she's about as subtle as a tank," Dixie laughed. " Okay, Launa, how does this work?"

"All right, Dixie," Launa said. "Sit back in the recliner. I'll pull up a chair next to you." Launa positioned the chair near Dixie's head. "We're going to do a little relaxation first, then some mapping and then we'll get down to the real work." Launa paused and said, "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Dixie said, exhaling a deep cleansing breath.

"Close your eyes," Launa said, "and picture yourself sitting in the chair."

Dixie was surprised at how clearly she could visualize herself.

Launa chuckled. "I'm helping a little bit, but you're good at this. Now I'm there, too."

Dixie saw Launa standing next to her. She was surprised and opened her eyes. The room was still there, and Launa was looking at her smiling. "It's okay. Just like watching a movie. Close your eyes again and relax."

Dixie closed her eyes, and she saw herself and Launa again. "It is like watching a movie," she said, keeping her eyes closed this time.

"Very good," Launa said. Then the Launa in Dixie's mind pulled out a wand. She held it up for Dixie to look at. It was a perfectly clear crystal wand with facets at the end. "What's your favorite color?" Launa asked.

Dixie smiled as the wand turned her favorite shade of azure blue. "How did you do that?" Dixie asked, clearly amazed.

"I didn't," Launa said. "You did." Launa raised the wand above Dixie's head. "Now I'd like you to relax. We're going to start at your head and work our way down." Launa moved the wand close to Dixie and she could feel warmth and relaxation spreading down.

Dixie snuck a peek just to see if Launa actually had a wand. Nope, no wand. Launa was just sitting there looking at her.

"Close your eyes," Launa said with a smile. "And stop peeking."

Dixie smiled, yet closed her eyes again, and it was just like before she opened them.

Launa slowly ran the wand down Dixie's body, then up again. She paused and did it again. By the time Launa had made the second pass, Dixie realized she was more relaxed than she'd ever felt. She had no desire to open her eyes.

Launa smiled. "Good. Now we're going to do a little mapping. You don't have to do anything beyond listening to me.

Dixie saw a faceted crystal in the distance. It slowly came closer. As it got closer, Dixie saw something moving inside the facets.

Launa said, "This is your memory. I've made it look like a crystal so we can work with it. Everything you've ever experienced is in there."

Dixie felt a moment of panic, as a few choice memories came to mind. Private memories.

Launa passed the wand over her again, and her fear drained away. "Don't worry, I'm not going to embarrass you," Launa said. "Those memories have little to do with our job here today."

Launa touched the wand to a facet, and it opened and unfolded like a puzzle, and there was a scene from when Dixie was small. She and her friends were picking Honeysuckle. Dixie could smell the Honeysuckle, taste the sweet nectar, and feel the grass between her toes.

Launa smiled. "Nice," she said.

Dixie couldn't help but smile at the pleasant memory, while visualizing the facet closing.

"Okay," Launa said, "now we do some mapping. Just relax."

Launa then proceeded to say words, and as she did, some part of the crystal would light up, open, and close again. "Mother," Launa said.

A vision of Dixie's mother fixing lunch opened and closed.

"Work," Launa said, and they both watched as several facets lit, opened and closed. This time they dealt with Dixie's work at the Home.

Then Launa started saying words more quickly, and the facets lit, opened and then closed in rapid succession. Dixie was getting a little dizzy, but Launa waved the wand again, and Dixie felt herself relax and just watch the show.

After a few moments, Launa stopped. "Okay," she said, "we're ready."

Dixie tensed, but again Launa calmed her with the wand.

Launa placed the wand on Dixie's chest. "This will keep you safe and calm. You will see things as from a distance, both in space and time as well as emotion. Nothing can hurt you, nothing will upset you.

. The wand is the love you feel for others and for yourself." Launa placed the wand gently on Dixie's chest.

Dixie felt warmth from the wand and it made her smile. It felt like a hug from Grandma. Launa touched the wand lightly and it glowed brighter.

"This is the love others feel for you, added to it." Launa smiled at Dixie. "Many people love you."

Dixie felt tears running down her face. Her real face, that is. She felt someone gently dab them away.

"Yes, that was me," Launa said. "It's okay." Launa paused a moment, then raised her hand. It looked like someone had opened a skylight. A shaft of what looked like sunlight poured down and focused on the wand on Dixie's chest.

"And this," Launa said, "Is just a tiny bit of your Creator's love for you. Nothing you do will ever make this go away. Nothing you think will change this. Right or wrong, you can never lose this."

Dixie sobbed once, and Launa laid her hand on Dixie's forehead, and the pain left her. Only peace and warmth and happiness remained.

Then Launa touched the crystal and the scene tormenting Dixie's dreams opened. A light shown from the end of the wand into the scene and illuminated it. Suddenly Dixie realized it had all been a lesson - for her and those involved - and there was no right or wrong. Those who died are now with the Creator and safe. Most of all they were forgiven. Suddenly, Dixie saw she'd made a few bad choices, but she'd done it out of caring. She saw she'd done the wrong things but for the right reason.

The wand continued to illuminate the scene until all the color and emotion was bleached out of it. All that was left was a slight sadness. Dixie realized she could think of Carol and Ray without strong emotion. She saw their parts in the event and how their choices changed their own outcomes. She realized she actually played a very small part in the whole event. Mostly, it had been for Carol and Ray to work out.

Slowly, the scene folded into itself and was neatly tucked away inside the crystal. The light from above slowly faded, but Dixie didn't feel a loss. The wand glowed at her chest. She felt a weight lift from her soul. It was as if the light had taken the pain with it.

Dixie tested the edges of the memory, and found it profoundly sad, but not gut-wrenchingly awful, like before. She felt lighter, somehow. She felt a warm, happy glow.

Launa touched her forehead. "Wake up now, Dixie," she said. "Open your eyes."

Dixie opened her eyes to find the room exactly the same and completely different at the same time. She felt like a film had been removed from her eyes and she was seeing clearly for the first time since she was a child.

"Life is still a struggle," Launa said, "but you'll remember that feeling of love." She smiled, "You only have to recall the memory to feel it again." Launa helped Dixie put the recliner into an upright position. "Take care to remember often, so it doesn't fade."

Then Launa opened her hand to show Dixie a small quartz point. As Dixie watched, it began glow a deep blue and as the glow faded, the color remained. "Here," Launa said, "keep this with you and when you start to feel lost or afraid, hold it in your hand and remember."



Tia tiptoed down the stairs, not wanting to disturb Dixie and Launa. It was stuffy in the attic, and she was hoping to get something to drink to take back up with her. She didn't know how long they would be.

Tia was surprised to find Dixie and Launa talking. "Haven't you guys started yet?" she asked.

Launa smiled. "We're done."

Tia blinked in surprise. "That didn't take very long. I was only upstairs about 15 minutes!"

"No way, Tia!  Fifteen minutes? It couldn't have been only fifteen minutes. " Dixie said, shaking her head,  and looking at her watch. "Wow. It seemed like hours."


Launa patted Dixie's hand and stood up. "I need a nap," she said. Launa laughed at the look on Tia's face. "No, not a four-hour nap, just a short one this time. Maybe 30 minutes, okay?"

"Go right ahead sugar, or should I call you 'Swami'?" Dixie grinned. "As for me, I feel like pole vaulting the Eiffel Tower. I could run a marathon right now, and beat them all, I'd wager. I think I'll take a walk instead, though. I have some thinking to do"