My Cleansing Birthday

Since it hasn't even cracked zero today, may be a good time to talk about my birthday last week in Biloxi. The whole day was one of past and future. I began my day by taking an hour walk - a half hour to the town square of Biloxi and a half hour back. During the walk, I visited the Hurricane Katrina memorial at the town square and the Hurricane Camille memorial on my way back. I saw many remnants of Katrina still visible.




Sadly, there are still many visible reminders of the devastation. If anyone wants to buy oceanfront property, now is a good time. There were so many empty lots with "for sale" signs. Lots of half-broken trees too. Even some of the buildings are still standing with their empty shells. And yet there are signs of hope too. A chain-saw artist from Florida has been spending time turning many dead tree stumps into beautiful and amazing works of art. I didn't have my camera available to get photos of them while driving by, but here's a link to read more and see some of them: http://www.gulfcoastnews.com/GCNnewsChainsawArt.htm



I got back to the hotel just in time to go to the spa for my Tranquility Journey - from salt scrub shower to steam room to sauna to the tranquility room with multiple whirlpools. The steam room was by far the best part of the journey. As I sat in the wonderful heat and steam, I felt as if I was sweating out all of this toxic past year and opening my pores up to allow new energy to enter in. It was a very symbolic way of cleansing the past and moving to the future. The hot stone massage itself was wonderful, but the tranquility journey prepared me for it to be its most effective.



Next came a chance to dress up in fun clothes and hit the Hard Rock for dinner and fun. Of course it would have been more fun with friends along, but I still enjoyed the night anyway. Unfortunately the "new energy" I soaked in at the spa didn't prove to be very fruitful in the various emporiums of chance (as a parishioner called them,) but I still enjoyed the night. It was definitely a good way to leave a difficult year behind and move forward into year 48 of my life. Here's hoping it's better than 47 was.