Halle's Naming Ceremony- My friend Lisa

When I was 10 or 11 I was at my friend Amy's house playing one day, and her cousin Lisa came to visit. Lisa lived in the next town over, which meant we went to separate elementary schools, but we all merged into a single Junior High and High school. So the next year when I went to 7th grade, I was happy to see Lisa, and we, along with another girl Jennifer, became fast friends. These are women I have known now for almost 25 years. Unfortunately I do not keep up with Jennifer nearly as much as I should or as much as I'd like to, but I always look forward to seeing her when the opportunity arises. The last time I saw her was at Lisa's wedding 7 years ago.

There are some friends in your life that you just realize you are going to "know" your whole life. Lisa for sure is one of those people. Even if we go 6 or 8 months without talking, we can just pick up and have great conversations. When I graduated from College she flew down to Pennsylvania to meet up with me in Pittsburg and we drove accross the country together. By the end of the trip we were having so much fun, we couldn't believe that it was already over. We spent the next two days in the car driving to Seattle & to the Oregon coast!


Over the years we've watched each others lives change and become renewed in so many ways- New jobs, new towns, new houses, new friends, transitions of all sorts. Lisa was very sick many years ago, and watching her bravely work to become a full person both in body and spirit once again truly showed what an amazing person she is. She has been to visit me in Oregon both on her own as well as with her husband of now 7 years. Every time I visit my family in Vermont, I never leave without at least one and usually a couple of days spending time with Lisa & Douglas. When they were married they wrote their own ceremony. Not just the vows, the entire ceremony. It was the most amazing wedding I've ever seen, and for more reasons than just that, also the most memorable!


Lisa called me last fall to tell me the exciting news that she and Douglas were having a baby! I was so thrilled- it's news that just a few years before I had not expected to hear, as I did not think that they had planned to have children. Watching them transition into a couple who decided to become parents over the past few years and finally to see they actually BECOME Parents has been amazing. I am already in awe at their seeming ease with Halle and how simple they make it look.

I had to plan carefully when to come and visit and meet the adorable miss Halle. She was born in March, so I could have come after she was born, but Lisa had told me they planned to have a naming ceremony around the time of the Summer Solstice. It took me no time at all to realize I would pass up seeing Halle when she wast first born in the interest of going to her Naming ceremony. I knew that with Douglas writing the ceremony, it was going to be amazing. The naming ceremony is wiccan, meaning it incorporates elements of the earth- fire, wind, water, earth. It's about welcoming a soul back and introducing her to the community that she will become a part of. It's about the parents making promises to the new child- not promises that they will raise them to be like their parents, but to become their own individual person with their individual passions and skills and lust for life. It's about the community showing support for this new part of a family.


The ceremony was held outside in a park on Lake Champlain in Vermont. There was a huge grass area which overlooked the lake in the background. We went early to set up- Lisa had brought big white rocks which we laid in a big circle, while Douglas & Lisa's Mom worked to set up an archway. The archway sat at th entrance to the circle, and was decorated with a garland of flowers and long white ribbons that flowed in the breeze. The priest went into the circle and blessed the circle- a blessing which welcomed in all good things, represented by the earths elements. All the attendees then filed into the circle, taking a rose from a vase just inside the archway as we entered. We all spread out around the circle and Lisa & Douglas & Halle came in last. As the priest went through the ceremony, the sun shone so brightly! What a welcome Miss Halle! The most beautiful day of spring to welcome in a shining new light! There was a break in the ceremony for a special blessing called a Rose Blessing. Lisa and Douglas carried Halle to each person in the circle, and one by one, each person touched their rose to Halle and said aloud what they wished for her life. Everyone had only about 30 minutes notice this would happen, yet the wishes were so thoughful and heartfelt, you would think they had been planning them for weeks. People wished her Joy, abundance, a lifetime of love, Patience and understanding, so many things. I could not believe I was the only one in the circle with tears running down my cheeks! My wish to Halle was that she always have Joy in her heart, and awe in her eyes.


After the ceremony we had cake and snacks and enjoyed the sunny beautiful afternoon. I also had a great surprise to see Jennifer and her husband Eric and their cutie little girl Cora. Jennifer is a GREAT Mom- it's just something you see in people- it's easy to recognize quickly when someone comes by something naturally.
Here we are:

Kelli, Jennifer, Lisa (L-R)