TheBanyanTree: My, how time flies!

[Russ Doden]

> At 06:40 PM 2/16/04 -0600, Paul wrote:
> 
> >   TheBanyanTree officially opened March 1, 2000.
> >   And now, we are four.
> >   That's my story.  What's yours?
> 

Short Version:

Back in the mists before the Spoon, I sat by a smokey camp fire 
avoiding flames and learning I COULD write after all.  I had been invited 
to pull up a log by a fellow performer at the Renaissance Faires.  Terry 
Hinely encouraged my performance as well as my writing.  When the 
smoke got too much, Terry moved to this new place called the Spoon, 
and I followed along at his encouragement.  Sadly Terry was taken from 
us far too soon, but I still listen to his music and harass is "little bro" who 
is still a friend.  All to soon the Spoon closed it's doors but I heard about 
this magical place called the Banyan Tree.  

Through all of this, I have had a few changes of my own.  First was the 
separation from my spousal unit of 20+ years.  We had just grown so far 
apart that we didn't even know each other.  After the separation came 
the divorce.  We seem to respect each other more now than we did the 
last 10 years of marriage!  Through this I have been self employed for 
most of it.  I'm just now starting to join forces with another company so 
this is a new chapter in my life book.  

On an even more personal note, I have become very active with helping 
people on non traditional paths of spirituality.  Or maybe I should say 
very old traditional paths.  Paths that help them find their own personal 
power and connection to the creator.  Over this time I have become a 
shaman apprentice (and that is all one ever is, an apprentice) a Reiki 
master/teacher, and am on the Toltec Wisdom path.  I'm not the same 
person I was when I first timidly walked up the that fire so long ago.  
Now, I have a warm and wonderful branch, that is cared for when I am 
absent for a while.  I have made friends through this place from all over 
the world, that I never would have made otherwise, and have even been 
privileged to meet some of them.  

It is difficult to realize and grasp that the BT has been here for 4 years.  
In some ways it feels like it has been here forever, and in other ways like 
it was just yesterday I was shown my own branch.  Many changes have 
taken place over the last 4 years, but the one constant that impresses 
me more than anything is the respect everyone shows each other here.  
That, in my mind, is something that is very special.  

Russ