“Eyes closed, I feel the weight of the bamboo ring resting gently on my hands. The heat of the flames warms my fingers as the bamboo gets lighter and lighter. I send a thought into the universe wishing for a beautiful, long, and meaningful flight.

I look across at my friend and see the deepness of the prayers she is sending, sadness, death, love, family, hope, gratitude, freedom. We hang on just a bit longer as the light starts to lift. Another moment passes, another wish sent, another world shared.

My heart gasps in wonder as the Thai floating lantern lifts itself into flight, eyes smiling, we watch it float skyward.”

Three years ago in Thailand I helped a friend release her mother’s spirit from this world, sending her floating onward along with all the sorrows, love, and happiness she had left with Jeannette. It was magical, life changing, and a blessing to be a participant in such a meaningful moment. My friend left me with two gifts in the few hours that we spent together, one being the phrase “Some people come into our lives for a reason, some for a season, and some for a lifetime” and the other was the experience of this lantern lighting and wonderful ceremony.

Both gifts have stayed with me integrating themselves deeply into my soul, slowly growing, and occasionally surprising me with a beautiful blossom. A couple nights ago one of these buds became something extraordinary, a gateway from one life into another, a hope, a dream, an inspiring moment.

Over the last week we created another flying lantern, the first I’ve seen since leaving Thailand. We sent it into the sky with ideas, thoughts, dreams from last year, and this year, in a prayer for personal change, open opportunity, world development, mindful peace, and meaningful enjoyment.

The flight of this dream was an exhilaration of the spirit, tapping an energetic part of the universe to fill each of our cups with the abundance of life sourced from the magic of the unknown.

Here are a few pictures from our NYE ceremony:

Thai Flying Lantern

And here is a video of what the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai Thailand looks like.