When gift-giving gets serious

So much has been written about the amazing week in the desert that is Burning Man. The costumes, the art, the music - it's a truly unique and amazing experience.

This was my 4th year on "The Playa" and it was the most magical so far. Why? Not because I did any crazy drugs or had a wild romance. In fact, this year I specifically went there to receive the wisdom of the universe. Just to ALLOW things, people, experiences and messages to come to me without me controlling everything. See, control is a sticky thing for us workaholic Virgo types... we think we can do everything so we try to do everything. But at a certain point, our own intelligence and wherewithal is not as powerful as the universe. And that's where the concept of FLOW really becomes powerful.

Instead of trying to control everything, I chose to flow. This can be uncomfortable for me - not knowing what's going to happen, whether it will be good, whether it will be fun, etc.

On Friday evening of the Burn this year, I decided I would not commit to any particular time or plan for the night - I started out the evening with a few friends, and all I knew was that I was going to let the playa dictate my experience. And the gifts just kept coming - incredible music to dance to, art that kept popping up in unexpected places, even a couple that rode up to us and offered to make S'mores using propane fire tanks they had strapped to the backs of their bicycles. By the time the sun rose, I was in Heaven. I turned to one of my friends and said that the gifts kept flowing to me, and at that exact moment a stranger rode up to me on her bicycle and handed me a lit incense stick, then rode away with a smile. My jaw just dropped at the synchronicity!

Through tears of joy and beauty, I used the incense stick to bless and cleanse the people near me, and in those few minutes I had a very clear understanding of something I can bring to this world. I have always felt that goodness is truly the highest value, and what I've come to understand is that through my radical goodness, my willingness to be unreservedly in love with the world, with every stranger, I can make a difference. Yes, the world can be full of jerks, but it can also be full of beautiful creatures who give without expectation of anything in return, and I definitely want to nurture the latter.