Non-Local Flow
Good Chi, the Sea and Me
Good Chi, the Sea and Me
Introduction to the Book
by Mary Orme Ellis| Following are the first two paragraphs of the introduction: Although often translated as "energy flow," chi means “breath.” Ancient Chinese philosophers believed that the flowing force of chi sustains all life and connects all living beings to one another. Well, perhaps. But in the most real sense, my life was inextricably linked to one person: my daughter. I nurtured her body into this world, I cared for her more than myself, and when her breath, her chi, passed away so abruptly before mine, I did indeed feel disconnected from life. The day my daughter was killed, everything that I had ever regarded as important became small stuff. My heart had not simply broken—it was mercilessly shattered, emptied of a love that had fueled it for the past twenty-four years. They say time heals all wounds, but I had no hope of waiting for this to heal. My daughter was my heart, and now she was gone. How could I live without her in my life? How dare I, her mother, continue to breathe when my daughter no longer could? I would have to create a new heart from scratch, and the best therapy for me was not found in a cushy chair beside a mental health counselor, who prescribed high doses of antidepressants and sleeping pills to quell my agony. I chose rather, in somewhat of an obsessive necessity, to vicariously ride the waves of Tanya’s many adventures by thoughtfully reading her journals. And within these colorful pages, many of which are stand-alone works of art, I found a living treasure of poetry, prose, sketches, and the most compelling storytelling I could ever hope to find. With careful selection, I transcribed the entries and created this book, a journey of self-discovery that begs to be shared. |
 “My body and head Lay asleep like the dead, But now I stand strong, Gay as the day is long, And turn my face to heaven.” Tanya Kimberly Orme 5/21/85 – 6/21/09 |