My Eternal Gratitude for Loreena
I sit here beside the emerald green Skykomish River with pen and paper in hand watching the water ripple over the rocky beach and waves tumble effortlessly over large boulders. I’m surrounded by tall trees and green mountains as the rhythm of the river and the wind dances in my ear and a distant voice sings “Bonny Portmore” while I ponder how to express my eternal gratitude to Loreena for her music that equals nature in beauty.
Twenty days ago, my sister-in-law was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a brain aneurysm. We were scared for her as we waited to see if she had any brain injury caused by the bleeding. The first day after her surgery, she had passed the doctor’s tests to show she was doing good, just a little slow, which was normal after that type of surgery.
Marie was worried about her family, especially her husband who just had colon cancer surgery and all I could think of was how to keep her mind off of her worries and her pain so she could rest easily to recover the best she could. The second day, I threw Elemental through An Ancient Muse (not the Christmas cds, but if it was closer to winter I’d add them too) into my bag thinking, “I can’t play these, but at least I can read the liner notes and lyrics to her, maybe that could help.”
Low and behold, out-of-the-blue, there in Marie’s room was a cd player! She was very lucky, not only to survive an aneurysm, but also to not have to endure my imitating Loreena. PHEW!!!! I started off with Elemental and Marie automatically said, “She has such a beautiful voice.” And fell asleep. She would wake up and say, “Her music and voice is so calming.” Then fall back asleep. I’d nod in agreement with a big smile on my face that I was able to share the music with her to take her away from the hospital into a peaceful place so she was able to heal. Then the nurses would come in and take her out of that place.
The nurses would also comment on how lovely the music is and how beautiful Loreena’s voice is. I’d nod in agreement with another big smile on my face. “Is this Celtic?” they would ask and I would explain the songs the best I could all too happy to have spread Loreena’s music to more people in a not-so-happy setting. One nurse grew up in Europe said, “I recognize this song,” she never heard of Loreena but had heard “Santiago” before and was delighted as it took her back to her youth and a place dear to her.
Each day I brought the cds with me and each day Marie became better. After 2 weeks in ICU, she was moved upstairs with no cd player. She was sad not hearing Loreena sing to her. My sweet neighbor let me borrow her little cd player and Marie was delighted to be able to listen. Once she was sleeping, she said, “She is so ink.”
“What?” I asked.
“She is soo in.”
“Yes, I agree, her voice is very soothing. That is one of the many reasons I love her.” I read the liner notes to Marie and the nurses would stop what they were doing and listen to Loreena’s words about the songs and travels. Loreena captivated Marie and the nurses just like she has done me as I am thankful for the smiles she put on their faces, twinkles in their eyes, and joy in their hearts.
Marie watched tv with the sound off so she could listen to Loreena and then after 2 days of tv, she turned it off saying, “I am tired of watching tv.”
I had to ask after 16 days of listening to Loreena, “Are you sick of listening to Loreena?”
“Oh heavens no! I don’t think I’ll ever tire of listening to her. Her music is so beautiful and her voice is so calming. I love listening to her.”
“I’ve been listening for more the 13 years and I haven’t gotten tired of her yet. I have missed listening to other artist because I spend most my time listening to her. I’ll never get tired of listening to eclectic Celtic.”
Two days after that we were listening to “The Mask and Mirror” a nurse came in with discharge papers, stopped in mid-sentence and asked me, “Is that Loraina?”
“Yes, it’s Loreena, do you like her?”
“I love her. Every time I hear “The Mummers’ Dance” I feel like a faery flying in the woods.” And so we talked about Loreena for a while until she realized she had business to tend to. That night I drove her to her parents’ house and 2 days later they took her back home to Eastern Washington.
Marie recovered quickly with no brain damage and no memory loss; which is rare when someone having bleeding on the brain. She was very grateful to me for playing Loreena’s music while she was in pain, discomfort and sick with worry that she could have had another bleed and leave her family behind. I am eternally grateful for that as well as giving us such beautiful songs with a beautiful voice to listen to that has the ability to calm, to comfort, and give peace to our souls. Yes Loreena, I found “peace there”.
May love, peace, beauty, and health be with you,
Gina

quote:

Originally posted by Gaia:
Dear Gina

I thought for a moment there wellll errrrrrr

just saw your profile
what do you think of that famous latin saying
a healthy mind in a healthy body?
a sound mind in a sound body
or is it the other way around in your opinion?

I think it goes hand-in-hand. I know someone who is sick in the head, but is in fairly good health. Still his mental disease is starting to hinder his health by keeping him from seeing a doctor.
Your mind needs to be sound for you to make the right decisions to keep your body healthy and that will keep your mind healthy.

Love, Peace, and Health,
Gina

quote:

Originally posted by Gaia:
Gina?
get on your knees and ask her hand in marriage

good luck!

Gaia, I am a little confused as to who I should ask to marry.
Bright Blessings,
Gina

Yes, I think I should purchase Tinkerbell for Marie! I'd love a copy for myself!!! Great suggestion!!!
Love,
Gina

Hey, speaking of Ms. McKennitt, Gina, are you going to purchase or rent Disney's "Tinker Bell"? Maybe you could share that with Marie. I'm sure she could use a lovely bedtime story from our favorite Canadian singer. After all, I heard that Ms. McKennitt is going to be narrating the film. Cheers! --Loreenya

quote:

Hello, Gina. Thank you for sharing that story with us. It seems to me that God is sending healing through Ms. McKennitt upon your sister-in-law. Well, God bless with health your sister-in-law and may He, as well, bless Loreena McKennitt! --Loreenya

How funny! I just posted a response to your 4th of July message!!!
Thank you so much for your sweet words. It never fails to amaze me how many different forces there are to call upon for help. There are family and friends, there is Loreena, there is Mother Earth, the plants, the powers of the animals, the moon, the stars, drums and other instruments, the goddess and god(s). All these forces or energies joined together to help Marie and myself through this scary ordeal.
God has blessed Loreena and you too. The blessings of the Corn Mother has shone through Loreena strongly. There is only a few examples of the Corn Mother I have seen in my life and she is beauty through and through.
Your God is strong in you, He has blessed you greatly. Keep him close to you and feel him in your heart as that is where he resides. Thank you for the blessing. Marie needs all she can get. We are all in this together. I heard that somewhere before. Don't remember. Still, I love Loreena's words best, "There is more to bind us together then tear us apart".
May all be blessed with love, health, beauty, joy, and may you never hunger or thirst,
Gina

Hello, Gina. Thank you for sharing that story with us. It seems to me that God is sending healing through Ms. McKennitt upon your sister-in-law. Well, God bless with health your sister-in-law and may He, as well, bless Loreena McKennitt! --Loreenya

quote:

Dear Gina

You are most welcome.

What would life be if we couldn't be there for eachother?
I miss that very much my self after having moved to the big city. Here people seem only to care about them selves and there nearest.
But it is somehow understandable.
There are limits of how much a person can capture.
Even I can't capture being there for all people.
But it doesn't explain where the common kindness has gone.
Even though you don't know a someone you can still be nice to him/her/it and treat him/her/it with respect. (By it I meen all living creatures, animals, plants and so on.)

Well.
End of todays moral-lecture...

I just get so somtimes.
And it's not on you Gina. I hope you understand.

Huge hugs
Anxious

Anxious, I do understand where you're coming from and with some people you don't connect or you cannot help. It is sad in most places that there is a common feeling of what you describe in your big city. Even in my small community I am close to three different families. I feel this would be a better place if we could look at the bigger picture of protecting our environment and caring for all that is around us, not just our own selfishness. There are about 200 families living here in between the Skykomish River and the Cascade Mountains and not to mention a bear and a few coyotes. We don't fear the animals, it's the myth-heads we have to look out for. It's sad...


Such an enduring and lovely account! Perhaps Loreena's music is more divine than we can ever imagine! I hope Marie is still well!
Thank you LMFan I couldn't agree with you more. Loreena is more divine than we can imagine. Marie is getting stronger every day, thank you for your concern. Her and I appreciate it very much. It is amazing what few kinds words can mean so much.
I hope Live In Paris and Toronto will hurry up and get to Marie, it's over a week and I am anxious for it to get to her. Of course I ordered it 1 day before Loreena's new cd were released.
Thanks again and forever.
Love,
Gina

Such an enduring and lovely account! Perhaps Loreena's music is more divine than we can ever imagine! I hope Marie is still well!

Dear Gina

You are most welcome.

What would life be if we couldn't be there for eachother?
I miss that very much my self after having moved to the big city. Here people seem only to care about them selves and there nearest.
But it is somehow understandable.
There are limits of how much a person can capture.
Even I can't capture being there for all people.
But it doesn't explain where the common kindness has gone.
Even though you don't know a someone you can still be nice to him/her/it and treat him/her/it with respect. (By it I meen all living creatures, animals, plants and so on.)

Well.
End of todays moral-lecture...

I just get so somtimes.
And it's not on you Gina. I hope you understand.

Huge hugs
Anxious

quote:

Originally posted by Gina:
I talked with Marie last night and she is walking without any aid!!! She is still tired and her headaches are fading away!!! I felt 200 lbs drop off my shoulders and she is very grateful to me, Howard (my husband) and Loreena for our help.
Thanks once and again V, not only has Loreena helped, so have your kind words of support and understanding of the situation you have been through.
Even Anxious and freesoul's caring thoughts helped me. Even though I wasn't sick, I was worn out and to read the sweet words here, filled the emptiness. THANK YOU ALL!!!
You are correct about Loreena; I hope she knows how special and unique she truly is and knows how deep down her music reaches. I couldn't be who I am without her. I am equally blessed to have all you in my life, thank you from the bottom of my heart with all my soul.
Love,
Gina

quote:

Even though we've already talked about this, I'll say it again: I really hope Marie is okay now, Gina.

Loreena's music and words helped you, Marie and me a lot -- and I guess they helped a lot of people all over Earth. She's truly a unique artist.

Love,
V

I talked with Marie last night and she is walking without any aid!!! She is still tired and her headaches are fading away!!! I felt 200 lbs drop off my shoulders and she is very grateful to me, Howard (my husband) and Loreena for our help.
Thanks once and again V, not only has Loreena helped, so have your kind words of support and understanding of the situation you have been through.
Even Anxious and freesoul's caring thoughts helped me. Even though I wasn't sick, I was worn out and to read the sweet words here, filled the emptiness. THANK YOU ALL!!!
You are correct about Loreena; I hope she knows how special and unique she truly is and knows how deep down her music reaches. I couldn't be who I am without her. I am equally blessed to have all you in my life, thank you from the bottom of my heart with all my soul.
Love,
Gina

Even though we've already talked about this, I'll say it again: I really hope Marie is okay now, Gina.

Loreena's music and words helped you, Marie and me a lot -- and I guess they helped a lot of people all over Earth. She's truly a unique artist.

Love,
V

quote:

Loreena and her music are a strength for me too. She is always with me in good times as well as in hard times to support me, with her so intense voice and sweer words.

Glad to know that your relative is getting better.
Health problems are really what we fear the most, because they make us feel fragile, weak and defenceless; discovering Loreena’s strength and feeling stronger thanks to her in such kind of moment you have described is like getting a warm hug when you need it hugely. Hope to render well the idea of what I meant.

A hug to you and your sister-in-law from me too!

freesoul

Thank you very much Freesoul, I do appreciate your thoughts and kind words. Loreena's music and voice never ceases to amaze me with how she can bring deep comfort to people all over the world. She goes so deep into my heart and mirrors nature perfectly.
Here's a hug, kiss, and good health to you,
Gina

Loreena and her music are a strength for me too. She is always with me in good times as well as in hard times to support me, with her so intense voice and sweer words.

Glad to know that your relative is getting better.
Health problems are really what we fear the most, because they make us feel fragile, weak and defenceless; discovering Loreena’s strength and feeling stronger thanks to her in such kind of moment you have described is like getting a warm hug when you need it hugely. Hope to render well the idea of what I meant.

A hug to you and your sister-in-law from me too!

freesoul

Thank you so much Anxious for your thoughts, hugs and kind words. The hardest part was seeing the pain in her eyes. She needed someone with her the whole time because she was scared. I held her hand during the day and my husband (Marie's baby brother) held her hand in the evening.
But it was Loreena's voice and music that gave her comfort from the pain. So I ordered Live in Paris and Toronto to be sent to her so she can have Loreena in her life too.
Loreena has such a special gift of song and music, it's magical, unlike anyone else I have heard.
What more can I say then thank you to Loreena for what she brought to Marie and to all of us, yet I feel it is not enough, it doesn't justify how I feel to Loreena. May we stay well and sing with joy.
Thanks again Anxious and here is a huge hug for you,
Gina