INTRODUCTION II
As the last year began to unravel, I wondered whether my work with the sacred tree was complete. That question was answered one day when I tried to ride past, and my bike came to an instant halt. Reacting quickly, I caught myself before hitting the pavement. I circled back around to the tree, paid my respects, recited my mantra, and continued on my ride around the lake.
During another bike ride on September 8, 2026, I stopped in to visit the tree and felt something staring at me from the woods. With the portal in sight, I discovered a hawk perched high on a limb near where I stood. It looked directly at me, as if to let me know it was monitoring me. I giggled, thinking: Is it a hawk or some other sentient being masquerading as a hawk? Either way, it was obvious that I was being watched.
I captured a couple of photographs before it took flight and flew directly through the middle of the sacred tree. I could hear the hawk’s wings brush against a couple of limbs as it glided through.
As I approached my three-year anniversary of living in Wilmington, I felt lonely and restless again, like I wanted to pack up and move somewhere else. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling this way. It could have been the long, hot, extremely humid summer, where I spent most of my time indoors, alone. I wondered whether autumn and cooler temperatures would make me feel differently. Honestly, I also wondered if I had any more adventure left in me, or if I was meant to remain in Wilmington for the rest of my life.
Madonna’s music was a huge inspiration and played a large part in my story, so I used songs from her latest album, Confessions II, as part of this chapter’s introduction.