The Spaces Between the Stars

I just finished reading The Merlin Effect, written by T.A. Barron. It was one of my daughter's reading olympics books. I always have a pile of books on my nightstand which my daughters add to whenever they've finished a book that they feel I must read as well. I was intrigued by the title, the connection to King Arthur, and not the least by the pangs of guilt because I still need to read The Mists of Avalon.

The Merlin Effect is about a young girl, Kate, in Baja for a research project with her father, a historian. The other members of the team consisted of Isabella, a marine biologist and Terry, a geologist. All 3 were participating for their own gains under the ruse of being a team. Her father was looking for The Resurrection, a 1547 Spanish galleon lost at sea and through folk legend rumored to have carried Merlin's horn. The marine biologist was studying sea life and the geologist, undersea volcanic activity. I loved the different themes played out in this story- science, myth, history, spirituality - even more so since this is a young adult book - and one my kid thoroughly enjoyed.

Certain parts of the book struck me, which is why I knew I should write about it. Kate's in-depth conversation with Isabella, regarding the spiral of DNA and the evolutionary creation of life, began with "All the future lies within the present" and ended with my favorite quote:

"Just as every star is part of creation, so are all the empty spaces between the stars."

Kate's conversation with Geoffrey towards the end of their adventure held more favorite quotes and life affirming realizations: "If you can choose, you can create." The magic of the horn has more to do with renewed life than everlasting life. It turns out Kate had the power all along, the knowledge that she could choose her own life, each and every day - to begin again. This has nothing to do with age, for each moment holds it own beauty and promise of hope and potential for change. It's our choice to make something of these moments and days in our lives, old or young, the lesson pertains to all of us.

"Never doubt the spiral horn,
Holds a power newly born,
Holds a power newly great,
Holds a power you create."

At the same time I was reading this book, I was also obsessing on a song by Dan Wilson, Free Life. Here are the lyrics:

Let's take a little trip down where we used to go
It's way beyond the strip a place they call your soul
We'll sit down for a while and let the evening roll


Don't worry 'bout the time we'll find a place to stay
The people 'round here seem familiar in some way
Look kinda like we did before we got so cold


And in the air the questions hang
Will we get to do something
Who we gonna end up being
How we gonna end up feeling
What you gonna spend your free life on?
Free life

Let's fall in love again with music as our guide
We'll raise our ready hands and let go for the ride
Down into unknown lands where lovers needn't hide


We got these lives for free we don't know where they've been
We don't know where they'll go when we are through with them
The starlight of the sun the dark side of the moon


And in the air the questions hang
Will we get to do something
Who we gonna end up being
How we gonna end up feeling
What you gonna spend your free life on?
Free life
Free life
Free life


It seems so long ago those empty afternoons
With nowhere much to go and nothing much to do
But sit up in my room and let the world unfold


In the air the questions hang
Will we get to do something
Who we gonna end up being
How we gonna end up feeling
What you gonna spend your free life on?


In the air the questions hang
Will we get to do something
Who we gonna end up being
How we gonna end up feeling
What you gonna spend your free life on?
Free life
Free life
Free life
Free life

I kept coming back to this song after I finished the book. I thought they went well together, both reminders that we get to choose, this life is ours, given to us free. The years, months, days, hours, minutes - -it's basically up to us - it's up to me to decide where I want to live, what I want to do, who I want to spend it with. Sure, there are obligations, but at the end of the day, we only have to live with ourselves.

I just love how synchronicity bestows itself upon me. From the moment years ago, when I decided to pay attention, it hasn't failed me. Besides the obvious message, I'm not exactly sure what this song and book may be leading me to, but they are just the most recent two in a flurry of similar ideas being thrown my way. I can't let go of the Tool connection either, (a very personal one), and I wonder what the next step will be....