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I met Mary Spain when I graduated the Ovate Grade and into moved into the Druid Grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, or OBOD. I had such great experiences with both my Bardic mentor, and my Ovate mentor, that I knew I would ask for a Druid mentor when I got to that grade.
Mary Spain was my Druid mentor for not only the time that I was working the lessons in that grade, but I kept corresponding with her for the last fourteen years since my official "graduation." Mary not only gave help, guidance, advice, and encouragement for my Druid studies, she also helped me navigate some problems I was having in the Grove I attended, and subsequently, the formation of my own Seed Group.
Mary also shared with me, in letters, never emails or texts, about her life in London. She wrote about her garden, the weather, and her cats. In this way, we became pen pals and friends. When I went to Glastonbury for the 50th anniversary of the founding of OBOD, (I was the Druid of the East) the person I wanted to meet the most from the Order was Mary Spain. I had met Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm a couple of times in the US, but I really wanted to meet Mary.
When I got to Glastonbury, the first thing I asked Stephanie was where is Mary Spain? Stephanie said, "She isn't here. She never comes to these things. She's a psychic and an empath."
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I continued to write to Mary, and included little tokens of my appreciation and affection. Items that would fit in an envelope. I sent her Yule cards handmade by my friend Rita, and Mary loved them.
One humorous incident happened just a few years ago. I got a letter from Mary, with her introduction of herself and her encouragement for starting the Druid grade! All you Druids know what I mean, something along the lines of,
"Welcome to the Druid Grade. Here you will experience magic and wonder, and many useful lessons. Go slow, take your time, for it will be over all too soon."
I was a little taken aback, I had received these pearls of wisdom years before. Had she confused me with someone else? Was she getting senile? Yet they resonated so deeply that I took them to heart and started to rework many of the lessons from all three Grades.
Two days later, I got another letter from Mary. Mind you, these were airmail, postage stamp letters, so they take time, energy, and attention to post them. Mary wrote to apologize for sending me a "New Druid" letter and asked for my forgiveness! She had to have sent it out the day after the previous letter. I immediately wrote back and thanked her for her excellent advise about taking time and experiencing magic and wonder.
The email notifying me of her passing out the West Gate to the Summer-lands came just as I was preparing her Yule card. Now I will experience Yule with her, in Minnesota.
Thank you my good and faithful Tutor, Mentor, Friend, and fellow cat lover. See you in the Summer-lands...
Love,
Abaris / | \
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