“Even the ketchup tastes better here Mom!” “Well then, that does it! We are moving to Montana,” I replied smiling as I looked into my daughters bright eight year old eyes. She had a wisdom the belied her tender young age and if the ketchup tasted better in Montana then how could we refuse such innocent guidance?
Welcome to my blog post. I am going to share my writings and thoughts with you as I travel this journey of self discovery.
EVEN THE KETCHUP TASTES BETTER
Becki Koon
Sitting in that old “Ma & Pa” local diner made us feel hopeful, hopeful for a fresh new start. There were three reasons that relocation to another state was in order; we had sold our house in Idaho and were renting while looking for a new place to move, we loved Montana from our previous travel experiences and most importantly, my son needed a fresh start in a new school that did not hold onto his tumultuous history. Let me digress a few years.
My son is a brilliant soul and in his early childhood years he was full of life, sparkle and energy. Then school happened. He challenged his preschool teacher most of the time with his hyper antics, his non-stop demands and social awkwardness yet he showed signs of very high intelligence, quick wit and insight. First grade was even more of a disaster for him and he was soon thrown into a world of doctors, counselors and school modification programs. Despite my inquiries into health and nutrition, I was discouraged from taking the holistic route by professionals who I trusted had more knowledge and experience in dealing with the challenges that my son faced than I did.
Life took on a surreal effect as I became one of those mother’s whose life became a never-ending journey of trying to find answers and solutions to help my child who did not seem to fit into this world, who often wished he had not been born. One medication started then failed, another tried and while it worked for a time - caused side effects, another tried, short success until it stopped working. Take a deep breath, try another seemed to be the protocol. All in all, ten different attempts to find medications that would help him function in the school system and life and none of them were effective in helping him find a way to be comfortable in his own skin. He developed neurological ticks and his doctor was deeply concerned. We were exhausted!
The ultimate heartache came when, on doctors orders, I drove my ten year old son five hours to a children’s psychiatric hospital. I begrudgingly left him there, crying out for me as I turned and walk away, taking the hardest steps I had ever taken, walking away, fighting back sobs so that he would not see me breaking down, my stomach sick and my heart hurting so bad that I thought I might not make it through the doors that locked behind me. The five hour drive home was a blur! My angels were definitely guiding me as I did not even remember the drive home.
Nearly one month later he came back home and we celebrated what we thought was a new beginning only to end up reaching another dead end, he was suicidal and I was done! I had had it with my son being an experiment to the medical system and I found the strength to change the course. I weaned him off all of the medication, found nutritional supplements, holistic health practitioners, alternative healing modalities and metaphysical energetic support mechanisms. He began to heal, he began to smile and his eyes began to sparkle again. I was beginning to have my son back. Now if only the system could accept the changes but alas, it was hard for his school to let go of the child they had dealt with for six years and see him in a new and different light, hence the need for a fresh start in a new place.
So, the decision was made and Montana was to be the new place. The events that took place in our new home could only be described as divine synchronicity.
A quaint little home was available for rent in the small town of Darby. It was perfect timing and our move was made in February 1995. The move went smoothly and the local school seemed like a great fit for both of the children. Just how great, I was soon to find out.
When my son started to get his body clear of all of the toxicity from the medications, he began to awaken to a healthier state of being, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well. He began to exhibit signs of psychic awareness and intuitive gifts that were amazing to witness. He was tuned into the world at a high frequency that could only be described as magical. He was sharing his awakening with me and others of whom he came in contact. I never doubted what he shared with me and encouraged his gifts as much as he felt comfortable with.
I was able to enroll my children in school with no problem. My daughter adjusted quite easily and her teacher lovely. I met with my son’s new teacher and the first thing she said to me was that she was not going to read the 1” file from his previous school but that she wanted to know him on her own terms, to not be influenced by what others had documented. Hallelujah!
Next on the agenda, I met with the new principal to discuss some of my new awareness about my son. I needed to let her know that I would support him in whatever was going on and that his grades were of no concern to me but that his emotional well-being was of utmost important. I also wanted her to know that I was seeing some special gifts emerge that were beyond explanation, that he may inadvertently share some of this new found awareness with others and that I would support him 100% in those awarenesses, his psychic abilities. I then shared some of the writings that had been flowing from him in the form of poems, songs he would call them.
When she was done reading, she sat there for a minute in silence and then she looked at me. She informed me that while she did not understand what my son experienced, she was sympathetic to his gifts. She had been raised by a mother who had psychic abilities and was familiar with the challenges that could follow such a gift. Hallelujah hallelujah!
Here we were in a new home, in a new location, and my next concern was if I would meet other people of like mind who were pursing health, nutrition and spiritual awakening. In particular, I was hoping to find other blue-green algae eaters, the whole food source that had been the biggest influence in my son’s healing.
One month after getting settled into our new home, I traveled to Hamilton, a nearby town, for a Spring Fair. This event was held at the local high school and had vendors from all sectors in the community; home & garden, health, education, nonprofit and small business. I was cruising the health section when I walked around the corner and much to my surprise, amazement and joy was a blue-green algae booth with several people waiting to share information with passerby’s. Hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah!
I met the “algae-eating” people and became quick friends with all of them, a member of the algae tribe. In fact, one of the people at the booth was a motivational author, speaker and contractor with the algae company. Once he heard me enthusiastically share the story about my son, the word of hope quickly spread. I had also written a letter of thanks to the president of the algae company, my heartfelt words of appreciation. Soon, hundreds of people had read copies of that letter. One thing led to another and I found myself on stage at the annual blue-green algae celebration in Klamath Falls, Oregon, sharing my sense of hope with thousands. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Once back home in Montana, the phone calls started to flood in from people who wanted to hear more about my son’s journey. Seems that there were thousands of parents out there seeking alternatives to help their unique and gifted children. I was so moved by their lives, their children and their search to find ways to support their families that I freely gave of my time. I felt blessed and divinely on purpose and yet, there was more to come.
I started to get so busy that when the phone rang my own family would roll their eyes, grumble and get frustrated with the time that was being used up in my quest to help others. To alleviate the stress on my family I took matters into my own hands and wrote a book with the support of some of the families that I had worked with. This book became known as “Complicated Child~Simple Options” and I self-published the first two printings, one for 500 and the next for 2000.
Within a year I had sold thousands of my books and was approached by a publishing company in California who wanted to add my book to their line of offerings. I gladly accepted and my book was published in the thousands with people from all over the North American Continent ordering. People were grateful for the personal stories of encouragement to find new ways to help challenged youth. Thousands of children were being supported through means of a simple form of nutrition and in some small way, my story was helping. Hallelujah and pass the ketchup!
My journey with blue-green algae started over twenty years ago and I still eat algae today (it is for anyone who seeks a healthier life). My son is in his 30’s, happily finding his way with work that is satisfying and healing for him. He is every bit the unique and gifted soul that he came here to be. My wise daughter is married and the mother of two girls, and still enjoying the ketchup that tastes better in Montana!
Life has it’s twists and turns, it’s low’s and high’s, it’s ebb’s and flow’s but when you can step back and see the big picture, it is a beautifully woven tapestry of divine synchronicity that creates the fabric of our lives. Sit back, relax, breath and enjoy the flow that you find yourself in. Who knows, maybe the mustard will taste even better at the next juncture.