Unintended Consequences - Melissa C

They looked at each other for a few long seconds and he said, "Just exactly what would we need to do?"

Melissa said, "We'll give you both notebooks. At seven o'clock tonight make notes as to where you are, how many people are within sight and the energy you feel from them. Then wait at least two hours and do the same type of observation."

Walt said, "Once more before you go to bed, do another observation. Make notes. Bring your notes to us here at ten tomorrow morning or bring them to our cabins anytime after seven in the morning."

She nodded. It was barely a nod but I was sure he saw it. He said, "We'll do it."

Melissa told them she would get them notebooks and she took off. Five minutes late she was back with their notebooks. The accepted them and the man wrote down our cabin numbers in his notebook. A couple of minutes later they were gone.

Brenda said, "I can't wait to read what they write about midnight."

Jo asked, "I wonder how they'll dress tomorrow?"

"Just like now, Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell the third." Barb said.

"This ship isn't the Minnow is it?" Walt asked, smiling.

"I certainly hope not." Barb said.

We went back to our cabins and rested. I had no idea how long the midnight meditation would last but I knew that all of us would be wrapped in it until it ended. We napped. As soon as I sat to take off my sandals Jo was beside me.

"May I sleep with you?"

"Of course. Please set the alarm for eleven-thirty. Everyone will need to bring a towel. Jo pointed and stacked beside the cabin door were towels. We undressed and Melissa dimmed the lights and joined us on the bed. We kissed and I was asleep. I believe they slept too.

At eleven-thirty the alarm woke us. A minute later Walt and Brenda walked in and Brenda asked, "Can you feel it?"

"Feel it, taste it, smell it... I can almost see it!" We dressed and headed for the space where we had meditated the night before. When we arrived the door was open. Mats were spread all over the floor and people we sitting in the pose. Some were clothed, some nude. All were quiet, holding tightly to their energy. A space existed at the center of the room. We went to it and put our folded towels down. I pulled my shirt up and off. All over the room shirts came off. When Melissa pulled my drawstring I started to laugh. She looked at me as if laughing was not allowed.

I said, "We will begin this meditation with a song. If you know the words, sing softly. I keep my pants up with a piece of twine. I keep my arms wide open all the time." My arms were spread wide and about thirty people were laughing and singing. I finished the song with their help. "Because you're mine, please pull the twine!" Melissa pulled the twine and my pants fell to the floor. Many people were sharing the experience. We laughed and the mood was lightened. Still expectant, but not solemn.

I sat and folded my legs. Melissa sat in my lap and wrapped her arms and legs around me. I looked around and everyone in the room was in pose. Emma and Jo were together. Barb was with a member of the crew.

I said, "Close your eyes. Become one with your partner. One breath, one heart beat, one thought... Love. When you are one, become a bigger one. When all of us here in this space are one, reach out to all those on this ship, meditating, receiving your love and adding to our energy. When we are one ..." I left it unsaid. I had no idea what would happen.

My focus shifted to Melissa. Her breath became my breath. My breath became hers. I was aware of her body pressed to mine and then there was us. One heart. One thought. One awareness. I felt me penetrating me as Melissa as I felt Melissa holding me with the muscles and the warmth of her vagina, her heart, our all.

We became aware of feeling those around us. We felt the six couples closest to us first and seconds later all the souls in the confines of the patio were one being, reaching out with our energy to touch all the small groups scattered all over the ship.

We could see them, feel them, first from just outside them and then we joined with them and became them. Our senses were multiplied, amplified and we were no longer Nick, Walt, Melissa and a hundred other names. We were over a thousand people who were no longer simply individuals; we were linked and as close as brain cells in the same brain.

We felt the power growing around us and accepted that whatever happened it was good. We knew it was still night, but there was no darkness for us. I heard the thoughts of others and they were my thoughts as well. We communed for a time without any thought of time.

I felt a wave of panic and checked in with my body. My body had been being ignored! I checked others and found that we were ignoring our bodies. Some had stopped breathing! I yelled to all of us and said, "Go back to your body!"

Our connection was broken and all of us were individuals again. I focused on my body and those around me. I wanted to know if everyone was Ok. My thought triggered a check-in from all the souls who had been us a few minutes before. No one had died. All were having trouble talking about what had happened. All were grateful for whatever had happened.

I heard Brenda's voice in my head, "We all need sleep."

Those with us in the patio found their feet and made their way to their cabins. All of us were individuals again, but not who we were before. We rode the elevator to the deck where our cabins were and saw people in the hallway. I knew them. Not just their names, I knew them. We hugged the people we met and moved on.

In our cabin I realized none of us had clothes on. We fell on our beds and were asleep.

When the engines stopped and the ship was tied to the dock in Puerto Vallarta I woke up.

Melissa and Barb were with me and I felt them wake as well. As that registered in my brain I also felt Walt, Brenda, Jo and Emma wake and check in.

A few seconds passed and I felt Jose' checking in. 'Are all of you Ok this morning?' His voice asked... in my head. I answered, 'Yes!'

Cruise ships are noisy. We went to the buffet for breakfast. Other than the noise of forks touching plates, plates clanking on tables and the noises of coffee being poured the buffet was almost totally quiet. Everyone we knew greeted us. Greeted with hugs, kisses and touches, but not greeted out loud. Brenda made an announcement to all of us, 'Make sure you wear clothes if you are leaving the ship. Make sure you speak out loud to the people who aren't...' She paused and Walt added, 'Family.'

The Howell's found us shortly after we sat down with our food. As soon as we made eye contact he started to laugh. I asked, "Why are you laughing?"

"We've been greeted by at least three hundred people this morning and all of you call us the Howell's. You want our report?" I nodded. He said, "By eleven last night we were in our pajamas in our stateroom. Sometime after that we were aware that we were not asleep and that we could see, feel, taste and touch all of you!"

Lovey added, "We were old yesterday. We live as caring companions. Last night we became young and old, male and female... and a few other things I won't mention. How you did it, I don't know. We're just grateful!"

We went into Puerto Vallarta and did some shopping, touring and exploring. We felt the people around us and their energy was joyful. Emma headed towards a shop and two of our fellow passengers came out of the shop. I heard their voices, 'He is angry with Americans.'

Emma went in and Walt followed her. A few minutes later Walt found me and I heard him say, 'Emma charmed him. She heard what he was upset about and talked to him. His wife is in for a pleasant surprise, I think.'

We were back on the ship before six. Jose' was waiting for us. He ushered us aside and reported, "Before we docked the police warned us that there was going to be a demonstration near the docks and they anticipated some violence."

Jo said, "We didn't see anything like that."

"It never happened. The protestors met and then left town. They couldn't get the energy together to protest anything!"

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Emma asked.

Jose' nodded and said, "It's a great thing. Part of me wants to take credit for what happened."

"And part of me wants to stay quiet, letting each of us draw our own conclusions. I'm already thinking about the night after the fourteen hundred people on this ship go home. What if there is a meditation that night? What if we can become One spread out all over North America?"

Brenda added, "There are four Aussies on board."

"If they take it home... if we all take it home, knowing we linked, knowing it's possible... what could happen?" Melissa asked.

I looked at our little group, our little part of a bigger family, and said, "I'd like to do an experiment." Walt grinned. Melissa hooked my arm as Jo hooked the other one and Brenda said, "I know what you want!" I could read her energy as she was in.

"Let's go." I said and we walked casually to the Starlight Lounge. Jose' didn't use his phone or radio. When we arrived there were three hundred people sitting on the floor, legs crossed and someone sitting each of those three hundred laps. Space for us was left up front.

I spoke out loud, "Thank you for meeting us here. I have an idea."

I heard hundreds of voices in my head, 'We know.'

"I want to say it out loud. When this cruise is over we'll all go home. My idea is that you bring more of US into whatever this is."

I heard many voices say, 'Family'.

"So, to support this family our little family will sit together at midnight the first and third Friday nights in Los Angeles. I'm sure you can figure out how that translates for where you'll be. Join us. Reach us. We'll be looking for you and all your new relatives. Come back to this room anytime during the cruise and I'll have our email addresses posted so you can communicate with us. We're family. I already know I love you. We already know we love you and we know who you are."

We have been meditating for a while. You know how to sit. You know when. Get a partner, then a group. Join us. Oh, get a pillow for the one on the bottom. It makes everything feel better until you become One, then the pillow doesn't matter. You are the final chapter. No need to write it. Live it.