What's in a Name?

Throughout my life I have always been able to pick up on the energies of the unseen. We share our world with spirits that are ever present, and I have from a young age recognized my ability to feel and connect with those energies. In the book, "The Prayer of Jabez" a story is shared about the power in the names we are given at birth. Although this book is intended to highlight the power of prayer and asking God to bless us with what we believe we deserve. I was intrigued by the concept that we inherit our namesake. Jabez' is Hebrew for "sorrow." His mother gave him that name because she bore him in pain. Until his journey of self-discovery, his life was filled with sorrow. My mother named me Chanel, which is French for "channel" or "canal." No matter how you define the two, both words as nouns serve the purpose of being a conduit of transportation from one point to another. I see myself as someone who channels energy from the ethereal realms, and share them as light and love; which is what connects us all.

When I decided I was ready to create this virtual community, I knew I wanted to offer my story. That it could be used as inspiration for those who are unsure if they can continue on their journey when life seems to have reached it's darker moments. My son was born in 1996. I was 14 years old and understood the challenges I would face as a young teen and high school freshman. Combine those circumstances with being told only moments after giving birth that my beautiful baby boy would most definitely have developmental delays and likely not live to see his second birthday. Looking back, I wasn't able to accept that my Dorian would be fated to have a short life; and I was right. While his life was full of health challenges, it was also filled with a village of loved ones who rallied together to show him love and help me in caring for him. In 2018, Dorian passed away at the age of 22.

This is just the fabric of one of many stories woven together in the quilt of my life. I decided to share it as my first blog post because it answers the question of what's in the name; Channeling Twos. Especially in the early portion of 2018, but leading up to the fall, I'd been having eerie feelings of anxiety that I just could not explain. I would cry at random (which is completely out of my character). It was like I could feel a storm brewing. I actually have dozens of screenshots from my phone of the time being 2:22. When Dorian was born, the doctors informed me it was unlikely he would live to reach the age of two years old. My son Dorian, was born with such a vibrant light; he created space for everyone around him to build compassion within themselves. Dorian was most certainly loved by everyone who knew him. When he passed away on November 21, he'd beyond exceeded the doctor's expectations. He was 22 years old. It was like the entire year of 2018, I was being shown those number twos as a sign from the universe that I needed to prepare myself. I recognized other significant patterns and signs about the twos (which is a number that represents balance and duality), but I'll save that for another time. I still see 2:22 often, and I pause when I do. In those silent moments, I thank the Almighty, the universe, ancestors and my Dorian for continuing on this journey with me. I channel in twos.