Collectively coming to terms with these conditions, we dear not venture outside the safety of Marsha’s vehicle. With doors locked and windows up to the brim, we called the merchant in hopes we were at the wrong address.

EARLIER…

After my cosmic experience on Easter Monday, I wanted to tap into a niche that’s been holding my interest for quite sometime now. You see, for many moons healing crystals have been known and praised for their special properties. Their calming abilities, as well as their emittance of higher, vibrational energy just to name a few.

And considering I was still fresh out of creative fortitude, I figured I had nothing else to lose. I needed some kind of divine force to intervene and get me back on track. So if this crystal was going to help bridge the gap between me and the powers that be, who was I to stop it? Besides, they make a pretty cool accessory!

Admittingly I had already done some sleuthing on the internet, so I already knew which crystal I wanted – the beautiful Amethyst. It’s gradient shades of purple shone purposefully and its properties appealed to my current needs – enhanced creativity, protection, and divinity.

Mentally bubbling this info, I enthusiastically waltz throughout my room, adorning myself for today. Sharing my exuberance was cousin Marsha, who wanted to get her hands on a crystal or two, just as much as I did. Being relatively known as Frick and Frack, we knew that today was shaping-up to be yet another adventure.

Additionally, my best friend and Marsha’s little sister May were joining us to add even more fun to today’s proceedings. And judging by the feel-good energy currently culminating in Marsha’s car, today was about to go down in the history books.

After picking up Mia who lived relatively nearby, we were on route to our crystal merchant. She had given me directions to her spot via Instagram DM. (Follow me @optimistic_overachiever.)

Mentally piecing together the instructions given, I get a vague sense of which area we’re actually heading into. I gulped loudly as I came to the frightening realization that we were on the fast track to the ghetto.

Now, I too live in an area that’s considered ghetto. Nassau Village isn’t exactly known for its over-embellished walls, sheltering gates, or a staggeringly low crime rate. However, I honestly feel more secured on the safe end of my ghetto haven than where we had to venture for these crystals.

Furthermore, I considered an area like this the slums, the ghetto-ghetto, rock bottom if you will. It’s the type of place where the likelihood of you getting shot while sitting on your front porch after dark isn’t very farfetched. (No offense to the great residents of the unnamed area though.) Not everyone’s a product of their environment.

Anywho, approaching the scene from the eastern direction we stumbled across what we thought matched the house descriptions we were given. The numbers were the same, but there was no upstairs.

We parked on the side of the street in utter confusion as a moody, ominous wind stirred up. The house before us looked derelict, unkempt, and pretty much abandoned. It seemed like an idyllic storage space for drugs, weapons, and STDs.

Collectively coming to terms with these conditions, we dear not venture outside the safety of Marsha’s vehicle. With doors locked and windows up to the brim, we called the merchant in hopes we were at the wrong address.

To our delight, we were! Starting the car in a hasty fashion, we bolted away as fast as mechanically possible. Nonetheless, we still remained cautious as our true destination still lied wake in the heel of the ghetto. “All this for a crystal?”, I questioned internally.

Now laughing at the trap house of a bullet we dodged, we pulled up slowly to the correct address. Our faces drop and all laughter goes mute on site. Surveying the structure incredulously, we knew we were certainly in for a treat.

That very bullet we dodged came back to us in a slightly less gruesome fashion. Accepting our fate at this point, we do the only thing we know how to when faced with an unsafe challenge – burst into rietous laughter of course! I’d always joke and say that being facetious at the wrong place and wrong time would ultimately lead to my demise. But until then, LOL.

Just beyond the gate were a few “questionable characters” practically cemented out front. They were on the older side, but still looked hardened and lethal. Kinda like creepy, killer garden gnomes. We greeted them respectfully and proceeded upstairs. Luckily, they were much more pleasant than what was portrayed on the surface.

[Told you not everyone’s a product of their environment.]

Entering cautiously, we’re greeted by the junior shopkeeper and immediately begin browsing the modest collection of crystal beauties. I began eye-balling their selection of Amethyst stones and immediately felt drawn to one in particular. It was beautiful; she was beautiful! And together, I know we’d make sweet, sweet alchemy.

Eventually, after seizing our preferred treasures, we celebrated with fast food and a trip to the beach for some salt water cleansing. It all seemed so fitting for the occasion. I mean, how often to you dodge danger twice in one neighborhood?

Indeed, what started off as a dangerous crystal exploration gradually turned into the start of something transformative. And the rest fellow Insighters is history.

Me post-crystal purchase and cleansing.

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