Good Endings… Make Good Beginnings !
August 30, 2021
“Place is more than an incidental back drop; place has spirit, personality, and sacred purpose… The modern view is very different. We treat places as real estate, mere commodities for sale, to be used by the owners for any purpose they wish.”
Excerpt from Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan
22 years ago, I sat on the roof of 207 Charlotte Street with Aisha who was helping me “decorate” our new medical office. Little did I know, she was introducing me to this place as a sacred place. Given most people don’t exactly enjoy going to the doctors office, it was important to find a place and create a space that would help people feel welcome, relaxed and at home. We were lucky enough to rent this 80 year old house in the historic district in Asheville, North Carolina. Sitting on the roof overlooking Charlotte Street, Aisha taught me that places includes buildings are alive. She invited me to listen to this house for guidance on what colors to paint it, where to put things to create a healing space and how to treat this home. At one point, i learned that this house preferred fresh flowers not dried flowers – no wonder, it used to be a flower shop.
One of the many precious families cared for at FTF.
Although we were renters for 22 years, we cared for this place as a home and it cared for us and the nearly 8000 people who walked through its doors. A lot happened here over the past 2 decades; mama’s and babies discovered one and other, an elder chose to take his last breath of life here, staff grew and then spread their wings flying off to their next stage of life. There were precious times and painful ones. This place holds delicate stories of many people. Alas, after 22 years of learning, growing and healing, its time to say goodbye to this place while continuing our healing work from a new and equally sacred place; our home and land in Weaverville.
When my husband, Patrick, and I notified our landlord that we were not going to renew our lease, I felt some remorse that I hadn’t taken time to to hear the stories of this place from our landlord’s late husband, Mr. Daniels. You see, I had become too busy with the perceived responsibilities of life and work to sit down with a cup of tea and hear his stories. Now that this relationship is coming to a close, I have a renewed appreciation for this place and I wonder about it. Who is going to inhabit it next? Who lived here for the past 80 years before we did?
Yet, as I’ve been learning, especially over the past 2 years, regret doesn’t help us move forward. Facing our mistakes does. My heart opened to look at and forgive myself for not only becoming so pre-occupied with life that I never took the time to visit with Mr. Daniels but also for the many mistakes I’ve made over the years. Since then, a deep well of gratitude for this place and the many beautiful and difficult experiences over the years has emerged. This is the beginning of a good ending.
Steve and Dr. Lisa
Steve’s parents wedding at 207 Charlotte
Then, on the day we began the physical transition of leaving 207 Charlotte Street, Joe and Jennifer from Maryland showed up in our parking lot. They asked if they could bring their father, Steve over the next day. It turns out that 207 Charlotte Street had been Steve’s grandmother and great grandmother’s home until 1957 when his great grandmother died. The last time Steve had visited the house was when he was 5 years old, nearly 65 years ago! They had driven by the house 3 times that day hoping to find someone who would let them in before their family vacation ended.
The next day, Steve, his wife, his son and daughter-in-law and Steve’s three grand-daughters visited every inch of 207 Charlotte Street; loving and appreciating it as we have. Steve’s daughter-in-law bravely crawled up into the attic to see if his Grandma had left any treasures up there. None were found. Nonetheless, the treasures of his family’s stories were remembered, revealed and shared. Steve’s parents got married in front of the mosaic fireplace. My favorite story and image is of Steve’s great grandmother tucking him in at night after telling him bedtime stories in Yiddish when he was 5 years old. That was just before she died at 102 years of life here in this sacred place. No wonder 207 Charlotte Street has provided healing for so many people through their many stages of life over the years.
The serendipity of our families meeting at Family to Family felt like an answer to my prayers for guidance for a healthy transition and a reminder that relationships matter.
Good endings make good beginnings.
Starting October 1, 2021, Patrick and I look forward to sharing a new place of healing with you in our actual home and land in Weaverville, North Carolina. Here we will continue to be available for private functional medicine consultations for our current patients in person and via TeleHealth.
We are also seeing new and current clients for Traditional Healing and/or Heart of Birth work which we have been called to bring to you. These offerings have grown out of 30 years of professional and life experience; they provide profound healing, guidance and support to people in all stages of life. To learn more go to:
-
-
Traditional Healing –
-
Heart of Birth –
-
-
If you would like to explore either of these services, please reach out to us at [email protected].
-
If you would like to refer someone to us, please invite them to fill out the contact form on our website.
Before or after your visit, you can enjoy a walk on the land surrounded by nature, or venture forth to the woods and river on 2+ miles of trails. We are humbled, grateful and excited to share this healing place and services with you.
In Peace and Health !
Lisa Lichtig, MD & Mara’akame in the Huichol Tradition
Patrick Hanaway, MD & Mara’akame in the Huichol Tradition
A New Home for Whole Health Care & Healing