DIALOGUE

I consulted  with a woman and her husband about their 3 year old  grand-daughter.  The working-class couple, struggling financially, were more or less psychologically unsophisticated. The grand-mother trying to describe the child's behavior, reached into foreign territory to find an appropriate, clear description of the child's problem."Well, you see, she has a sense about this activity that is so strong. Nothing can keep her away from it   She turned to her husband. "I read a book a while back," she said, "what was it called again? You know the one about the soul, an acorn, and how sometimes a child  has a deep purpose that is present from birth."  My pulse quickened. I felt a flush of excitement, as if I'd just been touched by something not of this world.  I burst forth confidently with the title."The Soul's Code," I said.  "Yes,yes," she replied, 'that's it!"

Never in a million years would I have thought that this woman would be someone who would've read a book like The Soul's Code. After she left I checked into DPA and saw a very attractive photo of James in an article that Bonnie cited.  I pondered my experience with the concerned but enlightened grandma.  Had James Hillman just made a visitation to my consulting room?  I will feel little surprise if in the future, more and more of these soul-filled moments begin to take place in the most unexpected places,  at the most unexpected moments and with the most unexpected people. And will it be during these times that Hillman's soul will blanket and take up more and more space in the everyday world?