COMMUNITY
SILVER & SCENTS (AND MESSAGES FROM GOD) WORDS BY Shelbie Goulding PHOTOS BY Tessa Poulain
A
N ABUNDANCE of musty yet pleas- name, and she responds, “I heard it from God ing smells hit me like a wave as I open calling me that and then I found it existed in the blue door of a small shop in Acorn different languages and places on earth.” I Alley. The first two things I notice are the over- nod at her response and go on to ask what bearing amount of oils creating the thick kind of store Silver & Scents is. aroma, and the sterling silver jewelry set upon many shelves and tables to my right. The sign “It’s an artistic boutique store,” Laurie says. “Silver & Scents” does not lie. A fixture of over “It’s geared to be accommodating to all walks a hundred sterling silver earrings catches my of life, all kinds of people, whether they’re eye on a rotating stand. The pairs are a mix of conservative or spiritual. But to appreciate authentic and bohemian styles representing the store, you got to be artistic.” The store is different cultures. As my eyes wander the inti- all things art, beauty and health – everything mate shop, I notice it carries a lot of cultural that’s good for a person. Laurie continues and spiritual items, especially art. talking about how she sells over 500 sets of oils and most of her items are made with real I hear a woman’s voice coming from behind stones, one of the store’s specialties. the shelves where an office space is hidden. I make my way back, passing the shelves of oils She’s been in Kent for almost 10 years, but and candles, to find a woman sitting at a desk she’s had her business for almost 30. “It can going through various-sized packages con- be busy, it’s got its own dance,” Laurie says taining even more boxes of merchandise wait- about her shop’s circulation. “There’s no loging to be opened. She’s wearing a long brown ical factor as to how things go, so you just velvet skirt with a brown spaghetti strap tank got to be filled with faith, which is what I’m top pulled over a long-sleeved turquoise shirt. learning to do. It’s like our weather, you just A charcoal headband pulls her white-blonde never know.” hair out of her face, revealing a grin and steady eyes looking up at me. Suddenly, Laurie asks me, “Do you like taking pictures?” I’m confused, thinking she thought Laurie, who prefers not to share her last name, I was going to take pictures of her. I assure also goes by a spirit name, Zalla. To her, the her I didn’t have a camera and wasn’t planname Zalla means “energy channeled from ning on taking pictures of her today. She asks higher realms or heavenly realms into the again but asks if I have a physical camera or earth.” I ask her how she came to get such a if I use my phone for taking pictures. I tell
16 | THE BURR MAGAZINE
her I use my phone. She looks down at the package she’s handling. “Sometimes things come to me, and when they come to me I pass on the information. I believe that I’m used as a message giver by God. Anyway…” This just took a turn. I’m taken by surprise and she has my full attention now. I ask what she means by “a message giver.” “I don’t know, things just come to me out of the blue,” Laurie says. “I can’t do it on purpose, but when I’m supposed to tell someone something, it’s just ‘boom’ right there. And for you, it’s just ‘camera.’” To be fair, she’s not wrong. I always wanted a nice camera I could use to be a photojournalist, but it’s expensive. Laurie repeats that I should get one. “Take it for what it’s worth. I don’t get messages in complete sentences, but maybe you should buy a camera.” “Also, garden! Do you like nature?” I tell her I love to hike and camp, but I don’t garden
