EMU, THE CAT GODDESS...

Each morning Emu perches upon the open window of her suite, to watch the sunrise, and to watch as the world around her becomes a scene of people rushing, here, and there. Emu is one of the privileged, and is rarely allowed to wander outside the palace, for there is danger at every turn, or so, says her Father...

Emu translates into cat, and, as you can see, she takes her name seriously. Her disposition also shows great tendencies toward being a feline inclined, and would rip anyone who crossed her, to pieces. It is not her fault, her Father is a ruthless man, whose heritage goes back to the Ancient gods/goddesses of Egypt, and, having no other children, he raised his Daughter to be a warrior, of sorts...

The young lady is prisoner to her ancestry, but, wishes that she could live as those she sees in the streets below. No one knows the torment of her desires, for she would surely pay dearly for such thoughts, as never have royal families mingled with common peoples, for the consequences would be severe, since her Father is despised by many, even those he thinks are his friends of the elite classes...

Caught in ancient rituals, Emu is tutored, catered to, and, otherwise ignored for most of the time. Since she is an only child, she has no one her own age to converse with, to share with, nor any real companionship, save for her servants, who detest the sight of her, as she is spoiled beyond reason, with the tongue of the evil for those who irk her, or, fail to carry out her wishes as stated...

Her Mother died in childbirth, and while the Father has taken concubines, he has not had any children of them, which is just as well, as he would ruin them anyway. He will not remarry as Emu's Mother was a haughty woman who drove him crazy. There were rumors for the longest time that he is the reason she died in childbirth, but, with no proof of wrongdoing, the rumors have laid to rest...

This day in particular, Emu is troubled. Today is her Birthday, and, because she is 13, it is also the rite of womanhood, which bothers her, for it means that she will be given to some man soon, some man of nobility, of power, and, she is sure, after living under her Father's rule, that she will dread it with all of her heart...

The sun has warmed the Earth, and she must take her bath soon. Servants will be present shortly to wash her, oil her, scent her, and dress her in her finest attire, for the coming celebration of her day, which should be special, but, instead, feels like death is arriving soon...

The rite of the teens is no different for any child, regardless of location, it is a time when life will be changing, and few of them are ready to take on the change, the responsibilities therein, or, what the future holds for them, and thus, they smirk, fidget, resist, have attitudes, and are lost, in whole...

Here they come, bowing, and urging her to cooperate. First she has a meal, of dates, a cake of some sort, some cheese, and some very strong tea, then, she is whisked to the pool for bathing, which is like an Olympic pool, located within her suites. She doesn't like the water too much, remember she thinks like a cat, however, she loves the way they wash, and oil her, and the scents they use on her, plus, they brush her hair for the longest time which almost makes her purr...

More to come...

NOTE: An Egyptian female is considered of age around 14, when she begins her menstrual cycle, however, in Ancient times, some were considered for marriage as young as 8, and there was a mummy wife found who was 11....

THE CASE FOR WINTER...

Fresh fallen snow; so beautiful in the evening hours, so glistening in the sun of the day. Looking so inviting, so soft, and yet, it is so cold. Winter is a strange mix of conditions which affect many things, including that which is of nature, as well as that which stokes our nature. It is a time of slow renewal to the Ecological, a time of colds, flu, depression, dissatisfaction, and, other moody aspects, still, it is wonderfully enriching in its wake...

Winter is a time of purpose, a time of reflection, a time when we adhere to the situations at hand, and, actually, a time when we most learn to utilize self-entertainment in all of its many ways. Some might create, some might paint, some might knit, crochet, some might compose, some might study, research, learn, advance, some might play, some might dream, some might devise future foundations; one thing is certain, even the least inclined, will surely, find ways to make these seemingly long months, speed on by...

The white fluff on the trees inspires me in many ways, especially in the onset of its presence; it inspires me to learn to paint, to create, to dream dreams which will manifest with the coming Spring, for I believe that rebirth is imminent with the first sprouts of green which grace the Earth, and, I want to be a part of it, in an important way, like, to make my mark in the roots of the growth...

I saw two extraordinary Cardinals in the trees near my windows, whose deep red appearance against the snow covered trees was fascinating, and whose presence signified that even in the bitter coldness of the weather, life is alive, it is healthy, it is flourishing, though, all seems lulled, drab, and asleep; it IS, after all, a time of rest...

We are about halfway through Winter, though, last year seemed to run into May. Of course, the first part is hardly embraced, let alone noticed, for the rush of the Holiday season, but, now, in the days after, it is there, visible, felt, and taken for what it is worth, by whomever is assessing it. I am not fond of Winter, but, I am growing more used to its gifts, seeking to find the pleasures therein, that the worst of its presence is not taken to the spirit, that it not cause any negatives, for that has never been the intention of the changes of the seasons; no, the changing of the seasons is all about positive affirmation of the continuing abundance of life:))) Enjoy!!!

LIFE IN THE MOMENT...

Life opens up a wide array of events, some of excellence, some less than desirable, some which sink us into a pit of grief, sorrow, agony, or pain. We simply never know what will come to us in any given day. But, that is alright, we are resilient peoples, we can make the best of almost anything which we face, IF we are able to resist becoming submerged in the lingering effects of what is occurring...

Twists, and turns, ups, and downs, that's life! Some people get lost in WHAT is happening, refusing to see that this too, will pass, and create more problems for themselves in this mindset. Ah, it is wise to experience what is going on, and then, to move on to the next matter, as time moves on with, or without us, leaving in its wake more to deal with...

Thus, we have a movement towards positive mentality, which is great, as we SHOULD be trained to live in the idea that there IS good in everything. If you have ever looked back at tough times, and thought about what happened as you left them behind, you will see what I mean. Sometimes things happen that we can level up, sometimes they happen that we lose a bad habit, or alter our character, or place us in exactly the right place, at the right time, for better times ahead. We simply never know what is ahead, and so, by keeping a positive outlook, we are more enabled to meet the troubled areas head on, without sinking in remorse of their presence...

Life is 50/50, there is good, there is bad, we cannot alter the state/events of life, but, we can spare ourselves so much regression by accepting what we cannot change, and living in the peace of positive resolve. It offers an understanding that balance must be, often in order to make us more alive, more appreciative, more empowered for the next series of occurrences...

Yesterday is done, and gone, tomorrow is hanging in the wings, but, today is here, it is visible, it is what it is. Living in the moment eliminates stress, as you are not worried about what is yet to come, for, only when it comes, are we able to deal with it anyway. Even businesses need to embrace living in the moment, as often, they over-project the future, which means they overlook the imminent, pertinent facts before them in the now...

If you go to a tree for fruit, but, find the fruit is not yet available, will you sit, and watch, until the fruit is ripe? No, you will go about your life, checking now, and again, to see if it is ready to pick. You will survive without that fruit until it is ready. You will fill your time with other things, you will not live in constant anxiety of that fruit, for you know that eventually it will be ripe enough. We often place too much emphasis on waiting for things to happen, therefore, missing that, which might, be imperative in this moment...

Live life as if it were the final hours; enjoy THIS time, make the best of what is available. Sure, dream, wish, and ponder, but, do not avoid THIS time, for THIS time is what really is:)))

DEADLY LOVE...

They were two young American kids, whom, in a rush, fell in love, or, so they thought...

From the onset of their fiery love, the girl noticed that her guy was a bit possessive, a bit obsessive, and had a temper to boot, but, she had always been able to calm him down, and then, things would be fine for a while...

They got married in a fever, not stopping to consider what lay ahead for them. She was a bartender at a popular spot which had live entertainment, and made good money. He did alright too with his tradesman job. If they had been more mature, things might have worked out for them...

After a while, his jealousy became unbearable. He suspected her of all sorts of wrongdoings, and quite frequently started problems at her place of work. The owner was a good person, who had had his share of marital problems over the years, and so, did not once interfere, rather he would take the guy aside, buy him a drink, and talk to him, which worked most of the time...

In the following months, the girl got so tired of his attitude that she told him she wanted a divorce, which caused violent fights between the two of them. He told her that if he could not have her, no one else would either. She had one child, and had taken on the responsibility of raising her teen aged Sister, therefore, really needing the money from the job she had, and did not want to lose it because of him...

She tried everything to keep their hostilities under wraps, private, and quiet, that it would not disturb the young ones, nor her colleagues. Then, one night...

There was a huge party at the bar, a reunion from another bar which used to be THE hot spot for entertainment. There were so many people there, she did not notice her husband in the corner, fumingly watching her, while drinking all night...

When the night was finished, she was one of the last to leave. Outside, he was waiting for her, but, made sure that everyone else was gone before he approached her. When he did approach her, she was scared. They got into a huge fight, and he put her in his car, beating her with a tire iron, then, he strangled her to near death. Despite all of this she managed to get out of the car, and was trying to run away when he hit her with the car, and ran over her. Somehow, during this time, someone had called the husbands Brother, and when he arrived, the girl was unconscious, but yet alive...

Putting her in his lap, he called 911. When the ambulance arrived, the Police were there, asking the Brother a million questions. The husband had taken off, leaving his wife for dead...

She did die, in the next hour or so in the hospital. The husband was apprehended in the next state, and brought back to face 1st degree murder, which he has plead not guilty to...

So sad, so wrong, so against the very core of love...

Many people knew of his violence towards her, and did nothing for her. This is a common fact in abuse cases. If someone, including his own Brother, had done something, this young lady would be here today, and would be happy...

Abusiveness quite often leads to death, and it must be stopped. The above story is true, it just happened recently in my neighborhood, the girl was only 28 years old, the husband 32. Love is not violence, love is not jealousy, love is nothing negative; it is goodness, wholesomeness, and shared happiness...

If you know someone who is suffering abuse, don't just let it happen, try to find a way to help, even if it is anonymously. No one deserves to wind up with this kind of pain, which scars forever, for some, and leads to loss of life for others. If you are being abused, get out of there! I know it is difficult to break the ties, and to possibly end up broke, homeless, and so forth, but, it is better than being beaten half to death, believe me, I know, as I am one who broke the curse of violence, and moved on, never to be with someone who isn't right again...

GOD be with people who are this violent, and their victims. It is one of the most confounding states of the human experience, and as I said, it has to be stopped. Such things as domestic violence are a community concern, and so, everyone should assist where they can. I was lucky, I am strong, I made it from being penniless, without a car, to rebuilding my life, for my Daughter and myself, and I haven't looked back. I am also lucky to not have emotional problems from these times. My face bears the scars, and my heart suffered for a while, but, life goes on, and I grew from the experience. Women need to help each other in such situations, as often, the fear of rejection is the deciding factor in these women removing themselves from danger... GOD bless...

MEET JACK...(fiction based on facts)

Upon his face is engraved the harshness of his life, although, in his eyes, you can yet detect a pleasant personality, one accustomed to better circumstances. His smile is rare, but, when he does smile, it lights the space around him, and his laughter is a sound to be appreciated...

He had worked all of his life, and had enjoyed most of it. One day, the economy did a flip; his employer went bankrupt, which left him without the pension he had counted on, plus, so many were without work that finding a job was like unto a miracle. It wasn't long before his money ran out, and because he owed on his home, he lost that to foreclosure, unemployment ran out, and here he is, homeless, and destitute, though he contributed to his life, and society for all of those years...

This kind soul has had to endure all sorts of things he would have never imagined years ago, but, ungrudingly he goes about his business of being homeless. In his heart is heaviness, but, in his soul, there is yet faith, there is yet compassion, there is yet hope, each of which, he attempts to share with those who share his status. He has become famous in the streets for being one to help through most crisis' which the homeless find themselves in. He has organized groups of people who have common interests, such as those with vocal/musical skills, the elderly, the youth, and so forth, trying to give each of these lost souls something to live for, something to look forward to...

This man, whom we will call Jack, has the right idea, for he is working through his circumstances/situation with positive belief that even in the worst of times, there can be good to come of it. He is like an angel to many, for he has shown them that the compassion can live on, even when it seems that no one gives a damn! Yes, he is special, and should be rewarded for all he has done, for with such minds, and hearts as his, the streets are a bit safer, a bit warmer, and a bit less intimidating for those who will meet this fate. The numbers of homeless people is arising daily, and need such inspiring folks around to help them to adapt to this awful state of affairs. I wish that Jack could be everywhere, at once, that all such people could learn from his example, thus, igniting greater optimism for these poor neighbors of ours...

Never take things for granted! You simply do not know what is in the future, regardless of your status. By adopting a 'here in the now' attitude, you will greatly enhance the moment, granting you greater pleasure in the now! Life is short, and circumstances/conditions change, so, be grateful, be thankful for this time, regardless if it is less than you would have it to be. These are lessons that such people as Jack show us in their ability to make the most of what they have left to deal with...

If Jack survives the elements, the conditions, of the streets for a bit longer, I am sure that the Heavens/Universe will pull him up, then, place in his heart to create some sort of safe haven for some of the street people; I really believe this, for he is a blessing to others, therefore, he is blessed...

Next time you see someone like Jack, be kind, friendly, and caring, for I tell you this, especially in this day, lots of these folks were your neighbors. They are bearing, not the weight of their wrong decisions, but, the weight of an imbalanced economical structure, which clearly, was doomed from the start, as in placing such responsibility into certain hands, which care not about the Jacks of the world, spending frivolously, not considering the future consequences of doing so, and, not foreseeing that with over-population, jacked up pricing, and other factors, that there would be great price for short-sightedness, which only the common man will suffer the most...

Also, remember this, there are millions of homeless/impoverished in this world, but, right here in America, the number of women and children is staggering, with estimates that one in every 50 children will be homeless this year! That is one nasty statement to the citizens of this country, think? All I can say is that I hope that there is a Jack somewhere nearby for these kids to look up to, to learn from, and to find hope from, otherwise, the next society in line will be worse than we can ever imagine, for without fundamental comforts, or acceptances, what will be bred in the minds of these children???

Jack is a man who learned to make something of his situation, but, there are not many like him, and so, his example should inspire some of us to take up his lead, that these suffering people might be able to retain some semblance of dignity, pride, LOVE, and hope...