Another place, another time...

If you asked my friends this question they would recount the time when none of us were sober and we got into a deep, philosophical debate (as many of those without inhibition are like to do) about past lives. With the two of them speaking in Scottish accents and telling about their past lives, I announced that I had been a French princess and proceeded to begin speaking in French, much to their chagrin.

When completely sober, if I could live at any other point in history, I would live in Acadie and be a woman who spoke the old French, before the English took over that land for the final time in 1755 and deported the Acadians by tricking them into attending a meeting in a church, whereby they separated families, husbands, wives and children and shipped them off to various places in the British Commonwealth (the Great Diaspora). They then claimed their lands, making the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia an British and English speaking settlement.


Or perhaps I would have been a young French woman during World War II, a secret member of la résistance and running through les traboules of Lyon foiling the plans of the Nazis.

Our history makes us who we are. We are shaped by history - politically, geographically, socially. I was a student of history in University. It taught me to think. I hope I live my life putting to use the lessons I have learned.

History comes alive when we visit historical areas or read historical novels. Textbooks have their place and facts are essential, but when we hear the story behind the events, that is what makes us remember. Emotions stirred can never return to dullness.

My novel idea for NaNoWriMo will be a historical fiction on my favourite subject: Canadian history.
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fly butter,,, er butterFLY

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To wear or have around you the symbol of butterfly is to state your intention to flutter through life in joy. Butterfly teaches us that patience brings its rewards and as long as we keep working and developing ourselves the final glorious butterfly stage will come. To wear butterfly is to set your target like an archer - - joy is my goal, joy is my reality, joy will come, joy is here now.

When we encounter butterflies in our daily lives they are always a joy to find and a good totem. When one day you open your curtains and a butterfly flutters up you know that a glorious change is taking place in your life. You see the butterfly flutter his wings, almost dancing along. This is what butterfly teaches, that true joy is within the dance of life.

Keyword summary: transformation, joyful dance

The butterfly is also a symbol of woman's delicacy. It can serve as a reminder to treat her with gentleness. In Japan, a beautiful woman wearing a kimono is often compared to a butterfly.

In the Canadian Pacific northwest, the Haida depict Butterfly as the companion of Raven the Creator-Trickster, perhaps acknowledging the unpredictable and unreliable nature of "flights of fancy" and dreaming. Yet isn't it great to be unpredicatable! It adds zest to life! That's the essence of life!

Be eccentric! Embrace your creativity. Be yourself!

Mosaic Artist: Irina Charny

http://www.mosaicartsource.com/mosaicart/mosaic_art_gallery/irina_charny_mosaics.html

Resources:
http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/dictionary/butterfly.html
http://www.khandro.net/animal_butterfly.htm

banned books week

Seriously? Seriously. Books are still being banned.

Whatever happened to education and becoming aware of the world around us? I for one do not want to live in a bubble. I mean, how can we pop people's bubbles if books that make you think are banned? Hmmm. Right. Some people like living in their comfortable bubble. And we wonder why this generation is so stupid. Baaa. Truth is, if you want to be a sheep, you better know how to evaluate your shepherd. You wouldn't want to be led astray.

I mean, I'm all about freedom. And that means having the ability to choose what to read. Sure, I've made choices not to read a second book by an author or not to read a book based on the information on the back cover or the subject matter, but that was my choice. I do not like having someone take that choice away from me. I don't believe that's right.

Education happens when we expand our minds. If we never encounter any thing that makes us think, makes us question what we believe, then we cannot say that we are educated. Sure it may cause confusion, but that is where true thinking comes into play! It makes the thinker a stronger person because they have done battle in their mind and can say they know what they believe, even when it's challenged!

If someone takes away the choice, then that's censorship. And how do you know if you can trust the censors? History is pregnant with the births of leaders that became tyrannical with their power. How can a population that is censored truly make wise decisions in choosing their leaders if they do not know how to think?

If a parent is afraid of a certain book, let's use Harry Potter as an example, then here's what I think they should do: read the book WITH their child. That way their child gets to read what everyone else is reading and therefore is part of society, but also the parent and child can have discussions (hmmm, imagine that: parents and children talking!) about why some people think the book should be banned, why the subject matter of the book conflicts with the family's beliefs, etc etc etc!!!

Would any of you like to join an online bookclub? I'm thinking that we could choose only banned books, read them (ex.one a month) and then discuss at the end of the month.... We'd probably never meet face to face, but we'd still get to engage our brains, think, and discuss online! We could start with me sending out reminders on this blog and begin our postings in the comments section of this blog, and then if we prefer, exchange email addresses to have further commentaries that are just for those in the bookclub.... What do you think? Any one interested? I'm calling it "the banned books bookclub"!

Happy reading everyone, no matter what books you choose :-)

Forbidden

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She walks down the street, watching the black squirrels gather chestnuts from amid the fallen brown leaves that crunch underfoot. Her stomach is upset from the trials of her personal life. Above her, the blue sky is filled with patchy clouds; the weather is changing and tomorrow the world will be one wet pond. Winter is coming. Autumn is laying her chilly fingers upon the earth, forcing change.

And then a buttefly flutters past. Butterflies are her symbol. They have been present the last few years as she has made her life altering decisions. They have been present when she has dreamed her grandiose dreams and watched a few come true. They have been signs to her that she is on the right track.

So she takes it as a sign, like she does every other time she sees one. She watches its erratic flight pattern and knows all will be well. It may take time, but it will be well in the end.

Today is her day to throw off the shackles, to flip up her matted coccon hair and throw back her arms, baring her heart to the world and her dreams. It is a vulnerable position; to bare her heart, but she has protected it for far too long and this change feels good. Freeing. She is taking back the day. She is taking back her life. She is taking back her dreams. She is freeing herself from the shackles. The chains turn into butterflies who fly away into the sky.

The scars only make her stronger. They are evidence of a fighter. Today is her day. The hours are hers. Her body is hers. Her mind is her own. Today she will allow herself to feel the love from others. She will believe that she will get through this.

Forbidden to feel no more. She releases her heart to soar.

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October acronym poem

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October sweeps in with

Chilly air & rain

Tuques are pulled out of closets
1Oth month
Broken in school supplies
Eerie last day
Remembrance Day is coming

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Care to share yours?

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