If You Live Long Enough
[thoughts from ~burning woman~ by Sha’Tara]
If you live long enough you will arrive at a place where your mind will meet with its memories.
The most lucid memories I’ve encountered of late are those of parents, teachers, educators and would-be way-showers. And, I think, they were selfish. They were arrogant, bigoted, and narrow-minded. At times they were violent, brutish, and oppressive to endure. True. These memories are trustworthy.
But then I realize I’ve become an adult and I can allow myself to judge as an adult, no longer as a dependent child. I take a new look at those memories of parents and assorted up-bringers and I allow that they did the best they could with what they had; with what they knew and understood. There was nothing else; no other rabbits for them to pull out of the hat their own society had plunked down on their heads. There was nothing more they could have done. And I realize this: that they were merely human.
Now what? Now it’s all up to me, just me, if I desire to be more (or less) than were those who “had” me, raised me, educated me, taught me, and without quite being aware of what they were doing (to me), tried to make me like them. But I neither liked them, nor did I choose to become like them. Instead I became me and I know the difference.
Now here’s my self-empowered conclusion of the matter: If they’re out there and they can see, even if they cannot speak, they have no choice now but to approve. Why? Because they are now powerless to do anything else. All that power they once possessed and used to lord it over me, has passed into my own hands to do with as I see fit. Interesting, isn’t it. But of course that’s only true to the degree that I allow myself to realize this.
So now, let me simply state that I approve of what you did to me, and for me, and I thank you. It gave me the power to choose to rise above your thoughts and expectations of me. The bread of adversity, like any bread, can be buttered on the one side or as “they” say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
In My End Trust Me
Revenge How Sweet IT Is...
TRASK...
I do recall a couple of my mentors, people of high learning and great achievement, who told me that, "I hope I did no harm." For requiring so much of me and other students to try to be as high achieving as they were. It was only in later life, both at the corporate and higher education level, that I ran into people that were unscrupulous, vicious, and determined to serve the self before those they were supposed to serve.
Perhaps you grew up in the "me" generation. I did not. I grew up in the "moon is only the start" generation that made love, not war, and overcame the Cold War with a peace sign.
Ron
not a child anymore and know the choices are yours
alone...
Always,
Deborah
Love ya!
Jane