Shall I continue to seek out safe places in this world or should I seek to be one?

It is said that men are from Mars and women from Venus, characterizing the differences between genders. However Mars, called the Red Planet because of its color, is not red hot but actually cold and icy. And Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is actually a barren desert (and, incidentally, the hottest planet in the Solar System).

Someone once said, “The truth lies somewhere in the middle.” But I think maybe the truth is everywhere, all the time, to some degree or another.

I recently had a vivid dream about my cat CiCi. She was alive –and edible! Without thinking I snatched away her little face and popped it into my mouth though I did not chew or actually eat it. She stood before me rather faceless like an old threadbare Teddy whose button eyes were long gone, only punch holes in the cloth remaining. She was unhurt but I, on the other hand, was distraught beyond words and wished I could put her face back on her. I could feel it on my tongue and didn’t know whether to spit it out or . . .

A couple of days later I was with three of my best friends and told them about my dream. Several ideas emerged, but then one of them suggested, “It’s about your blog. CiCi’s face is on your blog.” I knew immediately she was right. About a month ago, ever since I began working in earnest on my next book, I stopped writing my blog –and have been feeling badly about it. My dream self was reassuring me that no harm has been done.

Today, as I wandered around in a culinary shop I saw a cute little metal sign with a twist on a familiar quote. “Behind every great woman… is herself.”

So, do I continue to write my blog or do I concentrate on writing my book?

The answer is simply, Yes.

And, by the way, Happy Valentine’s Day (courtesy of a neighborhood artist)!