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kinda-iconic · 3 years

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My Hardest Goodbye

This fanfic is part I of the continuation to ‘How do I go on without you’, and is set not long after the end of said piece.

Summary: After receiving word of Amelia’s condition, Harry and Teresa make their way to Edgewater; however, once they arrive at the estate, neither are prepared for what they overhear.

Author’s Note: This is the first fanfic that I have posted in a couple of months, and though I do apologise for the lateness of my delivery, I wanted to make sure that it was worthy of posting. This piece has been split into three parts, this part in particular focusing solely on Harry’s POV (ish).

Pairing/s: Harry x Teresa; Ernest x MC (Amelia)

Word Count: 2′670

Trigger Warning: Language

Tagging: @bloodboundismylife @princess-geek @octobereighth @annaroselyn @i-put-the-sin-in-sinclaire @nala-raines @noesapphic

A couple of hours had passed since the announcement of Amelia’s condition, and not a stir could be heard from those at Edgewater. Shortly after she had been informed, the Dowager Countess had sent word to her grandson, her letter abundant with urgency in the hope that her kin would realise the importance of that evening. Whilst her Ladyship was left to ensure that the matter of correspondence had been dealt with, Ernest refused to leave Amelia’s bedside, his hand clasped tightly around her own.

When Harry received the news, he did not hesitate to make preparations, choosing to arrive on horseback rather than waking his staff from their slumber. Accompanied by his new wife, Harry left at the earliest convenience, making sure to take a route that would guarantee the pair a prompt arrival. The journey was not without difficulty, the road laden with the remnants of the night before, fragmented arrays of foliage and stone littering the trail; though this would usually delay even the steeliest of travellers, Harry was not deterred. He grabs his cane and presses on, deciding it best to cut through the woodlands surrounding the estate, thus reducing the time it took for the pair to arrive. It is not long before they reach the gates, their arrival noted by a Master of Horse, who stands idly by the stable, as if expecting their early meeting. The young man holds out a hand, gesturing for the Viscountess to accept his offering of assistance. Once his aid is no longer required, he turns his attention to the horses, choosing to remove himself from the conversation of the events of that evening and any speculation they may have made about his Mistresses’ welfare.

But there is nothing of the sort.

Harry dismounts without so much as a word, his rashness causing him to disregard propriety; removing his cane from the saddle, he heads in the direction of the house, barely sparing a thought for Teresa who follows behind him, collecting her skirts in an attempt not to muddy them. She calls out to him, her voice hoarse with breathlessness.

‘Harry!’

He greets her with no reply, his brow creasing into a scowl as he approaches the entryway, his lips pursed tightly together as if struggling to maintain his anger. She watches him a little too carefully, ultimately losing sight of the stretch of path below her as her foot slides into a puddle, the sullied water seeping into the fabric of her shoe. She squeals in annoyance, reaching down to wipe the soil from her boot with her handkerchief.

‘This is not what Amelia would want -’

‘I think I know the situation well enough to conclude that my sister is not in the position to tell me what to do.’

Her eyes widen at the spitefulness in his tone, her head drawing back in bewilderment. Knowing that he had wounded her with his remark, he turns to address her over his shoulder, his gaze softening as he gazes upon her face. He opens his mouth to speak, but the horror of his utterance has rendered him almost speechless. Eventually he is able to communicate, his voice no louder than a hushed whisper.

‘Forgive me, I…I should not have spoken to you like that.’

‘You do not need to apologise, my love,’ she interrupts him, a small smile blossoming on her face as she places her foot back down, being quick to regain her footing, ‘you are worried for your sister; I would probably do the same if I was the one whose sister was suffering.’

‘That does not excuse my sharpness.’

‘But it is warranted,’ she begins to hurry her steps, treading lightly as she tries to match his pace, ‘Amelia is very dear to all of us, so it understandable that you are on edge.’

‘I guess you are right,’ he places his hand atop of hers, his fingers swiftly interlacing with her own, ‘I just do not understand how something so terrible could…’

She clasps hold of his arm, her fingers gently grasping onto the sleeve of his jacket, her brows knitting with worry as she takes note of the sadness in his gaze, his stormy eyes brimming with tears. He takes a shallow breath, a disconsolate sob stifling in his throat as he tries to regain his composure, his voice shaky and burdened.

‘Why did it have to be her?’

‘I cannot answer that, my love,’ she takes a step forward, placing herself in the space between her husband and the door to the manor; she cups his cheek with her free hand, her own tears now beginning to stain her face. She smiles sadly up at him, drawing soothing circles into his skin with the pad of her thumb. ‘No one deserves to suffer in this way, especially not someone as kind and dear to us, but that does not mean that there is no hope.’ She reaches for the handle, being careful not to make too much noise as she pries the door open, walking blindly into the entrance hall as her focus remains fixated on her husband. ‘Amelia is young and in good health. She has all that and more on her side.’

‘Being well and youthful means nothing when it comes to someone falling ill,’ he pauses, as if concerned that his words may startle her; he brushes past her, his footsteps heavy and dragging as he forces back the pain emanating from his calve, his jaw clenched in agitation. He begins to speak once more, his voice deep and gravelly. ‘It does not pick and choose who it…’

He stops abruptly, shaking away the thought before it has the chance to hurt him further; he closes his eyes, a sharp exhale escaping his lips as he takes the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, not a single pause in his stride.

‘I cannot bring myself to talk about this further.’

It is then that he hears a team of familiar voices, drifting towards him from the parlor. At first, he thinks nothing of it, under the belief that it is nothing more than a conversation between Edgewater’s staff - just a simple exchange between associates. However, as he continues his ascent to the next floor, the voices grow louder, their words causing him to cease in his tracks.

‘The Doctor told you that?’

‘Well of course not! I am not a relative,’ Harry takes a step back, his brow creased in annoyance as he shifts himself, placing a firm hand on the wall as if to find a better vantage point to eavesdrop, ‘but I did hear the Dowager say that Mr Sinclaire would take over the estate should the Countess die... just until the child comes of age.’

‘And you think he would do well by us?’

‘Oh goodness no,’ there is a soft pause, this newfound silence soon replaced by a hearty chuckle, ‘he may be the only well-born of the pair, but even the Earl’s bastard could do a better job than him - and she is knocking on death’s door!’

Their words cause Harry to tense, his body seizing up as he tries to process the maliciousness in their tone. He remains like that for a moment before quickening his descent, subconsciously deciding to address the matter first-hand rather than ignore their gossip. He clenches his jaw, his lips forced together as he passes his wife, afraid that he will utter something incomprehensible should his mouth remain open; Teresa follows closely behind, her petite frame remaining hidden in the shadows of the night, a choice ultimately made in fear of being discovered.

Just as he nears the entryway to the parlor, a small hand grasps hold of his forearm, its grip strong yet delicate in its approach.

‘Harry…’ her voice adopts a soft tone, her words laden with acceptance and understanding as she draws his attention back to her; he looks at her in puzzlement, his head tilted in vexed curiosity. ‘I know that their interaction is not one that you wished to hear, and I acknowledge that you want to say something in return, but there are more pressing matters that we MUST concern ourselves with.’

‘I cannot sit idly by and allow them to talk about Amelia in that manner!’

His voice is stern, the intonation in his tone rising to a level that Teresa had never heard from him before. She releases his arm, her brow knitted with concern.

‘I know, my Love,’ she sighs despondently, reaching down to take his hand in her own; she flashes him a comforting smile, but the reassurance in her gesture fails to meet her eyes, ‘but right now our priority is the Countess -’

‘Amelia,’ he removes his hand from hers with tenderness, as if trying not to cause her worry, ‘that is her name, and she wills us to address her as such.’

He makes heed in the direction of the room, disallowing Teresa the chance to provide him with further words of comfort. She reaches towards him in an attempt to interrupt his anger, but it is not long before she stops herself, her face a picture of confliction. Instead, Teresa goes against her better judgment, allowing her husband to pursue his vengeful path in the hope that, by voicing his frustrations, he may be able to free himself from the burden he so openly carries. She remains quiet, continuing to bite her tongue even as he opens the door to the parlour, his sudden entrance causing the occupants of the room to look up, their own eyes widening as they observe the Viscount’s furious expression.

‘V-Viscount Harry!’ The housekeeper stutters, her unsteady hands instantaneously reaching to straighten her skirts; Teresa’s brow quirks in suspicion at the woman’s sudden interest in her appearance, yet she fails to notice, ‘we were not aware that you would be staying with us this evening…’

‘Yes, well,’ he maintains his composure, his words laced with ostensible cordiality, ‘when one’s sister is taken ill, it does not do well to dwell on pleasantries.’

‘Of course, Sir,’ she bows her head in acknowledgement, promptly remembering who is talking to, ‘and may I say that, on behalf of all of us at Edgewater, how very sorry we are to hear of the Countess’ condition.’ She shifts uncomfortably on her feet, her stoic gaze slowly darting to her counterpart before refocusing on the Viscount, ‘we pray that the mistress makes a speedy recovery.’

‘That is most kind, Ms. Thompson.’

His words show no malice, yet the sternness in his tone causes a feeling of uneasiness to settle in the housekeeper’s stomach. ‘It is nice to know that those who have found their vocation at the estate value the family that they work for.’

‘I couldn’t agree more, Sir,’ the Butler nods in agreement, his hands tucked neatly behind his back, ‘the Countess and Mr Sinclaire have been most generous and kind to us.’

‘Is that so?’ Without sparing his pretence a second thought, he replies through gritted teeth, his words laced with venom, ‘I am afraid that you have both left me in quite the predicament, Ms. Thompson.’

‘...We have?’

‘Oh yes,’ he ponders over to the dresser, his hand brazenly reaching for the decanter that lay atop the structure; he collects a glass from the cabinet before pouring himself a drink, being mindful as to refrain from causing any spillages. He takes a sip, the bittersweet aroma causing his nose to wrinkle as he turns his attention back to his present company. ‘You see, it was never my intent to pay you a visit,’ he sighs distastefully, taking a seat on a nearby armrest, ‘at least it was not until I overheard the rather heinous way you spoke about my sister and her husband.’

The housekeeper’s face grows pale, her mouth falling agape in surprise; she stumbles backwards, rapidly blinking as she is forced to process his words, as if disbelieving of what she has heard.

‘W-we never meant any harm -’

‘Whether or not your words were said out of spite is beside the point,’ he retorts with rashness, taking an authoritative step forward; he lifts the glass to his lips once more, taking a generous mouthful of the spirit, ‘you serve in the Countess’ household; your loyalty should lie with her ladyship.’

‘It does, Sir!’

‘Then may I ask why you took it upon yourselves to speak about the Countess and her husband in such a manner? To make such unfounded remarks about the father of the heir to Edgewater?’

The Butler and Housekeeper share a glance, their eyes filled with something too undistinguishable to convey. However, before they can ruminate a response, Harry interjects them, his voice thick with emotion.

‘I care not for your excuses,’ he closes his eyes momentarily, running a frustrated hand across his forehead, ‘but I would expect those in your positions to be more grateful and appreciative of working for a mistress as lovely and just as my sister.’ He glances over at his wife, his gaze softening as he bears witness to the sadness in her eyes. He greets her with a sorrowful smile, reaching forward to place a comforting hand on her arm, his anger quickly bubbling into resolve as he shifts his attention back to the others.

‘I will not tell Mr Sinclaire what has transpired here today.’

‘You are not going to say anything?’

He shakes his head slowly, his movement devoid of strength or willingness to continue the fight. The housekeeper takes this as her opportunity to close the distance, her expression alight with relief as she gasps in delight, the intonation in her voice accompanied by excitement and half-hearted gratitude.

‘Oh, thank you, Sir! We are ever so thankful for this chance to -’

‘I am not doing this for you,’ he interjects, his breath hitching slightly in his throat as he thinks back on the reason for his visit, ‘I am doing this for my sister…and for the man that she chose to marry.’ He exhales sharply, his emotions having taken more of a toll on his composure than he had initially thought. ‘Mr Sinclaire has already lost one wife during childbirth, and now he is faced with the possibility that his second may succumb to the same fate; that his daughter may have to grow up in a world without her mother, a similar path to which young Percival has had to travel once before.’ He clears his throat before continuing, his train of thought travelling back to his nephew. ‘That child has been through enough already, as has Mr Sinclaire, and I am not about to let your loose words affect them so.’

He places his tumbler on the table, the rim of the glass trembling from the forcefulness of the impact. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere more important to be.’ He tips his head in farewell, making swift work of the door before stepping out into the corridor, his final parting words rendering both parties speechless as he ponders over to the staircase. Teresa walks beside him, her footsteps light and bouncy as she matches his bearing.

‘You did very well.’

‘I did not do enough,’ he shakes his head in disbelief, running a tired hand across his face before collecting his chin in his palm. ‘They deserved so much more than a simple telling off.’

‘That may be true, but we are not here for them,’ she entwines her fingers with his, ghosting his knuckles with the pad of her thumb, ‘we are here for your sister, and that is where our attention and focus must now reside.’

The sincerity in her voice causes him to pause, the corner of his mouth curving into a wistful smile before he turns to look at her, his next few words spoken with cherishment and adoration.

‘I could not have said it better myself.’

#playchoices #choices fanfic #choices d&d #desire and decorum #ernest sinclaire #sinclaire x mc #viscount harry #teresa sutton #original writing #tw: language

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authorgeek · 3 years

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Let me Break it Down for ya (and for me).

Fundamentally - for me, everything culminates to “Life, and Humanity is sacred and should be treated/protected as such.” Above property. Above Money. Above the judgement and opinions of others.

Now, for the nuance, and a practice in self-examination, specifically because I don’t want to leave this unexamined. I want to know I feel the way I do for a reason, and be able to record what those reasons are.

I am a disabled woman and I come from a long line of disabled family members. I’ve watched our pain be dismissed, and our diagnoses disregarded. I’ve heard my sister grow up being called the R slur and being asked about my physical appearance - “Are you short enough to be a M#dg#t (and yes, that’s a slur too)?” - much of my childhood. I’ve seen first hand how ableism dehumanizes us, especially when we cannot work/hold jobs, and commodifies us when we can. I’ve seen how America denies its most vulnerable healthcare (this includes the scariest buzzword of them all, abortion - because if we actually cared for the health of our women and children the need for abortion in the first place would drop right along with the number of unplanned pregnancies).

I am also a student who has grown up under the threat of gun violence in our schools. I’ve been through countless threat events and drills in preparation for an active shooter. (I thank God and consider myself lucky every time it crosses my mind that I’ve never personally been in an active shooter situation.) I am afraid of unattended cans/bottles/packages, loud noises, and public spaces because of the trauma this overhanging threat placed upon me and my peers as we grew inside of it. I’ve seen first hand how student voices are ignored and silenced by those in power.

I have black friends and loved ones. I try my very best as a white woman not to speak over them, but to amplify their voices, listen to, stand with, and defend them. I care more about black lives than city property, or profit. I also, as an infertile woman, love adoption and may one day raise a child of a different race and ethnicity than myself. I want to do so, prepared In love and knowledge of what that child’s experience will be like as a BIPOC or AAPI child in America. It is dangerous to pretend “their” problems do or should not impact me simply because I’m a white woman. There is no “them”. only “us” and I have the unique ability as white to act like it by following their lead, and I intend to fiercely.

I’ve found a community like no other among my LGBTQIA+ siblings. I have friends with They/Them pronouns. I use She/Hers but the found family and friendships I’ve made are deeper and more cherished than I will ever be able to express. The warmth and acceptance granted me, of questioning, and of exploration are so meaningful and I wouldn’t sacrifice them for anything. I never would have been able to come to terms with my own position within the queer community or found the language to communicate the way my heart works without them and I’ll never be able to thank them enough for that. I only hope I can return the same unconditional love they’ve shown me.

In as simple as I can put it, there it is My most “nutshell” experience that’s led me towards what some may see as extreme, or as a certain “agenda”, specifically in my support of BLM or the Queer community. You may say it’s “Divisive” or “Intolerant” and lament my inability to find a middle ground or compromise. I lament your seeing humanity, in all its ever existing diversity and beautiful complexity, as “agenda” or “radical”. I cannot compromise because I do not wish to. I believe that disabled, queer, people of color are people. To compromise on that would be to compromise their humanity, and would make me a part of the problem. This is the problem I see with the white centrist or independent. If you’re looking for a middle ground and willing to find a compromise here, it’s because you weren’t truly valuing or seeing people as people in the first place.

#authorgeek #politics #dftba #breakdown #leftist #listen #learn #examine

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tawakkull · 4 years

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Love and Mercy in Islam: Appeal to Mercy

It is patently obvious that those who do not share the same values inherited from the past, or who do not rely on the same sources as us are not likely to appreciate our affliction; nor can they help but be puzzled by our general attitudes.

In fact, for those who view the present and the future from only a materialistic point of view and who deal with life merely in accord with its corporal aspects, it is not possible to feel or taste anything but the transient and shallow pleasures of the body. And, again, according to the same corrupt view, things not related to corporeality or to the body are not worth mentioning. Neither the past nor the future holds any meaning. The past and the future are merely refuges in which those who have lost the present can take shelter. What such people consider essential is the present; they see the rest as being a waste of time. Truly, these people, imprisoned within such a narrow perspective, are not likely to understand such statements as,

“Were you to know what I know, you would seldom laugh, and often weep.” [ Bukhari, Kusuf, 2; Muslim, Kusuf, 1; Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 9; Ibn Maja, Zuhd, 19 ]

Nonetheless, the Sultan of the Words, the Prophet who uttered this hadith, knew well over what he was crying, just as those mature spirits, satisfied only with faith, divine knowledge and love, and prepared with their armament for eternity, also know why they are weeping and of what they are in pursuit. There are many reasons for such people to cry.

As well as belief and finding peace—a problem in which everybody is interested—or the danger of being drowned in disbelief, there is a multitude of problems that need to be solved—social, economic, political, and cultural. There are cases of injustice that are considered to be the root of unease in society. There are rights that need to be reconsidered and redistributed in accordance with human values and along the principles of fairness and conscience. There are our hopes and ideals that are concerned with eternity, and, opposing these, there are antidemocratic obstacles that cannot be contemplated, as well as the propaganda of power. In many areas, emotions still dominate reason, and orders are given in accordance with the recklessness of power. In many parts of the world, human mistakes and acts that are considered to be wrong are still swept away with blood and tears. People, from time to time, are forcefully taken off in the direction of Paradise, or roughly pushed toward Hell, their will power and opinions disregarded. New camps are being formed every day, each team fighting for their perspective or their commandments; every ideology is depicting a life style befitting their principles. Furthermore, people are forced to fit into this narrow portrait and to live accordingly. Throughout the world, in hundreds of places, individual consciences are still being crushed, the will of the community is still being ignored and the eyes of the conscience are still being blinded.

In fact, the shortest way to relieve their pains and to rid them of personal and social repression is to cease interfering with their consciences and to show them how to exist with their own awareness and will. Indeed, only when the mechanism of the conscience is kept alive, and will power and awareness are respected in society, can the people stay human and be directed toward human values. Individuals can only be regarded as true citizens when they exist with their own conscience and will power, thus growing mature enough to help others spiritually. Otherwise, society is inescapably inflicted with various social, political, administrative, and economic problems. A community that is made up of inadequate, inconsistent or patched together pieces cannot be called a nation. Likewise, a mass that appears to be a nation, yet which has deteriorated beyond recovery cannot promise a bright future. If we want salvation as a whole society, it is essential that each and every individual be alert and motivated. The star of the good fortune of our society will appear in a surprisingly comforting manner if we plead for the salvation of others, shoulder to shoulder, with our palms opened to the sky.

The essence of the fundamentals that help us reach the desired maturity is composed of our being aware of the faith with all its peculiar depths, of undergoing pain and effort in our worship, of being moral in all our acts, of being spiritually, consciously and sensuously revitalized, and of weighing everything against the righteousness of the heart.

Enlightened with these, we will transcend the limits of individuality, make demands in accordance with these principles, and be aware of the things that we demand as well. Going one step further, we will be able to connect everything with eternity, and evaluate everything with the supreme criteria. Thus, sharing in all the advantages of humanity, we will be able to voice once again our eligibility to be "in the most perfect form and nature" as the humans we are. I believe that those blessed ones who understand this pivotal point will not only attempt to lead others to the straight path, but will also guarantee their own future.

I feel obliged to restate again that individual projects of enlightenment that are not planned to aid the community are doomed to fruitlessness. Moreover, it is not possible to revive values that have been destroyed in the hearts of the individual in society, nor in the conscience or the will power. Just as plans and projects for individual salvation that are independent of the salvation of others are nothing more than an illusion, so, too, the thought of achieving success as a whole by paralyzing the individual awakening is a fantasy.

In this light, we believe that, having clarified in our individual wills and consciences the fact that everybody has hands of their own, but by joining hands we can solve all the problems with a collective conscience and will power.

With this kind of attitude, we hope to retain, and even to increase, the fruitfulness of our individual lives while presenting to others the elixir of life, and, therefore steadily augmenting our material and spiritual value. To us, the more altruistic a plan or an attempt is, and the more often it is directed for the good of others, the more consistent and promising it is. This is true because what keeps a person alive is the goal of lifting others up. The converse of this is that it is personal interest that kills or paralyzes human beings. Those who waste their lives in pursuit of personal interest are sooner or later corrupted, although they are not necessarily involved in dirty politics. Those who stay alive by inspiring the awakening of others, on the other hand, walk safely providing the elixir of life, in places where all others are being blown around like leaves. And such are the people who have been nominated to "contentment” in this marathon that takes place in both this world and the next.

Over and above the maxim “Desire not for others what you do not desire for yourself,” such people ceaselessly try harder for others so that others will benefit from what these people of heart have already found useful. With the boundlessness of the horizon of such people, they are able to revive the feeling of mercy in the hearts of tyrants. At the same time, they believe that being with the oppressed is the same as being with God, and thus support them.

Living for others is the most important factor that determines the behavior of such heroes. Their greatest worry is their quest for eligibility for such missions, whereas their most prevalent characteristic is that their utmost ambition is their search for God’s consent. When striving to enlighten others, they feel no pain nor do they undergo any shock caused by the delight of enlightening others. The achievements that such people accomplish are regarded as revelations of His holy aid, and such people bow in modesty, nullifying themselves again and again, every day. In addition to all this, they tremble at the idea that their emotions are bound to interfere with the works that they have caused to come into existence, and groan; “You are all I need.”

For ages we have waited impatiently for such blessed hands to transform what can be depicted as “the devastated lands, ruined homes, and remote deserts” into a new realm. And we are determined to wait for many more years with faith, desire, and resoluteness. May the expectation of these pure, compassionate hearts for this Infinite Mercy, not go unanswered.

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hypnoticwinter · 3 years

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110 Epigrams, in no particular order

1. there is no such thing as bad writing so long as you are saying what you mean to say the way you mean to say it to the people you mean to hear it.

2. prose is only inexcusably purple when it is pretentious or unnecessarily complex.

3. the most important part of any relationship is knowing what you want and knowing what they want.

4. you handicap yourself if you have power but refuse to exercise it.

5. characters don't have to be likeable and don't have to grow, but they do have to have logical motives for their actions.

6. everything is art, but that doesn't automatically make it worthy of discussion.

7. literature is multidimensional and the original author should not be placed on a pedestal; however, the original author should also not be completely disregarded.

8. intelligence is the ability to take in knowledge and dissect it; wisdom is the ability to use it in your life.

9. the good don't need the law and the bad don't obey it.

10. in great attempts, even to fail is glorious.

11. it's not what you do with your life, it's how you feel about it. If you're content, nothing else matters.

12. the quickest and laziest way to solve a problem (provided the entire problem is completely solved) is always the best way.

13. money can't buy happiness, but it can buy fun.

14. irony has come to define people and their vain struggle to escape the cage only accentuates its existence.

15. either have something new to say or a new way to say something old.

16. you shouldn't marry someone unless you'd still do it if there was no cake, no celebration, no witnesses, no rings, and the only thing you got from it was a little piece of paper that said 'ur marid now grats.'

17. never buy people things they are better at selecting themselves.

18. being truthful is preferable to lying, but if you have to lie, do it to anyone but yourself.

19. the point of marketing is to make people think they want your product.

20. you can have an infinite set without having all possibilities.

21. morals are for people who want to feel better than anyone else, but can't get money or sex.

22. people only do things because it benefits them in some manner.

23. a law is only as powerful as the apparatus that enforces it.

24. being fat is prole, but having a lot of muscles is prole too.

25. you're not a dog, so don't reward yourself with food.

26. the only person who will always be there for you is yourself.

27. you're not as good as people say you are, and you're not as bad as people say you are.

28. if you need to do it with friends to have fun, then it isn't fun.

29. to feel sorrow is to deserve forgiveness.

30. we never love anyone. What we love is the idea we have of someone. It's our own concept—our own selves—that we love.

31. slang is the weapon of elitism.

32. art should never be censored.

33. someone fucking someone over because of the bottom line makes sense, but getting fucked over because people are friends irks people the worst way.

34. trust the written word the least, the spoken word a little more, and actions the most. The way people act is the way they feel.

35. carefully cultivated vagueness is any artist's best friend. Let your audience fill in most of the blanks themselves and they'll invent things much more fantastic and memorable than you ever could.

36. no matter how little you care about what other people think of you, their opinions of you still affect you.

37. saying 'then you do it better' is never a valid response to criticism.

38. if you don't respect yourself, nobody else will.

39. make no more enemies than necessary.

40. when people say 'just be yourself' what they really mean is 'don't try to trick me' or 'don't get uppity.'

41. true communication is distinguishing between when the other person doesn't understand you and when they do understand you but don't care.

42. it is always the speaker's responsibility to ensure their message is heard.

43. how hard you work does not and should not affect the value of something you create.

44. the government is a tool to serve a purpose; it should never be the focus of love or unconditional loyalty.

45. finding an aspect or the entirety of a work of art offensive is not a good reason to not absorb and attempt to appreciate it.

46. either have substance or have form.

47. the surest way to identify constitutional weakness in someone is if they phrase their insults and other opinions in the form of a question for no reason; people only do this when they don't believe in themselves because they're afraid of their own voice.

48. the best scams of all are the ones that punish people for not partaking: marriage, taxes, degrees.

49. if you can't bear your power/status gracefully, you don't deserve it.

50. the secret to empathy is to suggest something believable enough that the other person thinks that's what they were thinking.

51. whenever you feel you must do something, make sure you are doing it because you want to do it, not because someone else thinks you ought to. Note that the two are not always mutually exclusive.

52. you cannot feel shame unless you already harbor guilt.

53. it is the responsibility of the commissioner of a task to ensure that it is done to their liking; it is the responsibility of the doer of a task to ensure that it is done to the best of their ability.

54. ignorance is never shameful unless it is willful.

55. once an individual accepts the inherent injustice in the world, all things become just.

56. for praise to be worth something, it has to come from a higher source; thus the object of praise lifts the praise-giver to a superior level.

57. success in life does not come from actual virtue or competence, it comes instead from appropriately and frequently signaling one's holiness through ideological gang signs.

58. people do things publicly so others will notice them. What people do when they're alone is what they truly enjoy.

59. it is difficult to be kind to a person who wants nothing.

60. trying to be calm is not calmness.

61. it is safer to beg than to take, but finer to take than to beg.

62. you are only as good as your latest work.

63. being a victim has become a currency and like all currencies, it is counterfeited.

64. faith is a tool that becomes more necessary when an individual is living close to death.

65. poetry is the only art not consumed by its 'fans' ... it is an art divided between snobs, who refuse to accept any but classical poetry, and other snobs, who ape contemporary poets with none of the requisite skill or understanding.

66. companies are sociopathic entities. They don't have any empathy or desire to help people, nor should they. Their only purpose is to function efficiently and produce money, and it's the government's function to impose human values on them through regulations.

67. if you're actually proud of something, you won't be offended when someone uses it as an insult against you.

68. silencing an opponent through brute force rather than logic makes them a martyr.

69. people want sympathy, not solutions.

70. rules have no inherent power, and people no inherent obligation to follow them. Rather, the enforcers of rules are the ones with power, and rules are only obeyed out of fear of punishment. Corollary: the degree to which a particular rule is obeyed is directly related to the power or aggression of the enforcer of that particular rule. Hence why everybody obeys the law of gravity and nobody obeys laws against jaywalking.

71. people do not normally react aggressively to honest, non-aggressive criticism unless there is an underlying insecurity about the thing being criticized.

72. never put a person in a position where they have to defend themselves, even if they're wrong.

73. never apologize to people who do not believe in forgiveness.

74. never pick up something you aren't willing to put down.

75. if you can't change the situation, change your view of it.

76. the best way of learning is to accept your ignorance and regress to a childlike state where you are not ashamed of not knowing what you are doing and you are free to experiment even with the most basic elements of what you are trying to learn.

77. if you are proud of your country you are either a thug or you haven't read enough history.

78. justice without dispassion is rarely justice.

79. do not do anything for someone that they can do for themselves.

80. the truly marginalized people are the ones you never hear about.

81. change is not the same as progress.

82. the more irrational and bizarre a person's beliefs are, the more their subjective viewpoint is proven to exist.

83. believe in the ideal, not the idol.

84. know when to stop.

85. it is impossible to argue with someone who knows they are right.

86. when you reduce your character to one aspect of yourself, you will begin to assume that every criticism levelled against you stems from prejudice against that aspect instead of any legitimate wrongdoing on your part.

87. trust no information that was transmitted or created in exchange for money or favors.

88. praise the person, not the act.

89. giving an excuse means that you are not sorry.

90. looks depreciate.

91. you will only change if you see a need to.

92. if you want to be noticed, be irreducible. The larger the box you can be shoved in, the more you will stand out.

93. make no quotes in languages you don't speak unless you are certain of what you are saying.

94. a bad defense looks worse than silence.

95. do unto others as they do unto you.

96. if you can't explain something to someone, it's not because they're stupider than you are.

97. if the worst someone can do to you is yell at you, they are no threat.

98. groups are not defined by the outliers.

99. make decisions with irreversible outcomes rarely and with grave consideration.

100. those who refuse to follow are doomed to lead.

101. tribalism allows for blatant hypocrisy without even a trace of self-awareness.

102. a sequel should not undo what was done in the original, it should instead expand on it without damaging the original's legacy.

103. the only people against gatekeeping are those it's meant to keep out.

104. the only human right is the right not to have to do things that you don't want to do, and it is violated wholesale.

105. fudge everything you can get away with.

106. the only law is might makes right, all else is vanity.

107. believing features of a different culture are by default sacred is just a sophisticated way of insulting them for being savages.

108. never attribute to incompetence that which can be explained by malice.

108a. sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.

109. anything good that flows downstream is an accident.

110. you can't gatekeep if you don't own the keys.

#writing #inspiration #alt lit #writeblr

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heartslogos · 3 years

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newfragile yellows [906]

Hello, listeners. Welcome back to everyone’s favorite, humble, small town radio show. By which I mean, only small town radio show. Of course.

We’re in for a special treat today, dear listeners. Today I am not in the recording studio! I am not in my normal setting of padded room, darkened one way screen, susurration of voices that undulates just outside the recording booth door, damp hot pulsating mass of wheezing flesh that writhes above the ceiling panels leaving behind dark stains and occasionally pops its eye stalks in to remind me about the importance of shopping local, and of course tangled gordian knot of wires and cables that lead to innumerable plugs and objects which can and cannot be seen. Those wires that one could spend hours upon hours tracing and following only to find themselves worse off than when they started. Those wires that seem to grow the longer you look at them. Stretch the more you try and pull on them in an attempt to yank them out of their socket because maybe then, maybe then it would finally be over. You would have reached the end of the journey and by the Maker if you can’t find out what this thing does then you both will go down together.

Yup! I’m not there today! Your boy Maxwell’s gone on a field trip.

I am coming to you live from the scene on this most auspicious day. As you all know from the previous community calendar today is the opening for negotiations between the Secret Police Chief, the Iron Bull, and — warning, the mention of the following being may cause stress, flash backs, potential mental breaks, severe anxiety, hives, a strong sense of fight and or flight to kick in, and sheer, blind, terror — Senior Librarian Ellana Lavellan. From previous mentions on this show you would know, listeners, that these two parties have entered a courtship that has been long hindered by city mandates, the severe laws put into place in order to keep the librarian population away from the vulnerable, and a deep rooted fear of librarians and all library associated concepts.

Just recently the paperwork they submitted to both City Council and the Mayor to date have been approved. Ellana Lavellan is now, for the time being, allowed limited access to the rest of the city outside the boundaries of the library provided she is in the company of someone from the Secret Police force and has her hands where everyone can see them at all times. Her many. Many. Many. Many. Hands.

As we all know submitting that paperwork is only step one in the long and fascinating courtship ritual of a member of our city’s governing force. Today the Iron Bull and his family of Secret Policemen will meet with the most Senior of Senior Librarians. The word senior is used here to reference both the time the librarian has spent as a librarian, and the time the person the status of librarian is attached to has spent with any conceivable amount of existence.

Neutral ground has been roped off with a safety cordon blocking off the streets and sidewalks and entry to buildings adjacent. I am reporting from just next to said safety cordon. The strings of electric holiday lights marking the boundaries of the blocked off zone make a truly horrific screeching sound whenever a piece of my equipment gets too close for its liking.

Allow me to set the scene for you, dear listeners. Because this is not a visual medium, and as I said before I am not in my normal broadcasting setting — where I have easy access to weaving my sonorous and well loved voice into the air, getting it caught in the microphone and transported into your homes, your lives, your ears, your minds — I will have to verbally describe things that are happening rather than our usual of having my words transmit images directly into your brain.

There are two tables set up. One for the Iron Bull, his right hand man lieutenant Aclassi, two of his officers Skinner and Dalish, as well as their emergency medic, Stitches. Officers Grim and Rocky are patrolling the edges of the Secret Police cordon. The other table is for the Librarians. Of course Senior Librarian Ellana is present, along with her brother Senior Librarian Mahanon. They have also brought who I can only assume to be the Head Librarian, Alim Surana, who has not been recorded as having a corporeal existence capable of being understood and comprehended by non-librarians in the past fifteen years.

There are three more librarians prowling in the background, but they have made no hostile moves as of yet.

Listeners, while the two parties are still setting up and getting themselves together for this clash of words, wills, and possibly body parts if things go well, let me take you to some other news.

Young Man Alistair is continuing his campaign to get Wardens acknowledged as a real existence. Until further notice, please disregard this information. It will not help you. It will not save you. It will only ever hurt you.

Red Jennies Records is having a buy one get one sale this weekend. Buy one of something, get another of something. Pay for both of them. Pay double for both of them. Bring your own bags to carry things. You should know that by now, it should go without saying, really.

Oh — listeners. It looks like things are starting.

As per tradition both sides are presenting gifts of good will.

From the Iron Bull’s side, they are presenting a hound. It is small. Still young. It is entirely black and it is smoking heavily. From here I can see the soot falling off of it as well as the scorch marks its paws leave on the ground whenever it moves. Its tail is wagging furiously, sending off puffs of ash hither and yon.

The Librarians huddle around the hound before turning to each other. Senior Librarian Mahanon is shaking his head. Senior Librarian Ellana is clapping her many hands. Head Librarian Alim Surana is staring straight at me.

Listeners.

He is looking at me. His gaze is bottomless. Or perhaps it would be better to describe it as ever expanding outwards because to say bottomless would imply a sense of direction. That would be misleading. His gaze is eternal. It is a yawning, gasping emptiness that exists beyond chasms or voids, and all things that would imply some sort of shape or space or boundary.

I feel nothing, listeners, from this gaze. No hate. No fear. No anger. No annoyance. There is only his eyes. And me. And I am being seen, listeners. I am being seen and pulled apart and examined. Cell by cell. Atom by atom. I am becoming undone and unravelled, pulled apart but not put back together, instead being left as individual pieces as though some sort of diagram to be studied. I am —

I think we’ll cut to the weather now.

#heartsfic #gather your party and venture forth

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dfroza · 3 years

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this world will be made pure.

it will be reborn by our Creator’s Love (Light) to right every wrong ever done.

and so we wait for this True Kingdom, of which is here, & now (Spirit) but also contained in promises to come, that will be…

and we have become caretakers of garden earth and of the physical body, each being temporal and imperfect, subject to aging. but even death will be a thing of the past at some point.

and so we share this sacred truth of the Scriptures to inspire with hope, because we are nothing without it.

we need faith. we need hope. we need Love.

we need the True illumination of the Son.

(eternal life is not possible apart from Him)

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 3rd and closing chapter of the Letter of 2nd Thessalonians:

Brothers and sisters, having shared all this, let me ask you to pray for us. Pray that this message of the Lord will spread quickly and receive the praise and respect it deserves from others as it has with you. Pray also that we would all be rescued from the snares of harmful, wicked people—after all, not all people are believing. Still, the Lord is true to His promises; He will hold you up and guard you against the evil one. We do not doubt the Lord’s intentions for you; we are confident that you are carrying out, and will continue to carry out, the commands we are sending your way. May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s pure love and keep you headed straight into the strong and sure grip of the Anointed One.

For the sake of the church, brothers and sisters, we insist in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed that you withdraw from any brother or sister who is out of order and unwilling to work, who is straying from the line of teaching we passed on to all of you. You know how essential it is to imitate us in the way we live life. We were never undisciplined nor did we take charity from anyone while we were with you. Instead, you saw how we worked very hard day and night so we wouldn’t be a burden to even one person in the community. We had the right to depend on your help and hospitality, as you know; but we wanted to give you a model you could follow, to lay a path of footprints for you to walk in. This is exactly why, while with you, we commanded you: “Anyone not willing to work shouldn’t get to eat!” You see, we are hearing that some folks in the community are out of step with our teaching; they are idle, not working, but really busy doing nothing—and yet still expect to be fed! If this is you or someone else in the community, we insist and urge you in the Lord Jesus the Anointed that you go to work quietly, earn your keep, put food on your own table, and supply your own necessities. And to the rest of you, brothers and sisters, never grow tired of doing good.

If someone disregards the instructions of this letter, make a note of who it is and don’t have anything to do with that person so that this one may be shamed. Don’t consider someone like this an enemy (he is an enemy only to himself) but warn him as if you were redirecting your own brother.

Work is part of the ongoing work of creation, an aspect of God’s image in us. Those who do not work will be unfulfilled and a burden to those around them.

And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.

This final greeting is by me, Paul, written by my own hand. This is my signature, letting you know that this is a genuine letter from me, and so I write to you:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with all of you.

The Letter of 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 26th chapter of the book of Jeremiah where Jeremiah was wrongfully accused and some people wanted him sentenced to death:

The word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah not long after Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) began his reign as king of Judah.

Eternal One: Stand in the court of My temple, and speak to the crowds who have come to worship from all the towns of Judah. Give them all of My words, Jeremiah; don’t leave out a single one. Maybe they will listen this time, and each one of them will stop the evil actions and return to My path. Then I, too, will stop the impending disaster I have planned for them because of all the evil things they do. Tell them what the Eternal says: “If you will not listen to Me or obey My law that I have already given you, and if you will not listen to what My servants the prophets have to say even after I’ve sent them to you again and again, then I will deal with this temple as I did Shiloh. But this time I will also make this very city a curse for all the nations of the earth.”

The priests and the so-called prophets and the crowds heard the message Jeremiah delivered in the temple of the Eternal. As soon as Jeremiah finished saying all the Eternal directed him to say, the priests, the prophets, and those who stopped to listen grabbed him and began to shout.

Temple Audience: You deserve to die! Why have you uttered such prophecies in the name of the Eternal declaring that this temple will be destroyed like Shiloh and Jerusalem will be empty and lifeless?

At this point, a large mob of people gathered around Jeremiah in the Eternal’s temple.

When some officials of Judah heard what was happening, they left the palace and hurried to take their seats at the entryway of the new gate leading to the Eternal’s temple. The priests and so-called prophets brought charges against Jeremiah to these officials as the crowd looked on.

Priests and Prophets: This man should be sentenced to death! You heard with your own ears how he prophesied against our city.

Jeremiah (to the officials and the crowd): The Eternal sent me to prophesy against the temple and this city—every word you heard came from Him. If you stop your evil actions and obey the Eternal your God, then He will stop the impending disaster He has planned for you. As for me, my fate is in your hands. Do with me what you think is right and fair. But know this: if you execute me, innocent blood will be on your hands and on this city and on all who live here, because the Eternal truly did send me to speak each and every word you heard.

Officials and the Crowd (to the priests and prophets): This man should not be sentenced to death because he has spoken to us in the name of the Eternal our God.

At this point, some of the elders, who were leaders of other communities, stood and supported the verdict, speaking to the entire crowd.

Elders: Remember the prophet Micah of Moresheth in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah. It was he who said to the people of Judah, “This is what the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, has to say:

Zion will be plowed under like a field,

Jerusalem will be left in ruins,

And the hill on which the temple stands

will be overgrown like a forest.”

As difficult as those words were to hear, did King Hezekiah or anyone else in Judah demand Micah’s death? No, he humbly worshiped the Eternal and asked for mercy, and what happened then? The Eternal stopped the impending disaster he had planned for them and turned back the Assyrian army. Now it is our turn to listen to the prophet of God, but instead, we are about to bring this terrible disaster upon ourselves by ignoring Him again!

Uriah (son of Shemaiah) from Kiriath-jearim had prophesied in the name of the Eternal with essentially the same message as Jeremiah against this city and nation. When King Jehoiakim, his soldiers, and his officials heard what Uriah had been saying, they decided to kill him. When Uriah became aware of these plans, he was afraid and escaped to Egypt. Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan (son of Achbor) to Egypt along with others to bring Uriah back. Once they found him, they brought him back from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed by a sword and then buried in a commoner’s grave.

Ahikam (son of Shaphan) used his influence to help Jeremiah. As a result, the prophet was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 26 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, September 8 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the Divine Word:

Both the Torah of Moses and the New Testament attest that Yeshua is Elohim (אֱלהִים) -- the Creator of the cosmos: בְּרֵאשִׁית הָיָה הַדָּבָר / "in the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1,14). The Divine Word and Voice cannot be separated from God any more than the Spirit of God can be separated. Yeshua is the Source of all life in the universe: כָּל־הַמַּעֲשִׂים נִהְיוּ עַל־יָדוֹ / "All things were made by Him (John 1:3). The "Word made flesh" is the "image of the invisible God" and the "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint (χαρακτήρ, 'character') of his nature" (Col. 1:15). All of creation is being constantly upheld by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3): "All things were created by Him (i.e., Yeshua), and for Him" and in Him all things consist (συνεστηκεν, lit. "stick together") (Col. 1:16-17). As our Creator and Master of the Universe, Yeshua is both our King and our Judge, and therefore Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Yom Teruah) rightly centers on Him...

But in addition to God’s power and sovereignty as our Creator, we note that the Scriptures begin and end with the redemptive love of God. Yeshua is the Center of Creation - its beginning and end. As it is written: אָנכִי אָלֶף וְתָו רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן ראשׁ וָסוֹף / "I am the 'A' and the 'Z,' the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 22:13). Indeed, Yeshua is מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים / Melech Malchei Hamelachim: The "King of kings of kings." He is LORD of all possible worlds -- from the highest of celestial glories to the very dust of death upon a cross... יְהִי שֵׁם יהוה מְברָךְ / yehi shem Adonai mevorakh: "Let the Name of the LORD be praised" forever and ever (Psalm 113:2).

The central point of all true Torah, then, is the redemptive love of God demonstrated in the "first and last" principle of sacrificial life. This was prefigured in the original paradise when Adam and Eve were clothed by the lamb sacrificed for their transgression (Gen. 3:21), and the theme continues throughout the Torah, for example, in the account of the sacrifice of Isaac (we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah to recall the Lamb of God given in his place), in the visions of Jacob, in the commissioning of Moses, in the redemption from death by the blood of the sacrificed lamb in Egypt, and by the climactic revelation of the altar given at Sinai (i.e., the Tabernacle). Just as the "korban tamid" of the Temple (i.e., the continual sacrifice of the lamb upon the altar) recalled the original Passover and foretold of the Lamb of God to come, so Yeshua, the “Living Torah,” embodied the Sacrificial Life itself, the true Lamb of God that was offered upon the stigma of the cross, to demonstrate God's infinite condescension, mercy and love that redeems the world from sin and death. Just as there is no Passover apart from the Lamb, so there is no "Rosh Hashanah" or "Yom Kippur" apart from God's atoning love given in the Messiah... Now THAT is something for us to make a "teruah," or a "joyful noise" in praise to our God! [Hebrew for Christians]

9.6.21 • Facebook

and another about having a sound mind:

It is written in our Scriptures (2 Tim. 1:7) that "God has not given us the spirit of fear (πνεῦμα δειλίας), but of power, and love, and a sound mind" (note that the term "sound mind" comes from the word saos (σάος) "safe," or under the protective restraining influence of the Spirit of God). Understand the connection between fear and confusion, then, and note further the connection between having a sound mind and a heart of peace and courage (Isa. 32:17)... A fearful or shameful attitude, then, enervates your resolve, quells your love, and introduces pain to your thinking. It is the old ruse of the enemy of our souls to lead us to despair, the exile of shame, and cruel bondage to untruth. As always the answer is the same: namely, teshuvah, turning to God and embracing the grace and love given in Yeshua as our deepest reality, our power, our heart, and our mind. [Hebrew for Christians]

9.7.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

September 8, 2021

The Righteous Judge

“That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

People often make erroneous judgments. Even those who are officially appointed or elected to judge others are sometimes mistaken, and so we have a whole system of appeals courts. Yet even the Supreme Court, composed as it is of fallible human beings, often seems to be wrong. But as Abraham recognized long ago while interceding for the people in Sodom, we can be confident that the Judge of all the earth will do right!

He not only can judge our actions in relation to His revealed will but can also discern thoughts and motives and, therefore, “judge the secrets of men” (Romans 2:16), and He will do so in absolute rightness. Furthermore, “he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:...and my judgment is just,” asserted the Lord Jesus (John 5:22, 30). To those who reject or ignore His redeeming love, relying instead on their own worth, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

To those who have been redeemed through saving faith in Christ, there will, indeed, be a Judgment Day, but it will be for dispensing of rewards for faithful service rather than for salvation, and this also will be done righteously. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Timothy 4:8). HMM

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sword--wings · 6 years

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Unfinished Kallura Drabbles. Set post S4

She finally finds Keith in the armory looking in to the glass case displaying the Red Paladin armor.

“It so good to have you back.”

He turns, slightly startled by her arrival. His eyes look to the floor, then again at the glass. Allura approaches him ill standing by his side smiling softly.

“What did the Coalition decide on?” Keith asks eyes front.

Allura sighs. “They did not. Lotor is secured now, every aspect of himself and his ship is being searched again for anything suspicious. The pieces of the comet have already been removed and Pidge and Hunk were able to confirm that they are indeed pieces of the transreality comet.”

“So he hadn’t used all of it.”

“Apparently not. Lotor is willing to talk. You’ll of course be joining us?”

Keith nods still facing the paladin armor. Soon the Blade, the team, and Coalition leaders would gather where Lotor had been detained to hear whatever it was he felt he had to say. He had not struggled, but submitted to all their shackles and probing giving up his sword and communications devices. It all seemed unreal. A few months ago Lotor had been an elusive ghost keeping out of the limelight of the Empire’s throne and just always beyond the Blade’s grasp. He’d always been steps ahead of them when Voltron had chased him down as well. And now the ex-ruler of the most powerful empire in the universe had simply appeared and given himself up: it was both dissatisfying and unnerving. If Lotor didn’t want to be caught he didn’t get caught. And if he was caught? Well. He’d let them trail them straight to Thayserix hadn’t he? He had let them place their tracker and baited them right into a hell planet. And Naxzala hadn’t been much disimilar: they’d “captured” it only to find that I was a trap, another nigh inescapable planet, only this time the entire coalition and every planet reclaimed in the vicinity were ripe for the harvest. Sometimes the Galra were more tactical than was credited to them.

“How have you been?”

Keith looked over to see Allura looking at him. He was taken aback by the question. “I’m fine,” he noted. “had a few close calls but…same as everyone.” Then more confidently he added, “I heard about what you did on Naxzala: with Voltron. I’m proud of you Allura.”

Allura looked at her hands fidgeting at the compliment.

“You’ve always had the strongest connection of anyone to the Lions. And I know you’ll only grow stronger.”

“Thank you,” Allura replied. A sudden sad look came over her features. “But I am afraid there is such much I don’t know. I never got the chance to learn much magic from m father or the royal Priests. ” She folded her arms in over herself. "Haggar’s magic constantly surprises us.“

"Perhaps Lotor can help.”

“Lotor?” Allura raised an eyebrow questioningly. She pondered it frowning. “Maybe.” She shook her head disregarding the subject. “Anyways, I’m sure we’ll figure things out now that we’re all back together.”

Keith did not meet the Princesses’ eyes.

“Right?” Allura prompted. “You will be rejoining us now that we have Lotor: pursuing him is why you left with the Blade. But now that that’s over you can return.”

Keith’s voice was quiet and dismissive. “-and what?” He met her stare. “I cant provide much back up fire from the castle or orders or tech support.”

Allura looked offended. “You cannot be serious. You can go back to flying Black. Shiro and you can take turns and he can properly mentor you on how to–” Keith was already shaking his head.

“Shiro is the pilot of the Black Lion.” He argued.

Allura narrowed her eyes. “The Black lion favored you. It chose you Keith. That means it sees some kind of potential in you-”

“Everyone has potential.” He interrupted becoming agitated. “Any of you could be taught to lead this team–”

“The Black Lion didn’t choose any one it-”

“It once chose Zarkon so maybe its not the best judge of character!” Keith yelled then drew back almost immediately, “Sorry,” he muttered embarrassed at the outlash. “I just…”

Allura was taken aback. She’d never considered that, not directly anyways. She couldn’t think of an immediate way to dismiss that argument then decided to change tactics entirely.

“Keith,” she said s gently as she could, hoping to address him from another direction. “I don’t understand. ..What is this about?”

She looked at him imploringly. His shoulders drooped.

“Did we do something?” she asked prying more when he remained quiet. “Are you mad at us? Has something happened?”

“No! No,” he responded immediately looking surprised by the idea.

“Do you miss Red?” she suggested timidly. “I know you were bonded quite strongly-”

Keith raised his hands out towards her. “Allura, no, I’m. That’s not. Red isnt’ a problem. I’m happy for Lance. He’s really grown with Red. And you’re doing great with Blue. I don’t want anyone to lose their lion. Anyone.” The last part was implied: including Shiro.

“We don’t want to lose you.”

He looked surprised to hear it. Touched. The he looked down frowning. Before either could respond the comms buzzed loudly in their ears. “Keith. Allura. Meet us on the bridge to prep for Lotor’s interrogation.” Shiro’s voice ordered.

Keith steadied whatever emotion he’d been feeling out of his face and looked at Allura. “We should go.”

Allura nodded. The conversation was not over, at least, not in her mind. She followed a step behind Keith determined to press for more later.

*+*+*+*+*

Kolivan watched stoically from the control room as the small warrior ran through simulation after simulation: each level was progressively harder. The robot gradually moved faster, hit harder. Then, there were more Altean robots. In time each artificial construct was dissolved back into Castle data before a new reconstruction was summoned.

Soft delicate footsteps padded behind him but he did not bother to turn around. Out of his peripheral he noted the Altean Princess Allura, dressed in paladin armor coming to stand beside him.

She watched alongside the ancient Blade member as Keith struggled in the fight below. One sentry leapt forcefully swinging its sword down toward the young man’s head. Allura winced as it was met by Keith’s knife. He pushed back up, struggling against the blow. There were now numerous reasons she hated to see him fight with the Blade of Marmora, one of which being that he no longer had his paladin shield. Did it not occur to the Blade that such a tool would be quite useful? It probably didn’t stand with their methods. Stealth. Silence. Avoidance. Direct battle, extended fights–those were not the strengths of the Blade.

A second sentry dived from Keith’s left surprising him. He nearly fell under the force of the first one as he attempted to dodge the new attacker and the previous one. Yet but a moment later he had sliced both in turn causing their forms to dissolve.

Keith paused catching his breath while the third sentry farthest across the room targeted him. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply extending his blade outwards: even exhausted and facing another enemy he managed to wear a split second of peace on his features before his eyes snapped open in time to witness the sentry propelling forward. He moved so slightly right, spinning alongside the sentry’s sword into its inner range, slashed the left side of its chest and swung around its back and away. Like the others it dissolved in a glitch of light and energy.

Keith very slowly raised himself from his bent stance. He looked at his knife. Again he paused, closed his eyes and relaxed his body: meditative even. He remained like that for a few ticks. Ticks turned into minutes before she saw, even from their distance, a line of frustration across his forehead, teeth clenched in concentration.

Then he lashed out at nothing, slicing, kicking, and stabbing the air in a practiced pattern of moves. He ended the violent dance in a low balanced stance. But the grace gave way to the rage, the peace escaping his face first and then the rest of his body followed as he slashed the air again and then threw the knife into the training deck’s floor where it buried itself almost the hilt. Keith was breathing heavy, less so it seemed, from the fatigue, than whatever unseen obstacle beleaguered him.

Looking at his weapon Allura noted something odd. “Why…is his blade not activated? I thought he had unlocked its power.” She looked accusingly at Kolivan.

Kolivan’s face was stoic as ever. “He had. But. His mind has become clouded. I have not seen him activate it since he joined us.”

Allura looked worriedly back through the glass where she could see Keith retrieving the knife. So he had been fighting sword-less and shield-less? Obviously the blade was still incredibly potent: but the sword was Keith’s weapon. She had always…noted that about him. Like flying Red, it was another thing he had in common with her father.

The Galran Blades she knew were not just technical creations: there was a magical element to them, one Kolivan was either reluctant to share or ignorant of. But she knew the blades were connected to their owners. And the true power of Keith’s eluded him. Huh. How…fitting, she thought. Its potential, like its owner, was untapped. She wondered why Keith was so fervently against piloting Black. Her thoughts drifted back to their previous conversation: Did the Galra thing truly bother him? Did he hate being akin to Zarkon? She blushed wondering if her distrust and resentment of him after learning of his heritage had helped spur this. It hadnt even occurred to her-that Black had chosen another Galra. It did seem…foreboding. But now she doubted her instinctual hesitation to it; the thought of another Galra piloting Black did seem unappealing. But Keith…wasn’t like that. He was no Galran soldier–he wasn’t even purple! Keith was Galran but he wasn’t a Galra. Or was that also unfair of her?

Perhaps he doubted himself. Did he merely not want the responsibility? It wasn’t as if he’d be alone: Shiro would of course guide him and they’d all be able to contribute. Black had selected Keith and the Lion must have had a reason and she had to trust its judgement. She’d been skeptical before: initially the Paladins had been…disappointing. They were young, unaccustomed to war, rather untrained and they took the destruction of universe less seriously than one ought to. But in time the Lions’ choices had proven to be brilliant, brave, and good hearted and she’d fallen in love with each of them. Sometimes she found herself simply being with them. Happy. Things felt…normal. As if it’d always been this way. As if any of this was okay. As if Altea wasn't….As if she was merely travelling, that it was somewhere just as she’d left it. She didn’t need to think about it in the same way one doesn’t think about breathing till suddenly your air supply has run out.

She blinked hard bringing herself back to the present. Keith was resting below, rehydrating from a pouch. “Aren’t you concerned?” she asked Kolivan.

“There’s little I can do to help him. Only he can awaken the Blade.”

Allura pouted at this response. “You cant even give him any hints?” and then, more sharply, "Have you even spoken to him about it?“

Kolivan’s face held about as much emotion as a handful of rocks.

"No, I have not.”

“Well why not?” Allura asked, crossing her arms. “You’re mentoring him arent you?”

“Keith struggles with many things,” Kolivan explained cooly, unaffected by the Princess’ tone. “Stealth, retreating, paying attention to one’s surroundings, knowing when to back out and abandon a cause.” The older man looked Allura dead in the eye for the first time in the conversation. “Asking for help.” He turned away returning back to the window overlooking the training deck. Keith had begun stretching.

“He is aware of these flaws. Everything else is his choice.”

Allura watched as Keith finished his stretches and activated the training deck for another round.

#kallura #voltron #vld #voltron fanfic #keith (vld)#allura (vld)#my fic #fanfic #theyre not really coherent just snippets

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jnanajanani · 5 years

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Finding our Voice

In general I find that one of the things many women chronically suffer from is the search to “find” their voice. Actually suffer; sometimes feeling strangled, trapped, anxious, or in general just full with no release. I speak for myself in this as well. It’s what prevented me from singing, and then writing for many years.

Why do we struggle so hard to find just the right voice? Each of us have our history and that plays a part in it. Maybe we weren’t allowed to speak much growing up, or if we did we were condemned or ridiculed. I believe it goes much deeper than this. Even though many of us grew up in a modern society being educated, employed to the top ranks and able to develop platforms to be heard, I believe there is also something deep in our bones, cellular memory perhaps, that quiets us. Perhaps it was from the time in which women’s natural wisdom was no longer seen as valid due to scientific advancement: I think of the medical field and how at one point it was understood that the earth provided all we needed for health and then synthetic medicines were created, perhaps providing quicker recovery, and natural wisdom was disregarded, and eventually became labeled as witchcraft. Women were often the bearers of this earthly knowledge. Many were misunderstood - often deliberately - and their words and abilities were used against them even though their intentions were pure. Maybe there is still some memory from when only men were educated and women were told they knew nothing because they did not read books. Self-doubt about what we knew inherently versus what men were being told was true. Maybe it’s about how in many religions women are labeled as inferior in the eyes of God, and are meant only to serve man and populate the world.

There’s so many possible reasons why we might feel cut off from our own voice. Yet now, in this time, it’s almost as if we cannot hold it down any longer. Or at least that’s my experience. Even if we try our bodies won’t let us - we get sick in some way; physically, emotionally.

And we want to get it “just right”. We don’t want to be misunderstood. It takes trial and error. Some go to extremes, really blasting it out…other’s use words that have already been said, memes and quotes, and voicing their agreement with “Yes! This is how I feel, too!”

And some do a bit of both, some instances more extreme and some more down low…finding the balance, just the right nuance to the rhythm, the words, the tone. Or it’s in the colors, the image, the movement, or in whatever way most closely matches our insides.

There is a desire to release what is held inside. I think most art is that…turning oneself inside out. Sometimes we want others to witness it and sometimes we don’t. We want it to live outside of us so we don’t feel so congested, we need space. Maybe if we can see/hear/read it, the mind feels better because it can understand it in some way. If the mind doesn’t understand something it can get very irritated.

The struggle to find just the right tone, words, energy seems to be a particularly female issue, from what I’ve noticed. That’s not to say men don’t struggle sometimes as well but there doesn’t seem to be as much concern about it. If most men have something to say they often just say it. (Although in this day and age men are needing to be, and are being a bit more particular with words they use and the context in which they are used.) With many women, I find that we are more cautious, wanting the words to express truth at multiple levels and wanting that truth to be understood as such. Classic differences between traits of linear versus varied, textured, complex. And we’re just now feeling that we can speak in this way. That being direct and straightforward isn’t always necessary, particularly when it comes to self-expression. We’re allowed to take up more space now, and that’s resulted in us being more willing to do so.

I don’t want to be just another person spouting off their experiences & passing it off as some heightened knowledge. With social media it feels like no matter what you say someone has something to criticize about it…men & women alike. Maybe you used a word they don’t like or is slightly off in definition, or maybe they’ve just grouped you into a whole segment of people so they don’t hear you as an individual and they jump on anything they can to invalidate you as the group. Maybe they feel you should be talking about something else that they feel is more important. So I tend to just not broadcast much personal opinion, as in the end it’s all just opinion. But when it comes to this insatiable thirst for self-expression, I know I need to find an outlet.

Even though I feel quite confident about who I am as a woman, the expression, in written form for me right now, is where I still hesitate. It’s not about a conscious self-worth issue. It’s an acknowledgment that I am still inhibited by some unconscious beliefs about speaking up. I’m okay with taking up public space, as long as it is contributed from a place of clear intention, and not just taking up space to take up space. (I’m talking about public forums like social media, not about needing a purpose in order to feel worthy of taking up space.) I believe everything is energy/vibration, and words hold strong vibration. Language, just like me, has many layers and colors and tones. I have tried many times to learn other languages to give me a more expanded vocabulary to choose from, but for some reason the languages never really hold. It’s like the Universe is saying that I must learn to communicate impeccably in English as this is the audience that needs to hear you right now. I have a deep desire to have my words be received fully with the true intention behind them. This doesn’t mean there isn’t room for personal interpretation…that is only natural. But I want to give the full feel of the words, not just the sound or spelling.

In my astrological chart I have Venus in Aries. one of the qualities of this aspect, along with how the rest of my chart is laid out, is the Warrior Goddess/Defender of Cosmic Order archetype. I also have Saturn conjunct Venus, which can tend to be a bit self-punishing in the “who do you think you are” kind of way (see above references.🙄 I was told this years ago and reminded again just recently. Understanding this as a potential trait of mine helped me to be a bit softer with myself about my eagerness to speak up when I could see things - often times well before others could see - were happening in a way that was harmful and then beating myself up for speaking up about it because no one listened. These traits do run deep in me though, and part of my evolution in this lifetime has included transcending even these aspects that are believed to written in the stars. I’ve gotten much more skillful in my expression and my plan is to just keep writing until it smooths out fully.

I’ve noticed over the past few years there is a segment of women, mainly late 20s-30s, who are having their own awakening experiences and then tend to use the word f@*k a lot. I’m not sure why this is. It might be because there is this adamant refusal to have any sense of being caged or limited, and so they use this language which is bold and aggressive to exemplify this determination. If men of any age used that same type of language I think most people would find them aggressive and not be as drawn to them as they are to the women who use the same language. Women who use it are thought of as “sassy”, not necessarily so aggressive. It’s not a “bad” thing, it’s just something that is very noticeable to me. As I watch them over the years I see their language mellow out a bit and they realize they don’t have to always be so “on”, and then there’s a new crop that comes up. I guess it’s all part of discovering and trying out all parts of us.

I sound old.

Ha. I’m okay with that. I feel pretty good about my journey and where I am now, and can see myself in so many others as we all continue to experience this play of Life. And I’m going to write about it.

#femininewisdom #spirituality #thejourneycontinues

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gyrlversion · 5 years

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Everything You Need to Know About the Mauna Kea Protests In Hawaii

By Kēhau Lyons

Nearly ten years ago, a multibillion-dollar international collaboration led by the University of California and the California Institute of Technology planned to build the largest telescope in the Northern hemisphere on the summit of Mauna Kea, a sacred Hawaiian mountain. It is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from the ocean floor; higher than even Mount Everest. In 2015, kiaʻi, protectors of the mountain, prevented that work from starting and Hawaiʻi’s Supreme Court repealed the telescope’s permit.

But the battle didn’t end there. On October 30, 2018, a ruling was handed down by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court allowing Hawaiʻi’s Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to issue a highly-contested conservation district use permit, allowing the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to move forward with construction this year. On July 10, Governor David Ige announced that construction on Mauna Kea would begin on the week of July 15.

As a result of Governor Ige’s announcement, a major gathering of kiaʻi have gathered on sacred and once-pristine Mauna Kea and demanded that the TMT International Observatory abandon construction of the TMT, which is slated to stand 18 stories tall with two stories gouged underground and has been designed as one of the largest telescopes ever built-in existence. That it is situated on environmentally sensitive, sacred, Indigenous land seems almost like an afterthought to its creators.

Since the beginning of our history, Kānaka Maoli, the indigenous people of Hawaiʻi, have traveled up the smooth, graceful slopes of Mauna Kea to honor our sacred and most cherished Mauna a Wākea, the piko (umbilical cord) and location of our origin story. The mountain is within an environmentally sensitive and fragile conservation district and is a part of ceded lands, which are crown lands from the Hawaiian monarchy that were stolen and given to the U.S. government when Hawaiʻi was illegally overthrown in 1893 and annexed into the U.S. in 1898. Years later, when Hawaiʻi became a state in 1959, the federal government gave those crown lands to the newly established State of Hawaiʻi via the Statehood Act, with the condition that they must be held in trust specifically for the benefit of the Native Hawaiian people.

By Jaysen Patao

Yet even with the handful of organizations dedicated to helping Native Hawaiians, the state of Hawaiʻi and the United States federal government has made it extremely difficult for Native Hawaiians to thrive and prosper in our homeland. In the case of Mauna Kea, they are benefitting off a history of imperialism and white supremacy and trampling over Indigenous rights in the name of science.

Hawaiians are not anti-science, we are anti-desecration. “We are against the building of anything 18 stories over our watershed, water aquifers, on our sacred mountain. It could have been anything; it just happens to be a telescope,” Hawaiian kiaʻi and organizer Pua Case told Democracy Now.

The TMT is a $1.4 billion endeavor and has become a symbol of modern-day colonialism. The University of Hawaiʻi, regulated by the BLNR, manages the lands on Mauna Kea, and pays the state of Hawaiʻi $1 a year to lease the land, then subleases to the observatories for $1 a year. The practice began in 1964 when the school signed a 65-year lease with the state of Hawaiʻi with the intention of building a single observatory, but a long history of mismanagement soon followed. This ignorance and willful apathy has become a devastating pattern in which settlers and haoles (non-Hawaiians) in positions of power disregard the will of Native Hawaiians, the indigenous people of Hawaiʻi.

Why are Native Hawaiians continually ignored, cast aside, and devalued? Why should we stand aside when other people commodify and monetize our language, culture, traditions, and land? Why can’t non-Hawaiians understand us when we say Mauna Kea is sacred to Native Hawaiians? Why do we have to prove why the mountain is sacred and how it is sacred to us?

Ultimately, our language and culture exist for us and by us, and it’s up to us to ensure its preservation. Mauna Kea is where our aliʻi (royalty) are buried, their bones in the ground; it is where Hawaiians generation after generation, a long and surviving lineage, have gone to gather and sing, to chant, to dance hula, to pray, to be within the living presence of mauna. As native people, we know and recognize that our mountains, water, and air are all connected on this earth. Where is your mountain? Where is your river? What are you doing to protect her?

When word spread that Governor Ige would be announcing the construction of the TMT, organizers quickly discussed plans over encrypted messages — they planned to arrive at the intersection of Saddle Road and Mauna Kea Access Road on Friday, July 12, with only a few cars at first. Soon, the crowd would swell into the thousands. By Monday, July 15, the kiaʻi assembled peacefully from the early hours of the morning in the freezing cold with ti leaf lei draped gently between each of them. The kūpuna (elder) line, three rows deep, volunteered to be on the frontline.

DLNR and heavily-armed Hawaiʻi Island police, including officers flown in from the City and County of Honolulu, were present the first two days of the stand-off; neither police nor kiaʻi budged. On July 17, the third day consecutive day, the arrests started amid tears and heartbreak. Following an emergency proclamation by Governor Ige, who granted himself more immediate powers to dispatch Hawaiʻis National Guard, 33 of the kūpuna were systematically detained and arrested, each taken to a nearby police vehicle and driven away. “Some willingly walked, but others were in wheelchairs and had to be pushed out. At least one man was lying on the ground and had to be lifted by police,” KITV4 reported. Tiare Lawrence, a community organizer from Maui, said on Instagram that many of the protesters who were arrested on Mauna Kea“were also on Kahoʻolawe fighting the same fight over 40 years ago. Their commitment to aloha ʻāina (love of the land) is unwavering.”

The arrests haven’t stopped others from gathering, as thousands of people began showing up at the sanctuary site, Puʻuhonua o Puʻuhuluhulu, with their cars lined up along Daniel K. Inouye Highway (known as Saddle Road). Protecting the land cannot fall to Native Hawaiians alone, either. The upswell of support for kiaʻi on Mauna Kea has been a steady growing wave; Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruno Mars, and Bretman Rock have all expressed support for Native Hawaiians and called for a peaceful non-violent resolution. The Rock, who is of Samoan descent and has ties to Oʻahu; singer Jack Johnson; and Native Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa have all traveled to Mauna Kea to join the joyful, emotional blockade where there has been a steady stream of hula, mele (singing), ʻoli (chanting), and jam sessions.

Things seemed to quell on Wednesday, July 24, when the Hawaiʻi Island city council passed a moratorium for a 60-day break from construction to ease tensions. Subsequently, Governor David Ige took back his emergency proclamation but he also instructed his state agency, the BLNR to grant the TMT project a two-year extension to start construction.

But the fight isn’t over, and protesters will undoubtedly need help from allies — and there’s plenty of ways to help even if you don’t have the time or money to travel to the island and protest in person.

By Jaysen Patao

If you can, support by donating.

All kiaʻi are ultimately at risk for arrest on Mauna Kea. You can donate directly to the Hawaiʻi Community Bail Fund to help protectors with cash bail, to HULI for nonviolent community organizing, logistics and training, or to the KAHEA Aloha ʻĀina Support Fund, which prioritizes frontline logistical support for non-violent direct actions taken to protect Mauna Kea from further industrial development including supplies, transportation, technical services, bail, and community meetings. You can also donate any extra Hawaiian Airlines Miles to help other kiaʻi travel to Mauna Kea, or buy a flight directly for a Native Hawaiian eager to join kiaʻi on Hawaiʻi Island.

Support by contacting the decision makers.

The state of Hawaiʻi is currently asking for comments supporting or opposing the Thirty Meter Telescope to be submitted through a Google Form. You can also contact key decision-makers including Governor David Ige, Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Harry Kim, and folks at the University of Hawaiʻi to express your support for Mauna Kea and the kia’i and encourage them against supporting the TMT project. You can also contact the people at the TMT directly and encourage them to relocate the project.

Support by using your voice.

Join an event in your community to show your steadfast support or email [email protected] to start your own. If you are a student, alumni, or affiliated with one of the schools made up of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), you can sign this petition facilitated by Stanford Hui O Nā Moku to “meaningfully object to AURA’s support of the desecration of indigenous sacred land masquerading as a pure, innocent form of science.” You can also join the more than 200,000 Mauna Kea supporters opposing “any construction made on sacred land without the free, prior and informed consent of Kānaka Maoli,” and calling for the permanent halt of construction by the TMT.

The post Everything You Need to Know About the Mauna Kea Protests In Hawaii appeared first on Gyrlversion.

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maria-carmelia · 5 years

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The rape culture thriving in the online Filipino setting

Op-Ed on the perpetuation of sexual violence and abuse on multiple social media platforms, waving the rape culture that exists in the Philippines.

***

The feminist movement has come a long way from the first wave. With the increasing rise of technology, feminists are now able to quickly revolutionize the current politics of sex and gender, aiming to achieve equality among all.

In western countries, the #MeToo movement gradually grows and empowers women to voice their stories of sexual maltreatment. Whereas in the Philippines, although indeed feminism has evolved from its ancestral male-female traditions, the liberalism of the female population, is still quite a topic that is still in incredulity.

Nonetheless, there is an up rise of women embracing more their womanhood. In social networking services (SNS), we see an increasing number of women profusely sharing their experiences not only in sexual violence and assaults but also in their own sexual practices. Women are now confident in sharing photos of themselves in swimwear and lingerie. They are more willing to re-post articles that discuss sex and relationships. They admit their watching of pornographic videos. There also has been a widening growth in women supporting other women, rejecting the patriarchal dictation of beauty and behavioral standards. These are only some of the things that signify the development transfigured by feminism.

However rampant, there is still an ongoing battle between liberal and progressive thoughts and conservative and traditional beliefs. The evident magnification of confidence instilled in women is still strafed with criticisms and rejection from society. They oppose the new sculpture women have molded for themselves. It is an image that defies what once used to be accepted as true and correct. They belittle what is voiced now and attempt to sustain the truth of the past. What is most tragic is that they breed ideas that continue to subdue the newly found voice of women.

SO, WHERE HAVE WE GONE WRONG?

Rape culture is the normalization of ideologies that condone sexual violence and assault. It doesn't just concern the actual act of rape but the behavior that warrants the thinking of undermining targets of sexual violence. This includes blaming and slut shaming. It proposes a thought targeted towards the "faults" of the victim, rather than the perpetrator. Condemned are the women who want to be sexually active; shamed are they who feel lust; and blamed are the victims of sexual assault. On top of this, women are continued to be sexually objectified, majorly disregarding the role of men in the picture.

Despite the hope of utilizing SNS as a platform to inculcate why preaching feminism is a vital component in reaching equality, social networking sites platforms have proven to be a dangerous playing field for those who want to overpower the scrupulous criticisms and stratagems of the patriarchy. In fact, SNS has also been an instrument in deepening the ideologies of rape culture.

SHARING – A friend tags a friend tags a friend

Perhaps the most notable dawn of rape culture on SNS in the Philippines is the sudden surge of the ‘Pastor/Hokage Groups’ back in 2017. In essence, ‘Hokage Groups’ were different online communities based on illicit posting and sharing obscene photos and videos of women without their consent. Members of the group were expected to be active in commenting, contributing files, and rating women in the videos. Although Facebook has investigated and removed pages that were utilized as platforms to disseminate such, some continue to do so. Time and time again, there will be a pop of scandal on Facebook, igniting a race between several interested netizens to hold a grab of the footage. A quick search on Facebook’s search engine would also show a list of such content.

COMMENTS: They want it. They would’ve fought if they didn’t want it. They only pretend they don’t like what’s happening. She asked for it.

The idea here is that if women are humiliated by the public, they should not have agreed to perform in sexual activities, to allow it to be filmed or recorded and that they are to blame for their circumstances. How this extends the arm of rape culture is that not only have the women been violated of their privacy rights, they will now carry the burden of externally invoked indignity; whereas men are hailed champions for their conquer. Women are stripped off respect; whereas men are given it. Women become the object to lust over, and the subject of discussion; whereas men are rarely given the accountability and enlightenment about the harmful effects their actions triggered.

Some people, men, and even women forget, or rather dismiss the idea that it takes two to tango. Women have much liberty to engage in any form of sexual activities as much as any men. They can indulge in pleasure as men do. The only thing that people don’t into account is that women give their consent to the activity, but not to its broadcast.

TARGETING – We hit the bull’s eye!

After the disbanding of the Hokage Groups, a number of pages and groups continue publishing obscene content. However, it is important to point out that some of these groups broadcast these only for clickbait. Photos will be edited and will include captions that insinuate sexually invoked ideas to entice people, and many of the videos shared online cannot be played at will. To have access, permission from the administrator of the page is required.

A well-known YouTuber, Rei Germar, has been a target of this. In her tweet, she shares a post originally posted from a Facebook account (Christian Marbella) objectifying her and another unidentified female in the photos. Germar was quick to call out the post and threatens to sue the Marbella. He then excuses himself by claiming his account was hacked. Regardless whether this is true or not, the post poses as a danger not only to Germar, but to all women because it shows how easy it is to alter visuals and create stories sexually shaming and objectifying them.

In early 2018, the Pick-up Artists (PUA) Academy has also been under heat for their disreputable seminars on how to ‘pick-up’ girls. In a video that went viral, PUA Academy teachers were found coaching their participants how to coerce women into sex. Apparently, when a woman says no, it’s because “gusto nila nagpapaforce."

When asked, PUA Academy defends its purpose and claims that they encourage ‘shy-type’ boys to pursue courtship. However, Paula Valbuena shared on Twitter multiple screenshots displaying how conversations among PUA Academy participants converse with each other. From her screenshots, we see that men are not exactly encouraged to be confident, more so that they are fuelled to prey on women and hate on those who oppose their actions.

COMMENTS: It’s not really rape. He didn’t mean to. They are misunderstood.

In this scenario, women are unknowingly being sold off digitally from one man to another – acting as sex slaves to please the satisfaction and entertainment of men. They have become puppets stringed to their own masters, moving to the will not of their own.

What’s more despairing about this is there will be people who will defend these perpetrators and argue that their actions are misinterpreted and that it wasn’t their true intention of sexually violating these women. Again, we see a behavior that belittles the assault, and that disregards the consequences. We see a mindset that cannot grasp that women feel offended and suffer trauma because of the objectification.

We have to accept that men are not incapable of thinking and assessing the weight of their actions. Predominantly assumed to be the more powerful sex, it should be safe to also assume that they have the capacity to have reason and logic just as women have. But rape culture has evolved them to be naturally blinded from the repercussions that affect women and the toxic masculinity that emulate from their actions. Rape culture trained them to choose not to see because they are reinforced by the notion that ‘boys will boys’; that men cannot change the way they behave and think; that men are fueled by an array of sexual desires; that women are designed for the purpose of serving and amusing men; that women are tools set to fulfill the satisfaction of men; the women have no intellectual potential. Essentially, rape culture identifies our roles for us in society.

Stories like Germar’s and Valbuena’s are only a couple of the many victims from the digital sex trade.

HAHA - THE JOKE’S ON US

Studies have shown that there is an under-reporting of cases. Victims of rape have also outspoken online the difficulties in coming forward – from admitting to themselves that it happened to sharing their stories, to pressing charges, to their finding themselves being the ones under question rather than the perpetrator.

There has been a handful of posts on Facebook in 2017/2018 where men are caught in the act of sexual assaults. Many have similar foundations to their stories: in a public transportation vehicle, a man has his genitalia out or is taking pictures of women across or beside him.

Similarly, a video went viral in December 2018 of a woman reprimanding a man who has his genitalia out in front of her inside a bus. Admittedly, these posts did garner a negative response from netizens with them having a common agreement the absurdity of the men’ actions. There was a sudden peak of discussion of the sexual assaults women face every day while commuting.

Unfortunately, over time, the part of the video where the woman yells “putang ina mo!” has been transformed into a meme. The extremities of what had happened had been downgraded to a mere laughing matter. No longer is it associated with a crime against women. Rather, it has turned to the many of the memes that will be forgotten in due time.

Note: I can no longer find the links to these as Facebook seemed to have removed them from the system.

COMMENTS: It’s not really rape. It’s only a joke.

Although Filipinos have been known to make the most serious of matters a lightweight, the danger of making into it a meme only suggests that the issues women face can easily be overlooked. Remarks such as “it’s not really rape” and “it’s only a joke” harm women because it does not consider the disrespect, humiliation, and trauma that they encounter.

How many women must come forward, and how long do women must suffer before men begin to believe and accept the consequences of the rape culture?

***

These examples reflect only a portion of the rape culture that lives on SNS. Because of these examples, women become restrained. It becomes a backlash in the feminist movement of empowering women to be open about their sexuality.

Issues like this frequently focus on publicly shaming women and their involvement in sexual matters. Perpetrators are less given attention, and are, therefore, a little bit more emancipated from societal condemnation. This is because men have been predetermined to have sexual appetites, to be sexually active, and to act on them; whereas women hold the role of feeding these said appetites. The rape culture unfetters that patriarchy and continues to enslave women.

How women portray themselves online and how they behave is not automatic consent for men to take ownership of their sexuality. How far feminism has gone to empower women in their sexuality is not consent that men can sexualize them too. Why women no longer conceal this is because they no longer want to be chained by the expectations of men. Women have the same hunger as men, and we have much power to say yes or to say no in this matter.

#eng

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characteresque · 4 years

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New Age

They say that necessity is the mother of all invention; therefore excess is the father of all destruction. It’s been about three hundred years since the invention and popularization of the home computer in the US; and with it, the human race had changed exponentially. As a species we suddenly had access to health care and entertainment, education and riches beyond the wildest dreams of so many. But with all of these niceties, came the turmoil of a completely digital life; toiling away entire generations to raise and lower an arbitrary score, accumulating numbers on a screen that had replaced real and tangible currency. The entire worth and virtue of a human had been boiled down to information on a screen: far favoring new developments to honoring the art of communication and common decency.

We had been leaping forward without a backward glance – enjoying all that this new and exciting atmosphere had brought us. There were glitches along the way of course – neighbors hardly spoke to one another, communities held much more weight in the digital realm than in the real realm, and the cost for these fortunes of technology was astronomical, landing most people in crippling debt for which there were no escape. The numbers that held the worth of a man or a woman began to waver, changed by unseen hands in a new form of digital warfare; woe is to those who might have their numbers plummeted. The consumption of news might be swayed one way and then the other; weaponizing emotional response and fear. Finally, the ultimate disaster in this landscape; the digital and the physical were violently introduced by way of “accidental” launch of frightening weapons against our own kind. Cities were decimated – and when the fearful and angry public demanded to know whom had launched the missiles, they were shocked to see that it had been our own. The United States Digital Defense Force admitted we had fallen victim to hackers – but the distrust had been planted.

It was time for a revolution.

Remember those who had their scores plummeted? With no choice but to start over in a digital landscape with no buying power, no worth, and no possessions, so many that had been hacked realized what dependence the digital realm had held over their lives. They had previously been slaves to a wage under the survival limit, working to gain more and more tech in a system that rewarded only compliance and a total disregard to individual needs in the pursuit of new toys. This small, ragtag group of temporarily embarrassed millionaires grew from the odd lawyer, wage slave, and laborer to a number in the tens of thousands. With the recent political upset created from the deaths of those at the hands of the hacked missiles, those with perfectly intact scores began to join the mission. The tipping point that began the New Civil War, however, was quite small; the virtual straw that broke the camel’s back. A power grid outage in one of the most metropolitan cities led to mass crime and hysteria for three long days; and the growing number of revolutionaries got a wicked idea.

If they would not see the error of their ways; by God, they would have their eyes opened by force. They called themselves Haffites, and they had the assistance of some of the best and brightest former programmers at their disposal. The use of technology of any kind was highly toxic and shunned…but to defeat evil, they were willing to use evil one last time. They loaded up their launchers all over the country and set off one final devastating blow.

The people ran for their bunkers, hiding in basements. Children cowered under their school desks as their devices all emitted the emergency detonation tones; hundreds of thousands of sounds filled the air as explosions rang across the sky. The real damage would not occur until the thick blanket of silence swept across the nation, the screams of fear replaced by confused quiet. That silence was deafening – for all of those tones and sirens and sounds had been extinguished. For good.

They were called E-Bombs, and they were created with the intention that no one would be harmed in the explosions. The Electromagnetic pulses would do their damage in another way, however: and when the people of the most technological advanced country in the world went to place a simple voice call; they found that they could not. Cars failed to start, and even if they did, the grid laid under all roads to recharge their batteries had been destroyed. Communication had been halted, and when the Haffites stormed the federal buildings in the second wave of the Civil War – they were met with no sizable objection.

It was the first Civil War with minimal loss of life to date. And it lead to generations of forced, uneasy peace.

Many things that had been the cornerstone of life until this moment were suddenly forbidden. Textbooks, museums, and technology production plants were burned then razed to the ground. All mentions of technology and the demons within were jealously guarded and severely punished. All of the methods of emotional control such as religion and science were outlawed: and by the passage of much, much time – almost nearly forgotten. Men and women began to work the land as they had done for centuries before, children returned to in-person school. It was a tiresome and bloody transition with fearsome opposition; but all could see that the war had already been won. To live meant to grow your own food and trade with your neighbors; gone were the jobs of productivity, replaced with the jobs of simply staying alive. Eventually, the children lived lives better than their parents as the fight and memory of times before left them, and the scant existence turned into simple happiness for many.

But, from even the most devastating fires, seeds may grow. There was but a scant moment or two all those years ago when the tones were deafening and the bombs were hovering, where there had been some warning. In small pockets all across the country, some of the best and brightest technology giants had fled underground – to deep bunkers that not only protected their identities but also their technology. This did not prevent the grid to which most of them relied on from being destroyed, of course. But it did protect their devices, so disconnected as they were. And, these people continued to develop their technology – after many generations and many many decades, it too had changed. The religion that had been forbade in the Haffite world, the above world, morphed and grew into technology itself. The line between the digital and the physical had been blurred – what had once been known as “technology” had changed drastically. Without access to grids, power, electricity – energy had to be derived from somewhere. No one is quite sure who first made the connection between man and metal; but it changed everything. Blood coursed through man, and now machine; and the two had become one.

Some had an innate talent for this magic. It was easy to move energy through themselves and then through the wires clumsily pushed through their skin. This archaic technology evolved with the people: and every pocket under the ground developed their own useful and powerful powers.

By the time the users of this lost magic had begun to outgrow their confinement, when they returned to the surface, the world had changed drastically. Heavily wooded areas that had once been metropolitan jungles became the homes of these people; and when they emerged, they donned their proper names. They were Witches, and the magic they practiced was an ancient and powerful art. What had began as Foundation families and their specific talents eventually grew into bustling Covens full of young Witches eager to take on the burden of branching into the world and spreading their work.

The re-emergence of Witches into the Haffite realm brings with it many growing pains, of course. There are skirmishes and even a full-blown war; to which the loss of life is too great for either side to continue. For now, they live alongside each other with great distrust: the Witches and the Haffites do not mingle whatsoever, both quite afraid of one another.

But there are forces at work that will soon bring these dissimilar people together – whether they be the mysterious network of ruling Witch Masters that call themselves the Panel, the deaths of the most celebrated beings in the Witch community (the Sages), or the disturbing disappearances of Haffites that live on the outskirts of their villages. Both parties will discover, over time, that one cannot live without the other. This truth will become evident, and it is up to the people to decide how painful a lesson it must be – this is the New Age.

#plot summary #Plot Writeup #new age #mani #veles #writing #summary #roleplay #rp #dystopian #OC #original character

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eladdy-blog1 · 5 years

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With the wrap up of both health fairs that Team Harnett Health hosted in Erwin and Lillington, there are lots of lessons I learned and many stories to reflect on. As with most interventions or programs in Public Health, you can never be sure how willing community members will be to listen to whatever you are trying to promote/educate/implement etc. Since we set up both health fairs at the local Carlie C’s in both Erwin and Lillington, we did not have to necessarily recruit community members to participate or count on a certain number to show up. We simply reached out to people who were doing their typical grocery shopping on the weekend. However, this was a task in itself despite having set up our tents near the entrance of the store. Some people disregarded us completely or did not show interest in hearing what we had to say, which did not surprise me. It was interesting when we announced how we were offering free blood pressure screenings to people, many of them remarked how they check their blood pressure daily at home or had just visited the doctor and had it checked there. Maybe they were lying or maybe they actually were checking in on their numbers regularly, which is great! Some simply commented on how they knew their blood pressure was high, but they did not want to know how bad it had gotten. This denial or unwillingness to face the state of their health was not surprising to me either. I was surprised how willing a lot of people were to get their blood pressure checked- one man could not get out of his car but one of the PA students was able to take his blood pressure while he remained in his car!

Since I was mostly offering handouts of healthier southern-style recipes, myPlate charts and nutrition advice, including how to read food labels, I was pleasantly surprised at how many residents of Lillington I talked to had their own gardens or supported farmers markets in the area. I realize that one of the main industries in Harnett County is agriculture, as we have discussed in class and in our practicum meetings, but there usually is that dichotomy of rural residents being surrounded by farms yet having limited access to fresh produce despite it being grown in their backyard. One lady and her daughter in particular were telling me about their farm and how they have sold their produce at several farmers markets throughout the years, including the downtown Raleigh one. They grew everything from tomatoes. broccoli, cucumbers to sweet potatoes, eggplant and various other fruits and vegetables. Another lady was very grateful for the recipe suggestions and told me how she has wanted to start cooking healthier for years but has access to the internet. This showed me how something as simple as recipe handouts, which I thought most residents would probably just throw out once they got home, could really help someone out who has limited resources to find new recipes and ways to cook healthier meals.

Aside from nutritional advice, I had an interesting conversation with a resident from Erwin. I could tell by talking to this lady that she and her husband were in poor health, exhausted, and they appeared worn out from stress. She asked me if we were selling produce from Carlie C’s at the tent, and I explained to her that we were students from Campbell’s Public Health program and simply handing out free fruit samples, providing free blood pressure screenings and discussing health outcomes in Harnett County. She commented how we should instead focus our energies on lobbying Congress to make policy reforms and fix the healthcare system. She then went on to vent to me about how difficult it is to get healthcare without insurance. She explained how her and her husband fall in the coverage gap we’ve discussed in class before where they make above the FPL, so they make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for their medical bills. It was heartbreaking to hear her discuss her negative experiences with providers and insurance companies and to hear how they seemed to not care that she could not afford health services. I could tell how upset she was because she started to raise her voice and tear up. She then apologized and explained she was not yelling at me personally but was simply fed up. She is fed up with the unfair, complex healthcare system in this country that seems to treat healthcare as a privilege and not a right. After simply listening to her for a couple of minutes, I told her how I am personally interested in policy reform, particularly with insurance coverage. She walked off by wishing us luck. This conversation has stuck with me ever since meeting this woman, because up until that point I had never personally met someone who fell in the Medicaid coverage gap. I’ve heard it numerous times throughout the years in my Public Health classes, but it was different hearing this woman’s struggles firsthand. I feel as though I will remember this interaction for the rest of my life, especially those times when I will undoubtedly feel frustrated at the government while I’m trying to implement Medicaid or Medicare reforms or when I cannot provide a service to patients as a PA due to insurance reasons.

Educating people only goes so far, but the few people we met during these health fairs who expressed their gratitude and hope for the future due to the work we were doing felt has motivated me. It feels as though we made a difference in someone’s Saturday, simply through listening to their problems with trying to eat healthier, exercise more and improve their time management with working full time and making time for themselves. It is always humbling coming into a community and doing this type of work, but hosting these health fairs showed me that despite the privileges I have in being a graduate student and growing up with the life I have had so far, I am not that different from those who live in Harnett County. Human beings are human beings. Interacting with others and simply listening to their issues or questions goes so far. For me, I’m a problem solver so I am always trying to figure out the “correct” thing to say to someone in certain circumstances. Thus, I find myself constantly overthinking my advice or what I tell others. However, through this practicum experience I have learned how far listening and offering companionship to others can be. I plan to take this approach with me into clinical practice once I am a PA in order to provide truly holistic preventive care to my future patients.

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theo-westenberger · 7 years

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Reflections on Privilege, Part IV: Make American Democracy Possible (Again?)

Contributed by Xandra Clark, January, 2017

In a 2014 interview with Krista Tippett for the podcast On Being, civil rights activist Vincent Harding said that democracy won’t be possible until the people in power (implying white people, particularly white men) are willing to give up what they’ve always expected would be theirs. Here are his exact words:

I have a feeling that one of the deeper transformations that’s going on now is that for the white community of America, there is this uncertainty growing about its own role, its own control, its own capacity to name the realities that it has moved into a realm of uncertainty that it did not allow itself to face before.

And I think that that’s the place that we are in, and…maybe, for some of us, [a truly democratic society, or a truly beloved community] cannot come until some of us realize that we must give up what we thought was only ours in the building of a beloved nation.

On Being re-ran the episode after last year’s presidential election, which is when I heard it. I’ve been thinking about this concept ever since and doing some serious thinking as to how I can push for a more just, democratic, and genuinely “beloved” society through my art practice. But before I can do that, I have to fully understand the situation that we are in.

As a person who is half-white, my successes have been achieved at least in part because of the history of slavery, the genocide of Native Americans, and the societal disregard of “others” of every kind, because that history has led to my white privilege, which in turn has led to countless (often invisible) legs up for me. Even though my ancestors were not slave owners or white “pioneers” in this country, my very life has been made possible by the legacy of both, because I doubt either my father or my mother’s grandparents would have emigrated to this country had America not become “the land where dreams are made,” which it became through slavery and genocide.

White men, who are at the top of the power ladder in this country, have similarly benefited, and more so because of the historical subjugation of women. This is not to say that hard work counts for nothing and that all the success that white men (or I) have achieved is due to this history. But it does mean that white men have the luck of starting higher up on the ladder than everyone else, and that I have the luck of starting higher up than many others.

The power structures maintained by this ladder are the products of history, and history is unchangeable. I am not responsible for the past, but I am responsible for how I engage with these issues now and in the future. In this, there is tremendous opportunity for personal action.

If I agree with Vincent Harding, and I do, then to create a true democracy, I—as a person in power to some degree because of my class, prestigious education, and the benefits I’ve received from white privilege—have to examine and give up what I always thought would only be mine. I must give up the mentality that I deserve to achieve, to win accolades, to hold a place at the top. I don’t deserve anything any more than the person next to me. I may accomplish things, but the right to achieve is everyone’s, not only mine, nor just for those who look and sound and have degrees like me. I must give up an expectation of success, of authority. I must at times make my voice quieter and listen harder. I must acknowledge my achievements with a sense of humility and gratitude for the sacrifices others have made (most of whom I will never know) to make my successes possible.

It doesn’t mean I shouldn’t ever rise, and it doesn’t mean I should feel overcome with guilt; it means that it’s critical to acknowledge the truth of how I arrived there and to work to combat those systemic prejudices.

I am heartened by some of my white male friends who, in an effort to help build the truly democratic nation, are intentionally giving themselves less authority and power than they have been trained to believe they should have. In conversations with women, people of color, individuals of the LGBTQ community, and others, they are really openly listening. They are not assuming their expertise; they are assuming the information they have might be incomplete. They are choosing not to raise their hands too much in class or speak too much in meetings or interrupt. They are seeking out and supporting work by artists in marginalized communities. In celebrating their own achievements, they are also recognizing the legs up that got them going in the first place: the privilege, respect, inherited wealth, support, and internalized sense of confidence they have received simply by being white and male. They are working—fervently, devotedly—to combat systemic injustice, even though it is in their personal best interest to maintain it.

What they are doing is attempting to alter their (oftentimes unconscious) psychology around their own rights. Power at the expense of others is not a right, but some of us see the power we’ve been promised and mistake it for a right, unaware that others are not given that same “right.” This is what we need to lose. Because what we expected would be ours is not a human right but a superhuman right: it depends upon the subjugation of other humans. We must give that up.

It will be hard. It will be uncomfortable. Change almost always is. But this is what it is going to take to actually build the beloved society.

As an artist, when you fully recognize this fact, it makes it much easier not to be comparing yourself constantly to others and feeling competitive with your peers. None of us deserves success any more than anyone else, though some of us are of course predisposed to a greater chance at success. That shouldn’t diminish the hope of those of us with less of a chance though. It should only make us want to work harder.

We do not live in a solitary bubble; we live in a network where we are helped and hindered and impacted by people both nearby and far away. Artists must commit to rooting ourselves fully in this network and striving to attain equality within it, even while we keep one eye on the outside looking in so that we can reflect the reality back.

Xandra Clark is an actor, writer, and performance-maker based in New York.

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dfroza · 5 years

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there are many spiritual idols in this world

that can take the place of Love and its path that leads the heart “Home”

please be cautious of this.

because Love is our Creator who deserves our reverence, just as we stand in awe of the beauty of things in True nature here on earth and what is seen in the grandeur of the heavens.

A line from a tweet that i read from Saturday:

Have you ever been in awe that the very breath of God is housed in humans made of dust?

the presence of Love within produces humility in us, as children of Light. and God is known to us as Trinity (in Father, Spirit and Son) who created the instrumental womb of Mother earth as a pure garden of seeds. although some choose to rebel against Love by preferring other gods and things, or by making themselves into their own god by making up their own rules by which to live.

and i’ve shared the significance of this in my own writing, to include the significance of the Scriptures as well, of which for Today’s reading (now Sunday, july 21) we see the closing of the Letter of 2nd Thessalonians (chapter 3) paired with Isaiah 60 in which we see the True illumination of Light and how its Message of Love is meant to spread into all the earth as a pure seed of rebirth in eternal life, for the heart & body to include the heavens and the earth:

And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.

This final greeting is by me, Paul, written by my own hand. This is my signature, letting you know that this is a genuine letter from me, and so I write to you:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with all of you.

The Letter of 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

and in Isaiah 60 we see the promised restoration of all things by making beautiful earth “Home”

A chapter that mirrors the closing chapters of the book of Revelation in the rebirth of the heavens and the earth.

(Anew, genesis)

Arise, shine, for your light has broken through!

The Eternal One’s brilliance has dawned upon you.

See truly; look carefully—darkness blankets the earth;

people all over are cloaked in darkness.

But God will rise and shine on you;

the Eternal’s bright glory will shine on you, a light for all to see.

Nations north and south, peoples east and west, will be drawn to your light,

will find purpose and direction by your light.

In the radiance of your rising, you will enlighten the leaders of nations.

Don’t be shy; don’t be doubtful; lift up your eyes and look around.

They have gathered all around you, eager to come and be close to you.

And your children will come back to this land:

your sons from the farthest places of wandering,

and your daughters gently carried home.

And when you see it, your face will glow;

your heart will race and be filled with joy;

For great ships will arrive with gifts from across the sea,

and the wealth of nations will make their way to you.

Herd after herd of camels will cover the land,

caravans arriving daily from south and southwest: Midian, Ephah,

Even Sheba with gifts of gold and frankincense.

They will announce for all the world to hear, “The Eternal be praised!”

Kedar’s flocks will be gathered for you;

Nebaioth’s rams will be available for sacrifices.

Eternal One: When they are offered on My altar, I will accept them.

I will make My glorious house even more glorious.

Who are these sailing to our ports like clouds through the sky,

like doves winging their way home to their window sills?

Breezy coastlands will wait expectantly for Me; the ships of Tarshish arrive first

to bring your children back from distant lands

Carrying in their holds the silver and gold—

to honor the name of the Eternal your God,

The Holy One of Israel who has made you beautiful.

People will come from different countries and different cultures

to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and make her strong again.

Their kings will help you however you need.

Eternal One: I punished you because I was furious with you,

reduced you to little on account of your persistent wrongdoing;

But I will restore you, reclaim you, and rebuild you because I cannot help but love you.

Now your gates will stay open to a constant stream of gifts;

all day and night they will not be shut

As the wealth of nations is brought to you

with their kings leading the processions.

Any nations that abstain, any peoples who decline from serving you

will simply disappear;

they will be destroyed.

Eternal One: Meanwhile, the most beautiful materials will arrive from Lebanon—

cypress, box, and pine—to rebuild and decorate the place where I promised to be,

My house where I will rest in glory among you.

And all the children of those who had bullied you, attacked and abused you,

all those who hated you will come crawling on their knees and bowing at your feet.

And they will address you as “city of God, place of the Eternal,

the Holy One of Israel’s Zion, sweet heaven on earth.”

Eternal One: Although you have suffered abandonment, hatred, and hopeless despair,

and no one dared to pass through,

I will make you a place of lofty beauty for all time,

filled and overflowing with joy from generation to generation.

You will be enriched by the world and its kings,

and you will know for certain that I am the Eternal,

Your Liberator, your Redeemer, the Strong One of Jacob.

I will bring you gold instead of bronze, silver instead of iron,

bronze instead of wood, iron instead of stone.

Your government will be founded and grounded;

I will make peace your governor, and righteousness your ruler.

You’ll never hear again, “Help! Call the guards!”

Violence, destruction, and ruin will be things of the past in Jerusalem.

You will name the city walls Salvation, and the city gates Praise.

You won’t need the sun to brighten the day

or the moon and lamps to give you light.

The Eternal One will be all the light you ever need.

Your God will provide your glory, brilliance for all time.

Your sun will never set;

your moon will never be eclipsed in shadow,

For you’ll bask in the Eternal’s light and silver splendor forever.

Never again will you suffer the dark night of despair and gloom of mourning.

All the people will be right with God,

and they’ll stay in the land they possess forever.

Eternal One: I will plant them there like a sturdy sapling with My own hands.

I will tend them and take pride in their growing.

Just watch, they will develop robustly;

from so small a beginning, they will multiply and become a mighty nation.

I, the Eternal One, will make it happen soon.

The Scroll of Isaiah, Chapter 60 (The Voice)

to include a note about this chapter from The Voice translation that describes when Jesus (who is God our Creator) read from the scroll of Isaiah as described in chapter 4 of Luke:

This Hebrew title “Messiah” is based on a verb rightly translated “to anoint.” Kings and priests are “messiah-ed” during this period. But prophets like Isaiah and those who stand in the tradition of the great Hebrew prophets are also anointed. Living and working in Jerusalem in these days is much different than in earlier times. Wracked by the ages and ruined by overt destruction and covert neglect, the citizens of the holy city face disillusionment and disappointment. The people who come back after exile in Babylon do not return to a gloriously restored city and temple, but to a difficult land and contentious neighbors. The prophet is inspired by the spirit of God to restore hope, to help, and to comfort. As a spiritual guide he is compelled to convince people that God remains with them and that He still desires what is good, right, and true for and within them. Centuries later, in a synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus will pick up the scroll of Isaiah and read these inspiring words. He will say in no uncertain terms that the Scriptures are being fulfilled right then and there in their hearing (Luke 4:16-21). The year of jubilee will have arrived.

(end note)

and directly preceding this we see in the beginning of Luke 4 how the devil challenged the Lord and His refusal to give in to the lying dragon by listening to him:

Then the devil gave Jesus a vision. It was as if He traveled around the world in an instant and saw all the kingdoms of the world at once.

Devil: All these kingdoms, all their glory, I’ll give to You. They’re mine to give because this whole world has been handed over to me. If You just worship me, then everything You see will all be Yours. All Yours!

Jesus: [Get out of My face, Satan!] The Hebrew Scriptures say, “Worship and serve the Eternal One your God—only Him—and nobody else.”

Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem, and he transported Jesus to stand upon the pinnacle of the temple.

Devil: Since You’re the Son of God, just jump. Just throw Yourself into the air. You keep quoting the Hebrew Scriptures. They themselves say,

He will put His heavenly messengers in charge of You,

to keep You safe in every way.

And,

They will hold You up in their hands

so that You do not smash Your foot against a stone.

Jesus: Yes, but the Hebrew Scriptures also say, “You will not presume on God; you will not test the Lord, the one True God.”

The Book of Luke, Chapter 4:5-12 (The Voice)

my reading in the Scriptures for july 21, day 31 of Summer and day 202 of the year of which in the books of Psalms and Proverbs coincides with Proverbs 21 and Psalm 21, Psalm 31 and Psalm 52 (for day 202 of the year since the reading of the book of 150 Psalms is now in its 2nd revolution to equal 52 for this day)

and the number 31 reminds me of my former Chevy Lumina 3.1 along with 52 reminding me of being the alphabetic number of each of the words “heart” and “door”

the True illumination of wisdom (its starting point) is in the respect we have for Love.

wisdom from Today’s chapter in the ancient book of Proverbs:

It’s as easy for God to steer a king’s heart for his purposes as it is for him to direct the course of a stream.

You may think you’re right all the time, but God thoroughly examines our motives.

It pleases God more when we demonstrate godliness and justice than when we merely offer him a sacrifice.

Arrogance, superiority, and pride are the fruits of wickedness and the true definition of sin.

Brilliant ideas pay off and bring you prosperity, but making hasty, impatient decisions will only lead to financial loss.

You can make a fortune dishonestly, but your crime will hold you in the snares of death!

Violent rebels don’t have a chance, for their rejection of truth and their love of evil will drag them deeper into darkness.

You can discern that a person is guilty by his devious actions and the innocence of a person by his honest, sincere ways.

It’s better to live all alone in a rickety shack than to share a castle with a crabby spouse!

The wicked always crave what is evil; they’ll show no mercy and get no mercy.

Senseless people learn their lessons the hard way, but the wise are teachable.

A godly, righteous person has the ability to bring the light of instruction to the wicked even though he despises what the wicked do.

If you close your heart to the cries of the poor, then I’ll close my ears when you cry out to me!

Try giving a secret gift to the one who is angry with you and watch his anger disappear.

A kind, generous gift goes a long way to soothe the anger of one who is livid.

When justice is served, the lovers of God celebrate and rejoice, but the wicked begin to panic.

When you forsake the ways of wisdom, you will wander into the realm of dark spirits.

To love pleasure for pleasure’s sake will introduce you to poverty.

Indulging in a life of luxury will never make you wealthy.

The wicked bring on themselves the very suffering they planned for others, for their treachery comes back to haunt them.

It’s better to live in a hut in the wilderness than with a crabby, scolding spouse!

In wisdom’s house you’ll find delightful treasures and the oil of the Holy Spirit. But the stupid squander what they’ve been given.

The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction.

A warrior filled with wisdom ascends into the high place and releases regional breakthrough, bringing down the strongholds of the mighty.

Watch your words and be careful what you say, and you’ll be surprised how few troubles you’ll have.

An arrogant man is inflated with pride—nothing but a snooty scoffer in love with his own opinion. Mr. Mocker is his name!

Taking the easy way out is the habit of a lazy man, and it will be his downfall.

All day long he thinks about all the things that he craves, for he hasn’t learned the secret that the generous man has learned: extravagant giving never leads to poverty.

To bring an offering to God with an ulterior motive is detestable, for it amounts to nothing but hypocrisy.

No one believes a notorious liar, but the guarded words of an honest man stand the test of time.

The wicked are shameless and stubborn, but the lovers of God have a holy confidence.

All your brilliant wisdom and clever insight will be of no help at all if the Lord is against you.

You can do your best to prepare for the battle, but ultimate victory comes from the Lord God.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 21 (The Passion Translation)

to be concluded by a mirroring of the “Checkmate” of a king who trusts in the Light of our True King with these lines from the Psalms:

[Psalm 21]

Through Your Strength

For the end time, to the Pure and Shining One

King David’s poem of praise

Lord, because of your strength the king is strong.

Look how he rejoices in you!

He bursts out with a joyful song because of your victory!

For you have given him his heart’s desire,

anything and everything he asks for.

You haven’t withheld a thing from your betrothed one.

Pause in his presence

Rich blessings overflow with every encounter with you,

and you placed a royal crown of gold upon his head.

He wanted resurrection—you have given it to him and more!

The days of his blessing stretch on one after another, forever!

You have honored him and made him famous.

Glory garments are upon him,

and you surround him with splendor and majesty.

Your victory heaps blessing after blessing upon him.

What joy and bliss he tastes, rejoicing before your face!

For the king trusts endlessly in you,

and he will never stumble, never fall.

Your forever-love never fails and holds him firm.

Your almighty hands have captured your foes.

You uncovered all who hate you and you seized them.

When you appear before them,

unveiling the radiance of your face,

they will be consumed by the fierce fire of your presence.

Flames will swallow them up.

They and their descendants

will be destroyed by an unrelenting fire.

We will watch them fail,

for these are ones who plan their evil schemes against the Lord.

They will turn and run at the sight of your judgment-arrow

aimed straight at their hearts.

Rise up and put your might on display!

By your strength we will sing and praise your glorious power!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 21 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 31]

How Great Is Your Goodness

For the Pure and Shining One

A song of poetic praise, by King David

I trust you, Lord, to be my hiding place.

Don’t let me down.

Don’t let my enemies bring me to shame.

Come and rescue me, for you are the only God

who always does what is right.

Rescue me quickly when I cry out to you.

At the sound of my prayer may your ear be turned to me.

Be my strong shelter and hiding place on high.

Pull me into victory and breakthrough.

For you are my high fortress, where I’m kept safe.

You are to me a stronghold of salvation.

When you deliver me out of this peril,

it will bring glory to your name.

As you guide me forth I’ll be kept safe

from the hidden snares of the enemy—

the secret traps that lie before me—

for you have become my rock of strength.

Into your hands I now entrust my spirit.

O Lord, the God of faithfulness,

you have rescued and redeemed me.

I despise these deceptive illusions,

all this pretense and nonsense,

for I worship only you.

In mercy you have seen my troubles and you have cared for me;

even during this crisis in my soul I will be radiant with joy,

filled with praise for your love and mercy.

You have kept me from being conquered by my enemy;

you broke open the way to bring me to freedom,

into a beautiful, broad place.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 31:1-8 (The Passion Translation)

You’re my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb.

Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide.

Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you.

I’ve put my life in your hands.

You won’t drop me, you’ll never let me down.

I hate all this silly religion, but you, God, I trust.

I’m leaping and singing in the circle of your love;

you saw my pain, you disarmed my tormentors,

You didn’t leave me in their clutches but gave me room to breathe.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 31:3-8 (The Message)

and a set of lines that illuminates our treasure:

Lord, how wonderful you are!

You have stored up so many good things for us,

like a treasure chest heaped up and spilling over with blessings—

all for those who honor and worship you!

Everybody knows what you can do

for those who turn and hide themselves in you.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 31:19 (The Passion Translation)

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