Prose

I Wonder

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I Wonder

I wonder about many things- things beyond my intellectual and emotional comprehension as well as those things I think and feel that I understand in some small measure.

‘How great Thou art’ I often say to Life, to God Present in the Essential Nature of Every Being and in Every Atom of Everything, in the Forces and Elements of Nature and in the Great Mystery Beyond Everything- the Great Oneness of It All.

I wonder about ‘big things’ and ‘small’.

This morning I was wondering about our Human uses of Earth’s Resources. Where would we be in our Technologies of Information and Communication, our Technologies of Transportation, our Manufacturing and Distribution of so much of our Building Materials, our Furniture, our Adornments, our Medical Technologies, our Food Production, our Basic Needs and Comforts and Entertainments that we enjoy- if not for Mining whether judged by some as ‘exploitations’ or ‘wise use’ by others? How would we be living without our Mining Industries?

Even more ‘Technologically Primitive’ Civilizations Mined to create Weapons and Utensils, Mining from Earth’s Resources too. How would they have lived without Mining?

When we are Mining the Moon, the Asteroids and the Planets, like Mars, how will Humanity benefit? Will very few benefit, as it is today? Or, will our Insatiable Need for Weapons to solve Problems, resulting in Extensive and Irrational Inventories of Weapons with the Profiting Need for their Use so more can be made, work to create our End? Will we create better Solutions through Spiritual Evolution of Understandings and Actions before we Self-Destruct? I wonder.

We are Complex Creatures, even more Complex than our present Machines, though A.I. in Machines is Advancing rapidly with our help- to the Point where it may soon go Beyond Serving us into Completely Ruling us. Our Creation, our Machine World, may Replace us Bit By Bit, Part By Part. We may laugh and scoff now, but what will we Become?

Where are we heading as we ‘Advance’, as we Move Forward? How will we Change Direction if we don’t like where we’re headed? How do we Navigate a Path Between Extremes?

As Individuals, we just pop in and out of Life Here on Earth. Where is our Collective Free Will of Humanity- as a Species of Human Animals and as Spirits in God-given Flesh- taking us?

In this Century, we have Almost taken some Exits from Life Here, as has happened with other Species. That Potential is now with us every single Day through those in Power (elected or not) as well as through Transformations of the Planet Itself creating Its Own Solutions.

In some Timelines, we’re all no longer here. I wonder what the Story of This Timeline will be?

January 16, 2023

Shelley Audrey Wilson

Victoria, BC

Love, Joy and Peace

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My Christmas Eve prayer is simply this:-

May our Love flow through and beyond

our temporary personality and mindset

to shine our Spirit’s wondrous Star-Light

of Christ-in-you, Life living as

the Way of Love.

May our Joy be the Remembering of

our Spirit, our True Nature, sacrificing

selfishness and self-interest in Caring,

Sharing and Good Will to All Beings as

living the Way of Joy.

May our Peace come through Respect

for Freedom and Freedoms, through

overcoming all Obstacles, Prejudices and

Misunderstandings about Life Itself, through

Respect for Life as both Unity and Diversity,

through Good Will as living

the Way of Peace.

Amen and Aumen.

December 24, 2022

Shelley Audrey Wilson

Love, Joy and Peace

Another Perspective

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How easily we believe what we’re told through gossip, the modern Media and the Scriptural News of old slanted to steer behaviours through trained perspectives, beliefs and World Views. Even our questions are coloured lines, patterned attitudes and contained beliefs- those old ‘boxes’ in which we see Life and from within which we create our collective and individual experiences. When we choose to step out of one such box created in a distant past, we often jump into another. Out of the box, we become a threat to the ‘status quo’ as heretics, unbelievers, doubters, exiles and outcasts.

I am reminded of Hagar, the ancient bondwoman of Sarah, wife of Abraham- a tribal chieftain who entertained the ‘men of God’ with food and drink and who agreed to a pact, a contract to fight in their wars in return for great promises. The identities of these men who ate, drank and threw bones to predict and tell fortunes have been translated now as ‘messengers of God’ and as ‘angels’ and as ‘God’. I am guessing that they were actually part of some ancient religious order with ties to extraterrestrials fighting for control of Earth. Just a guess, of course. I could be wrong.

Hagar is portrayed as a jealous servant who deserved to be cast out of the camp with her child to die in the desert when Sarah had given birth to her own son. He was to be the ‘rightful heir’ to promises of power, riches and many offspring with the help of these ‘angels of God’, ‘messengers’, ‘men of God’. The Scriptures ‘testify’ to this ‘contract’ of promises in return for warriors.

Seen from another perspective, Hagar was an Egyptian ‘bond-gift’ given to serve Sarah, the beautiful woman desired and favoured by the Pharaoh of that time. Hagar was forced to serve Sarah, attend to her needs like combing her hair- a personal attendant much like later ‘ladies of the court’. Hagar was forced to have sex with Sarah’s husband, believing false promises, in order to produce a surrogate child for Sarah by her command. Then, when Sarah, herself, was ‘miraculously’ inseminated, suddenly fertile, giving birth to her own child, both Hagar and her offspring became a threat to Sarah and her son. An excuse to be rid of them was easily created. Such circumstances with intrigues have been repeated in places of power throughout history.

Hagar was made into a symbol of powerless bondage and slavery while Sarah became a symbol of freedom, grace and God’s favour- all to justify and sanctify struggle for power ‘rightly won’.The consequences of these ancient actions have spread ripple effects through time even to this day.

From Sarah’s perspective, she did what was ‘right and just’ for herself and her son. Hagar was in bondage and had no rights, especially the right to glorified power, so Hagar was ‘in the wrong’ to assume power for her son despite false promises made to her by Abraham and Sarah herself. I am guessing that it did not ever occur to Sarah that bondage and slavery itself was ‘wrong’ and spiritually unjustifiable. The primitive culture of her time and of primitive cultures before her had accepted and lived in those ‘boxes of belief’ that bondage and slavery were acceptable, right, just,and the ‘will of their God’ as told by ‘men of God’. She’d believe this without question.

It’s amazing how men and women of intelligence fail to question the ‘status quo’’ even today. It’s also amazing how men and women of intelligence fail to see the ample contradictory evidence of a capricious God of Love and Condemnation, Love and Damnation, of Loving and Hating, of Comforting Grace and Angry Revenge, of Ultimate Power and Complete Powerlessness except through Fear and Need for Sacrifice- both animals and human life. Such versions and visions of the Creator, God, were brought to us by ‘men of God’ in many ancient cultures. How great the needless suffering has been because of this!

We must rise out of our ‘boxes of beliefs’ to a higher perspective, like a higher view seen of the Earth, a higher World View, and come to realize that we are all one, a unity of Life expressing diversity. Then we shall see God everywhere through new eyes, new ‘I’s’, as a more highly evolved Humanity. The assumption here is that we don’t destroy ourselves and our precious home planet first.

November 13, 2022

Shelley Audrey Wilson

Victoria, BC

Moose Tales

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This and Other Realities

Moose Tales

In the Medicine Wheel, the Moose is my Totem Animal in the East. I am a ‘white woman’ now but have lived several Indigenous lives with loved ones on this North American continent, both in male and female forms. (It’s fine if you don’t believe that.)

Mother Nature has gifted me with many sightings and encounters with Moose throughout my years when living in Northeastern Ontario. I am deeply grateful for having those experiences.

Great To Be Alive…

Some years ago, my Husband, Roger, and I journeyed to the Lady Evelyn and Smoothwater Lakes by canoe, having entered the winding access river off of the Beauty Lake Road.

I was filled with thoughts about ‘timing’ just before our little electric motor died, then later after a portage in rough waters, my paddle split down the middle of the bottom half. It happened at the mouth of Smoothwater, a crystal clear lake renowned for sudden high waves and drownings. The wind was threatening and against us so we paddled closer to shore. It suited my mood and the desire to live a solitary life once the children were out of the nest.

When we stopped to pitch tent on a beach, I went to gather sticks for our fire. Some distance away from camp, with my aching arms full, I stood quietly looking at my beautiful, wild surroundings. I was overcome with a wonderful feeling of how great it was to be alive. My concerns and worries dissolved in those few minutes of contemplation.

Just as I returned to camp, Roger and I heard a very loud, crashing sound. There, on the very spot of the shoreline where I had just stood, a Bull Moose appeared as if running for its life, went straight into the water and swam as fast as it could toward the distant shore. He was a magnificent sight to behold.

Then, just moments later, a large Grey Wolf appeared on that very same spot. It watched the Moose intently, hungry and having lost its prey. Then it turned to stare directly at us. That stare pierced my mind and heart. I, truly, felt the Call of the Wild.

What a thrill and honour to see both of these amazing creatures!!

Moose In Paradise…

Years ago, my Dad, Aunt and Uncle and I went on a day trip fishing in Dad’s 12 foot aluminum boat. It was another of several of my journeys into the Lady Evelyn, Dufferin and Smoothwater Lakes where I often saw Moose, Bears and many species of wildlife. My Uncle remarked that it looked as if I’d just entered into Paradise.

On that particular day, my Aunt and I encountered a towering Bull Moose with a heavy rack just a few short yards from our path. We all stopped suddenly. My Aunt, Helen, pulled out her belted knife and I said softly, “Please put that away and don’t move.”

The Moose stood staunchly appraising us for several minutes, then turned back, trustingly, into the bush. We sighed with relief. Then I chuckled with great respect for my wonderful Totem Animal of the East.

Saved By A Moose…

During my late teens, I had another memorable experience with a formidable Bull Moose. To this day, I believe that creature of Mother Nature was Heaven-sent to save me from a potential rape when I prayed for help.

A young man who was dating my cousin in Southern Ontario made a surprise visit to my family home one summer day. He wanted me to take him for a day of fishing. Dad suggested I take him to Lone Wolf Lake, north, towards the Arctic Watershed sign.

I recall the strange thought, ‘I’ll give him a memory he won’t soon forget,’ then wondered why I’d thought that thought.

Off we went on our adventure.

It was a hot, sunny day with swarms of mosquitoes and blackflies all around us as we threw our baited lines into the water. Within minutes, I discovered that I was the bait. Our visitor gave me a ravenous, unwelcomed kiss. I said to the mosquitoes and blackflies, “Oh, oh! What next!” When I looked deep into his eyes, I saw he was being tempted to rape me. I must have made a desperate mental call, a prayer to God, to Mother Nature, to the Angels, because just then a gigantic Bull Moose came charging out of the bush and stood very close to where we were. I had the sudden instinct to drop my fishing rod and run towards the Moose. He turned swiftly and headed back into the bush running, with me chasing after him, unarmed, like a crazy, wild woman. I had a distinctly wolfish, predatory feeling all through this strange experience. The southern visitor began chasing after me too but was slow to catch up. Then the strange feeling passed and I finally stopped, leaving that blessed Moose to its solitary run deeper into the wilderness.

My visitor caught up. He had a frightened, sheepish look in his eyes now. I said, “It’s time to leave.” We didn’t talk on the way back to Kirkland Lake and I heard he headed back south immediately.

I didn’t speak of this experience for many years but chuckled to myself whenever it came to mind. In a family of Moose Hunters, I was saved by a Moose…

(True stories of Northeastern Ontario retold November 2, 2021)

Thank you Mother Nature!

Shelley Wilson