Opposites
by BB Curtis
I was sitting in my backyard with my adorable doggy next to me with his head resting on my knee, enjoying the warmth of the sun (it’s 81 degrees and marvelous) along with the slight, left-over chill of the wind (at about 17 mph) and thinking about how opposites so often occur in tandem in our world and how enjoyable that can be. But then, the inevitable opposite reared its ugly head: My heart aches because of those who preach a gospel of love and throw it in other people’s faces, wearing their superiority like a badge of honor and acting as though they will be “saved” because of their empty words; but they constantly show so much hate to their world – all of it. People, animals, plants, natural resources, air, water, the planet as a whole — all of it. Hatred all around, folks. No one or nothing is safe from the hatred. As a tear fell from my eye to my cheek, I blamed it on the sand blowing in the wind and went back into the house.
© Bobbi Curtis 2022, All Rights Reserved
Not your Time
by BB Curtis
Before we get into the meat of the matter, I want to throw out a few ideas, philosophies if you will, which are relevant to the discussion. The first is: Nothing happens by accident. The second: We are all here for a reason. The third: There is a Higher Power. The fourth: We are meant to interact with each other, working toward a positive outcome. If you agree with these, then we have some common ground. If you do not, please take the following into consideration from your viewpoint and arrive at your own conclusions. One other thing: This is not being told to illicit sympathy, empathy, blame, or anger.
NOTE: This story has been told with full knowledge of the individual described. No names have been used on purpose in order to help depersonalize the situations. Again, this was not told to elicit an emotional response. It was told in an effort to support the theory that there is a reason why each of us is alive, that there is purpose to our lives.
Be well, my sisters.
© Bobbi Curtis 2015, All Rights Reserved
The Time of the Year for Giving
by BB Curtis
I look upon this season that is supposed to be a time of great joy for most of the world’s major religions and for many others who say they have no religion at all with great sadness. We’ve seen many scenes of devastation during this past year – more so than most years in recent history. There are so many in need, so many who’ve lost everything, so many who didn’t have all that much anyway; but what they did have is now gone. In every community, there are those who are homeless or on the brink of it; those who live in abuse; those who can see no way out of a dark, deep hole.
© Bobbi Curtis 2015, All Rights Reserved
Wanna’ Hold a Grudge?
By BB Curtis
According to Webster, a grudge is “a feeling of ill-will.” It is an ongoing animosity toward another. Why do we harbor grudges? Usually, it is because we feel that someone has wronged us. Another person did something that hurt us in some way . . . physically, emotionally or mentally. That person made us miserable. They lied, they cheated, they stole, they took away our dignity, they made us feel small and unimportant, they took our promotion, they stabbed us in the back. We hate them.
BUT
© Bobbi Curtis 2015, All Rights Reserved
It Felt Like Flying
by Brenda Abrigo-Rich
No one would argue it was a long hike to get where she was, the path was at times steep and hard yet at other times beautiful and fulfilling. With a sense of need, she kept going, one foot in front of the other believing that once she made it to the top, she would feel better.
© Brenda Abrigo-Rich, 2020, All Rights Reserved
For Granted
By BB Curtis
[Originally published by SCPE Inc. in the Fall of 2005]
As I sit here in my cozy room, drinking a cup of spiced tea, I feel spoiled. My home is intact. I know where my family members are – in their respective homes, safe. Everything I own is where I last put it. My pets are secure, happy, and well-fed. I eat meals cooked in my kitchen. The food came off the shelves in my cupboards and refrigerator, and when more was needed I drove my car, that is full of gasoline, to the grocery store and bought it. When my mother needed medical attention, she made an appointment by phone and drove to her doctor’s office, then to the pharmacy to get her prescription filled. I have access to the internet. My TV and DVD player are right where they should be and there is electrical power available when I want to watch something. I drive to my job five days a week and perform all necessary functions with a minimum of unusual occurrences. My life is not interrupted by anything like the roof flying off my house and the walls falling down on people I love and everything I own. My feet are not wet.
© Bobbi Curtis 2005, All Rights Reserved
Amazing World
by BB Curtis
I live in an amazing world. Flowers, trees, bushes, stones, clouds, sun, moon, stars, fish, fowl, dogs, cats, horses, breeze . . . as I relax on the sun-warmed surface of a large, flat stone, my toes only six inches from the water in the duck pond, nineteen ducks and seven pigeons are stationed on rocks or floating on the water within five yards of me. They are not afraid of humans since they are fed regularly by most of the residents of the complex.
© Bobbi Curtis 2015, All Rights Reserved
Suffer Defeat or Overcome?
By BB Curtis
[Originally published by SCPE Inc. April 7, 2007]
They (whoever they are) say that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. In times of adversity, we have to wonder why we need to be so strong. Maybe weakness isn’t so bad. Maybe it isn’t necessary to be so internally powerful. Maybe that isn’t really the key.
Some of what we are forced to endure as “learning experiences” come on us as 500-pound dumbbells. Believe you me, we can prove to be strong. If one is looking for lessons, they are certainly out there waiting to drop boulders on us; and, if one attempts the “that could never happen to me” approach, be aware that, yes indeed, whatever it is, it can happen. We do not expect our three-month-old to be dead in her crib.
© Bobbi Curtis 2007, All Rights Reserved
The Grandmothers
Author Unknown
(If you are aware of the author, please email me.)
I wrote these stories of the Grandmothers because they have helped me many times in my own life. Perhaps they will help you as well. They are the Grandmothers of the Wheel and they teach us balance.
North Grandmother – wisdom
Northwest Grandmother – receptivity
Northeast Grandmother – birth
West Grandmother – release
East Grandmother – vision
Southwest Grandmother – balance
Southeast Grandmother – identity
South Grandmother – growth
Each of these Grandmothers offer you a gift of her wisdom. You can either begin your visit with the Northeast and go around the circle clockwise or simply visit the grandmother of your choice. Many return again and again, whenever they need the gentle support that these Grandmothers offer.
RAFFERTY – DREAM MASTER
by BB Curtis
Many years ago, in a city not too very far away lived a man, his wife, and their three children – two boys and a little girl. They lived well and happily with their large, rambunctious Chow-Chow and mellow British Shorthair silver tabby with soulful gray eyes. His name was Rafferty, aptly named by the youngest child, the little girl, for a character from a TV show that she and her mother watched together. The star of the show, Patrick McGoohan, was handsome in that bad-boy way that intrigues most women and his character’s demeanor fell on the feisty side. The cat was definitely handsome, and his swagger gave away a certain air of male feline earthy sensuousness, which the cat seemed to understand by nature was attractive to females – his favorite two people in the house. His grouchy-sounding voice was a fair to middlin’ representation of the Rafferty character on TV. The little girl insisted that he meowed with a British accent.
© Bobbi Bartsch Curtis, 2015, All Rights Reserved
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