Dragonfly Life!

Yesterday morning, I woke up physically exhausted from the thirteen hour day I put in on Sunday. But there was something extra. There was a spiritual pressure, and a beyond physical exhaustion that felt heavy as I tried to orchestrate my day. I tried to give myself a pep talk: "This is it young lady, the final five weeks of semester. You have your third album to release, your fourth to record, your thesis to finish and defend, your stats grade to pull up to an A, your house to give away/sell/pack, your family and friends to say see ya later to...a drive up the coast, a lot to be rendered in Rochester, the Peace Corps, Pacifica, WOW!" None of that seemed to help.

I have been living alone for four years this December. I am proud of the distance my soul has travelled in that time. There are those of you I could not have done it without. I am utterly grateful for my friends. I have adjusted rather well to living by myself. I rather like it. But there are definitely times I could use an extra pair of hands for laundry, cleaning, recycling, grocery shopping, washing the truck, or any of the other sundry things that must be done to keep a household running smoothly. I miss love. I miss kisses in the morning. I miss kisses before bed. I miss making and sharing meals. I miss sharing the story of our days. I miss love.

My mother believes that my destiny requires this of me. She believes that while there are plenty suitors who would take good care of me and make a beautiful daughter with me, that my destiny is better served with me as an Army of One. There are some moments when that is nothing more than a burden. The thought alone is a weight that bogs me down. Most of the time, I can see why she might be right. Most of the time, I align myself to the realization that I know there is a calling on my life and no matter what I am willing to serve my purpose.

Yesterday however, all I wanted to do was be held on a strong chest, look into eyes that loved me, and maybe cry a little.

I called one of my dear friends. I asked if he had a little time for me. We met up after class and the bear hug I received was certainly of great aid to my soft soul. I thanked him. I told him I just wanted to reflect in his strength to remind myself how strong we truly are. I felt up against the wall, and after the hug, I was still drained but I knew what I had to do. I had to wake up this morning ready to conquer the world. So I did.

At work last night, there was a woman who sat in my section outside. She had a dragonfly charm around her neck. "I have a dragonfly tattoo on my back," I told her. They are very sacred to me. She smiled and told me her husband had gotten the necklace for her and she loved it. The next table that was seated was inside, and I greeted the couple surprised to see the lady had a dragonfly tattoo on her arm. I told my friend Diana there was a message to be had and I intended to figure it out.

I asked each woman, one outside/one inside remember, what the dragonfly meant to her. They each said one word. Strength. Honestly, I have never connected the dragonfly to the word strength. Yet, each of these women had. Earlier that day, I had told my friend I needed to reflect in his strength to remember mine. It seemed the Divine was telling me that all the strength I needed was at my disposal. I felt loved.

That was my Monday, and it was good.
I Love my Life!!!!!

SuperHero: 2015

Enter stage left, Miss Esmerelda Towns, ready to address the press conference with their multiplicity of questions. Her quick wit and poetic tongue allow her to answer anyone regarding anything. Her golden brown skin and her hazel green eyes make her stunning to look at and this is part of her charm. Her curvy athletic frame makes it impossible to ignore her clad in the classic tight-fitting world saving uniform of a superhero. From a very young age her Latina mother and African-American father prepared her for the life she was destined to lead. They never spared her from the truth and the injustices of the world never went unnoticed within the walls of her struggling household.

            Esmerelda went to an inner city school just like most other minorities in the great United States. The real education came on the streets of her neighborhood, inside the walls of her home, and in the dojo with the mixed martial arts master she studied with all her life. He agreed to barter with her father. Harper Towns was a hard-working and intelligent man. He was a carpenter and agreed to work on the dojo any time it needed work in exchange for his gifted daughter studying with the master. The building was old and it worked out over the years to be a reciprocal situation that satisfied both men. Esmerelda was beyond gifted in her studies. No matter what she applied herself to, she excelled. The master knew a very special destiny stretched out before this talented young woman.

            Esmerelda really excelled when it came to interpersonal relationships. From a very young age, she could talk to anyone about anything and really connect with the person she was speaking with. She was excellent at solving problems and with her quick wit she was fast on her feet as well. As a young child she tended animals and those weaker than her making sure things were as fair as she could make them. It really mattered to her that everyone received an equal chance in this world. As she began getting into her martial arts training around six or seven, she realized she had special abilities that other little girls did not have. When she practiced, especially when she was alone, she realized she could jump higher, stay suspended longer and move in a way that was unlike even the movements of the master. She kept it to herself for a couple years until one day the master saw her in the mirror and confirmed what he had always suspected.

            From that day, she worked even harder to honor her destiny. She knew she had to be stronger than all the rest. She knew that she had to work harder than everyone else. She knew she had an obligation to the rest of the world. This is why she was here. This is who she was. The more she focused her abilities she realized not only did her body move differently than others, she also had the ability to move objects around her. At first it was a shaky process but with the help of the master, she began practicing meditation. She learned how to focus her mind. She worked hard after school every day on her profound abilities. The master had her also begin yoga and Pilates. He also taught her the art of Reiki. She was able to control her qui (or inner life force) and she advanced rapidly. By eleven years old, she had won the national conference for mixed martial arts twice! Her parents were thrilled with her progress. They knew their daughter was special. Little did they know how very special she would become.