“If a writer has a block,” said Calliope, “it’s usually because she doesn’t believe in what she’s writing.”
“Is this about the t-shirts?” asked Thalia. “We’ve been arm wrestling each other since Typist hit publish on yesterday’s love letter. To t-shirt or not to t-shirt… That is the question.” The Muse of Wit forced her features into a portrait of calm. “It’s just a casual piece of clothing ladies… Why are we over-thinking it?!” Her voice rose and storm clouds rolled in. “It’s for fun!” she shouted.
“Still waters run deep. And, as Lee Thayer said, ‘Most people launch into things with the shallowest understanding — they don’t read the instructions. We need the understanding. Measure twice, cut once. Thoroughly equipped — mentally and emotionally — before put to the test.’” Urania set down Typist’s handwritten notes from Thayer’s book Thinking, Being, Doing.
Thalia’s face flushed crimson. “I repeat… It’s a T-SHIRT! She isn’t carving our faces into a mountainside.”
“Actually,” Cal said, “It’s more than a t-shirt. It’s another step toward leadership… and responsibility.” The Muse of Harmony nibbled at her bottom lip. “What if people wear the shirts and more people find out about us?”
Urania sat up straight in her chair. “We’re not afraid of being seen. We’re afraid of being mistaken for something we’re not. We’re nobody’s guru… and we don’t have the answers to life’s grand mysteries. We’re thoughtful, contradictory, and… generally respectful of each other.” She tossed a grin at Thalia whose coloring had returned to its normal shade of freckled alabaster. “We simply want to be a bridge to possibility, wonder, and joy. We want to unite rather than divide.”
“That is our passion,” said Cal. “And if t-shirts will help us along, then I think we should pursue them.”
Words from Typist:
Let me tell you… the muses and I have had an intense 24 hours.
Arm wrestling? More like mud wrestling. Everybody is cleaned up now.
Fear or love… That is the incredibly
simple
and
basic
question.
We choose love.
Thank you 3mm family for being thoughtful, contradictory, and respectful with us.
I fear the two Heath Bar crunch cookies I just consumed have my brain aflutter! So many thoughts arose from your post that I'll try to focus. No dissertations! Yesterday J. Krishnamurti wrote about hypocracy in various forms. Claiming to be "this" while living like "that". Reading books to appear erudite. Stating our "beliefs" that we actually don't hold to. You, Cal, and Urania seem to have a good handle on the differences. Imagine! Choosing Love over Fear? Not such a dangerour course of action if living genuine lives is our goal. In JK's post he even mentioned telling people we love them because we're afraid of them! To pacify them? (Love soothes the savage beast!) Years ago an electrician on one of my projects broke all three special order adapters for some track lighting, because he failed to first loosen a set screw that allowed the locking lever to be moved. I thought, "What a knuckle head!" I learned many years later that he could not read. The color rose in my cheeks. I felt cruelly judgemental. Not loving. Know what? He later worked on his GED so he could learn more. To read.
How did I know about the set screw? I quickly read the directions that came with each adapter. I just had not made my way to learning about benefit of the doubt, having compassion. I was still midstride in my 30-year career of alcoholic drinking and had not yet admitted that I had no answer for a disease that was killing me. Admitting my failure. Asking for help. Realizing I truly had a lot to learn about life. Not set screws, but being a decent human. Sober 24+ years now. And still far from knowing enough, and that's why 3mm is such a blessing to my life, including all the wonderful people here I've come to appreciate so much.
As for Tal and mud wrestling? Picturing that is a little joggy! Same for you, Gail. Roller Derby? Maybe. Many thanks,all.
So many thoughts going through me head after this post. "We're nobody's guru". but what if you are? Does the writer get to decide how their words are interpreted? Do you get to decide how you are defined in the world? You may simply want to be a bridge to possibility, wonder, and joy but don't limit yourself there. To me you are all that and so much more. Often, I feel as if you are writing directly for me. Sending messages, inspiration and wisdom that I yearn to hear. I'll take a woman's small t-shirt please.