Module #1 - "MANIFESTATIONS" - Fall 2020

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

Welcome to the Module 01 "Manifestations" thread! Write some kind of a Short Story or Poem that revolves around this month's Power ("Scroll-and-a-Half" / 150 words). Let those creative juices flow! In addition to submitting via e-mail, you are encouraged to post these publicly here. While this will not effect your points, it will encourage interactions by providing additional options for people to to connect on, particularly for those who take part in the "Mingling" portion of this month's exercises if they enjoy or relate to your work and choose to talk about something you've shared.

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

A something which happened and which I experienced, even though I have no explanation for it, is the complete eradication of cancer from someone's body. A friend had been diagnosed with cancer, and had the operation and the doctor said he was unable to get it all but at the same time the diagnosis was 'good'. So we all (friends and family) were happy that the primary thing was dealt with and determined that we would live each day as it came. Time went and we sort of forgot -- it's difficult to live with fear and terror all the time (live and not succumb to it). Then, one day, we found out that the cancer had returned -- and that my friend had, at the most, maybe 3 or 4 months to live. We knew this was true and accurate; we could 'feel' it was a correct diagnosis of what was going on.
So, me and my friend decided that we would live each moment, each day, each minute RIGHT NOW. The future sucked... so we didn't GO there. The past? It was PAST. And we focused on each 'now' as it came about. Period. We had nothing to lose. A month went by, two. Then .... one day, I felt something, gut-knowing of something. The cancer had disappeared. I said nothing. My friend, a couple of days later, he was looking at me. I said that, and he said, 'yes, it's gone.'

[Brianna Caedmon]

I yawn as I dig my claws hard into the worn carpet, stretching luxuriously as the morning sun warms my fur. A few feet away, my sister is still sleeping off our last play session. The toys strewn around the floor remain as evidence.

The door is still closed, as it always is at night. A comforting thing. Soon, the door will be open and a delicious plate of food in front of me. High above, I can already hear the loud movements of those strange two-legged giants as they awake from their long sleep. They will open the door, and I will eat and then reward them with a purr as they pet me. They will make those strange sounds of adoration I have come to recognise. As they should.

I lick my left paw.

Every night, the sun goes down and they go to sleep for a long, long time and my sister and I are left alone. Every morning, they wake up and feed and pet us. This is simply how it is.

And sure enough, the door opens. I leap onto the arm of a sofa to greet the giant. Behind me, my sister stirs. I am content.

(A reflection on the idea of faith as an unquestioning, intrinsic belief in things from the point of view of my black cat, Orion (who is clearly a very intelligent cat); who is not to be confused with Orion Black, member of the Black family, who likely had a very different view of the world.)

[February Fortescue]

Such a beautiful, crisp, Autumn day! Perfect for my daily walk in the woods. Trees are standing, their roots in the ground, many of them preparing for the upcoming fall show. One thing nature never fails to remind me is that all trees different but all trees are equal. River Birch, with their fascinating peeling bark, will have their leaves change from dark green to yellow, while glorious Sugar Maples will be showing off foliage ranging from burnt orange to red.

Not all trees will see such a marked change, however. That lovely Blue Spruce will be blue all year! The Holly is forever green. And I can't imagine considering a Spruce or a Holly to be inferior to a Maple or a Birch, and I suspect they, and all of nature, would agree with me. Each of is different, but each has a place and serves a purpose, and our world would be less than it is without them.

"A Holly does not pretend to be a Maple, nor would it want to be one!" I find myself exclaiming out loud. "The universe contains all and accepts all."

Grounded, once again.