Stick sense…

ONCE,

the only sounds to be heard were the bees,

the whispering wind in the wiry grass,

and the song of birds in the high blue sky…

These gentle sounds touched and warmed the hearts of those FEW who paused,

and cared to listen,

Then one day OTHERS came,

and the sound of bees was lost…

— in VARMINTS by Helen Ward…

Have you noticed that wasps are everywhere???

Banging against windows,

and sneaking their way,

into the peaks of your house…

I just picked up Starshine from a birthday party,

and I experienced .001545%,

of what Luongo must be going through…

I was sitting on the sidelines,

minding my own business,

knitting a 15×15 centimetre square for story blanket #2,

when a woman walked over,

and said,

to me,

in front of three other women,

Oh look…

You’re crafty AND smart,

AND good-looking,

How nauseating!

I didn’t tell her that on top of all that,

I can cook,

or she may have sentenced me,

to a hanging…

Instead of retorting,

I grabbed onto the side of a wormhole,

and pulled myself out,

as she fell past me,

all twisted up into herself…

She kept going on about her youngest daughter’s intense competitiveness,

and spite…

Oh mothers of daughters…

On the drive home I told Starshine what I’d heard at the party…

She shook her head and said,

Something’s wrong with someone who would say something like that…

She must be unsure of herself,

and jealous that you’re comfortable being one of a kind…

I appreciated Starshine’s unpacking,

because sometimes I can’t believe what I hear,

flying out of the mouths,

of university educated,

so called professionals…

And I can’t make sense of it…

I have to admit,

that there have been many times,

in my life,

when I have hidden,

who I am,

and what I can do,

to cushion other people’s,

insecurities,

and then found,

that I’m not able,

to live,

with myself,

playing small,

and that the only person,

that I am hurting,

in such cases,

is myself…

This month,

I’m going to be using,

some flannel,

I’ve been saving,

for a special project,

to make receiving blankets,

for babies,

that will be birthed,

by women,

in Uganda,

with the support of midwifery students,

from Vancouver…

These are the kinds of gifts we need to continue,

to give,

each other,

to neutralize,

the poison,

that has been killing us,

for centuries…

The puck is about to drop in Chicago,

and my team,

is primed,

for a new beginning…