Onion Soup
My life is like an onion, she said aloud to herself in the kitchen, then scolded herself for talking in soap opera clichés. Cheap psychology, saccharin sweet and dished out with little or no sincerity. But it seemed rather appropriate.
She held an onion, unpeeled, in her hand. Held it up, let the light through the kitchen window shine onto it. But it did not glow. Its surface was dull, and matt, yet it's colour was a rich, promising copper, with evenly spread lines running it's full length and meeting at the top where the shoots had been and at the bottom where it had rooted in the ground. She liked this onion, this otherwise boring, acrid bulb. It felt strong, sturdy, solid to the touch. It did not give under the pressure of her finger and thumb, nor did it slip out of her grasp.
An onion, if left in peace, can maintain its freshness for months. Pluck it from the ground in the spring or summer, hang it in a cool place, then when it is retrieved at the end of autumn it will still be good enough to eat. The outer skin protects the inside from germs, provides longevity. But whereas a young onion has a flaky, trusting skin that can easily be scraped away, an older onion thickens and toughens its skin, guards itself from onslaughts.
Julie lay her onion on the chopping board, then ceremoniously, like a samurai warrior drawing his sword from its sheath, drew her sharpest knife from the wooden knife holder and sliced into the top. The skin cracked as it gave way, exposing soft, juicy flesh. Holding it in her hand, decapitated end exposed, she counted the rings, wondered if perhaps, as with a tree, the rings represented months or years. She wiped a tear from her eye with the back of her hand then, carefully, made a long incision along the side of the onion down to the root, peeled away the outer layer, heard faint crackling as the dry, lifeless copper-coloured skin gave way. The truth of the onion lay in its inner layers, not in its crumbling, parchment like coat. One by one she peeled the layers away, her eyes stinging as the life's juices sapped out.
Sometimes, if a life is too turbulent, or the hurt and disappointment too extreme, a person might develop a hard, inflexible layer to protect their essence from life's onslaughts. But the price is high. The exterior, just as it hides pain and sorrow, also restrains passion, curbs joy and exhilaration. A person might become dry and colourless, the only flicker of excitement to be seen in the moistness of the eyes, or the slight curl of the mouth, or faint quiver of the voice. Some never choose to cut into the outer layer, and remain hard and dull their entire lives. Others choose to break the seal, and allow the saps of experience seep out and give new dimension to their lives. They allow the moistness of the eyes to become tears. Healing tears, cleansing and purifying. They choose to throw off the dead exterior that prevents life from escaping, joy from flourishing.
She threw the pieces into a pot and took another onion and another, and dissected them one by one, marvelling at the exactness with which they were formed. The fragments of dull, brown skin piled up in the sink and when she was finished she gathered them up and tossed them into her pedal bin. Later she would toss all her scraps onto the compost heap, that next year would feed and fertilise the soil, perhaps even nourishing the next crop of onions.
The juicy flesh filled her pot. She added water, and salt and pepper, put the pot on the ring and waited for the onions to disintegrate and become onion soup.
I am sending out this writing from Rev. Kimba; she belongs to one of the webrings I am a member of and she has a wonderful website which I encourage you to visit. I hope you like her written piece as much as I do. Please email her at: comments@kimbas.faithweb.com and tell her if you do and tell her I sent you. Thanks
Healing your Inner Self with help from the Angels
"Your suffering may make an angel weep in her wings,
but it will never make her walk away." ~~Unknown
I wanted to start of with this quote because it really does encompass the
approach our Angels have regarding us when it comes to the trials and
tribulations of our lives.
Living in light and love can be difficult in a predominantly ego based
society. Believing the negative seems to be much easier then accentuating
the positive in our lives. I think that everyone, at any level, can identify
with this at some point in our lives. When these periods of darkness seem to
over take the light force in our souls, we need to take a step back, a deep
breathe, and begin the healing process of our inner self.
I know that some reading this will say "How can I find any light in a life
that has brought me nothing but grief?" Believe it or not, you have already
taken the first step to healing. You have acknowledged that there is a need
to bring light back into your life. Here is where the Angels make their
grand entrance, so to speak. Redirecting our desires is the next step on the
path of re-awakening who we are.
Most of us, and I am guilty of this also, ask for guidance and help from our
Angels only in time of need. We do not take care to listen to the daily
messages of knowledge we receive. Our Guardian Angels are with us from the
moment we decide to take our life's journey to the moment we return "home".
The most simple and mundane things in our day are imbedded with lessons that
our Angels are teaching us.
For example, when is the last time you looked at a tree and smiled? I mean
really appreciated it as a creation of natural forces that we cannot see
with our human eyes? As I look out my front window, I am amazed at the tree
that is firmly rooted in my front yard. This tree stands so tall and proud.
It has probably watched over this house for years, before I moved here that
is for sure.
This tree that stands before me has seen bad storms with tormenting winds.
It has seen beautiful blue skies and has experienced the sun shining on each
of its fragile leaves. And, through it all, it still stands healthy and full
of life.
This is the lesson that my Guardian Angel has imparted on me today. This
lesson has brought knowledge to my inner self that I can use in making the
choices I need to in my life. This wisdom that has been imparted to me, is
priceless. It has no room for ego. I have learned that through even the most
difficult of times, I will stand strong and firmly rooted in who I am. And
right there by my side, will be my Guardian Angel. She may weep into her
wings, she will share in my pain and suffering, but she will never walk
away.
This is just one example of how our Angels really do take part in helping us
to heal and bring light into our lives. In your darkest hour, remember to
take pause and listen to your intuition, because it just might be your Angel
reassuring you that you will get through this.
Blessings to you and yours, in Light and Love always,
Rev. Kimba
~~Minister of Healing, Angelologist, & Angelic Light Worker, Reiki I~~
Expand your Mind, Explore your Path, and Enlighten your Spirit! ^i^
