A Little This and That on Thursday Morning

“Sometimes I feel as if no one here will ever see me as I am…The threads of my life are tangled in the web of all the other lives here…"

Tamras in When Women Were Warriors Book One: The Warrior’s Path by Catherine M. Wilson 

I just knew it before I began reading it.  "When Women Were Warriors: the Warrior's Path" was going to be the 'real thing' for me.  I cannot put this book down, even snuck some reading time when I was supposed to be working.  I see Part Two and Three on he horizon. I am not usually a fiction reader, but stories about priestesses or warrior women get me every time. It is hard to explain.  They just seem so familiar to me, almost as if I were there. Perhaps I was there...in a lifetime long ago.

Were there once only women warriors, Mother?”
“Don’t know.”
“Oh.” I started to get up.
“Makes sense,” she said.
“Why?”
“Who else should take a life? No man ever brought a child out of his body.”
Something about that explanation bothered me. “Do you mean that a woman may take a life because she can give life back?”
“No, no,” she said. “Think of a woman whose body has made a child. Who gave birth to it. Cradled and nursed it. Loved it. She will hold life dear differently than someone who has not.”
I wondered if once only mothers had been warriors.” 

When Women Were Warriors             

I believe in reincarnation.  I believe that this one life cannot be all there is. If that were the case, then why weren't we all given an even chance? Why are some born into a life of ease and others into a life of toil? I believe we come into this life searching for what we know.  This is why I was led down my life path to become an Ordained Minister and a counselor long before I had my past life reading done by the A.R.E. It was within me even before I was born.

As per my social security benefits.  I went on line and pulled up my account.  66 is indeed my full retirement age.  I also began the process of pulling everything together yesterday.  I finally got my picture taken for my half-fare card (something I should have done a long time ago), applied for Medicare,  and found out some information about my pension from my other job.  I also downloaded some information about programs and forms I will need in order to apply. I must look into this further, but from first glances I read if one reaches full retirement age, one may still work and collect their benefits.  If that is the case, I may apply before I retire and keep banking the money, but there are questions I need answered first.  For one thing, is it counted along with your salary as income, and if that's the case it would really bring me way above my tax bracket...meaning I'll have to pay it  back in taxes.  Don't want that, but it would be nice to build a little nest egg over the year before I fully retire. But, like I said, nothing will be done in haste.  One step at a time and everything well researched before decisions are made.

Speaking of half-fare cards.  Something happened on the way to work that I wanted to share with you.  The nerve of some people bewilders me.  I waited patiently in line to add some money onto my metrocard, and when it was my turn, I handed the clerk my card and the twenty dollars, and just as I did a woman came out of nowhere yelling that her metrocard wasn't working. She continued to carry on, hollering at the token booth clerk, and I was afraid he would lose his concentration and make a mistake, so I said to her, "Please, let him finish." She responded, "Well, I have to get to the physical therapist. I have a law suit." I wanted to say, "So?", but I didn't. She then added, "I work for a lawyer." I thought to myself, 'is that supposed to scare me into letting you cut in front of me?' I finished with my business and walked off. 

As I waited downstairs for the train, I could hear her screaming at the poor clerk because he would not replace her card on the spot. She was threatening him with a lawsuit if he did not do as she asked, as if she really had a leg to stand on. The MTA has a protocol which is always followed in the case of cards that don't work. The token booth clerk provides a form that is filled out and sent to the MTA along with the non-working metrocard. A new card is then mailed within a few weeks. I've had to do it several times. Yeah, we all want instant gratitude, but life just doesn't work that way. Sometimes we just have to wait for the things we want. Besides, the woman was lugging around one of those big book bags that come on wheels, and it was 'full'.  I have to wonder what kind of injury she has if she can lug that thing up and down the subway stairs.  I know I couldn't.

Well, today is the day I see the pulmonologist for the results of my cat scan.  I'm really scared.  Please say a prayer that all goes well for me.  I'm leaning on all of you for strength. Thanks for being here.