A Little Wednesday This and That

The wise stand out, because they see themselves as part of the Whole.

They shine, because they don't want to impress.

They achieve great things, because they don't look for recognition.

Their wisdom is contained in what they are, not their opinions.

They refuse to argue, so no-one argues with them.

Lao Tzu

Good morning on this fine Autumn day, and a fine day it is indeed.  I'm off to the Center this morning for a little bingo and socialization.  It will probably be fairly slow there today for they are off on their monthly trip to Atlantic City. I chose not go this time around.  I have to remember I am on a limited budget, especially since the union has not kicked in yet with my pension.  They keep finding little things to stall it, and my fear is that I will have to start all over again.  The application must be redone after 6 months. I first applied in June.  That gives me a little leeway, but not much.  And I have decided if they find something else to return my application for, I will have no choice but to contact Legal Aid.  It is getting rather petty now and seems as if they are purposely making me wait. Last time I had to fill out a form and have it signed in front of a notary that I wasn't married and tell me it will be at least 30 days before they process it.  Heck, even if I was, it would not be my husband's business.  After all, I am the one who worked for it. And all these thirty day waits are adding up.

Now I know I have probably raised some questions.  After all, I am always talking about hubby.  Well, we never really got legally married, not that we didn't want to, but, at first couldn't because Social Security was sending benefits to my sons which would stop if I got married. Then,when my sons were older, and the payments were stopped, we still had to hold off because of my ex's residual payments and now, our Social Security benefits. Wow, when you look at it, it's amazing how much control they have over us and our lives...and acquaintances have said, it's only money, getting married should be more important.  Well, if you love each other, a piece of paper isn't going to matter.  We've been together now  for 22 years, and we are still as starry-eyed with each other as we were on the day we met. 

Yesterday I attended a lecture on 'Nutrition and Food Safety'. Since I found out I wasn't really as healthy as I thought I was, nutrition has been my big thing.  In fact, I have taken a number of courses on nutrition, health, and healing,  and hope to earn a certificate. What I will do with it, I don't know, but I am always into  learning something new, and retirement has opened up so many doorways for me.

I've been asked to serve on a committee to change the by-laws at the Center.  What that entails, I will be sure to let you know.  Needless to say, I was honored for the invitation.  I've been loving every moment of my retirement, but the one thing I know I have been lacking is that feeling of being 'needed', of being a part of an organization.  After all,work has played such a huge part in my life, and I find hard sometimes to think of myself on the other side...from counselor to client.  

Speaking of work, I have to say the old saying 'out of sight, out of mind' holds true.  During my last weeks on the job, everyone was talking about 'how much they were going to miss me and how sorry they were to see me go'.  Yeah, right!!!  If they miss me so much, why doesn't one person call and ask how I am doing.  In fact, I called my boss twice to say hello and left messages, and he never returned my call.  Maybe three weeks ago the receptionist called to see how I was doing, and I had to say it.  I mentioned that I felt forgotten.  She then put me through to the co-worker I shared an office with for almost ten years, and she had the nerve to say, "I was thinking about you today and was going to give you a call".  'And you must think I was born yesterday.' I wanted to say, but two wrongs don't make a right.

Then, the day after the call from the receptionist,  one person  texted me twice to ask how I am doing, yet, when I responded and asked the same, he never answered me back. This happened twice. This is the person I trained when he was just an intern.  Hey, buddy, don't you realize that that is just as hurtful as not writing at all?  To me it says you really don't care enough. If I text someone and ask how they are, I will be sure to respond to them when they answer me back.  How about you?

Yes, I am hurt and angry, and somewhat depressed, because it makes me feel that I never really mattered.  I know that I have to let it go, I have to et them go.  I have new life now, new friends, and I am happy.  But I am also missing what I left behind ,and now I must let the hurt feelings go as well.  And I know it will take some time; after all, they were a big part of my life, and it hasn't been that long. But, I just wish someone would pick up the phone and say, "How are you?  I am just letting you know that you are missed." (Sigh) Letting go is so hard to do, but I know I will be all right. I just have to keep the focus that these were co-workers, not friends.

Letting go doesn't mean we don't care. Letting go doesn't mean we shut down.

Letting go means we stop trying to force outcomes and make people behave.

It means we give up resistance to the way things are, for the moment.

It means we stop trying to do the impossible--controlling that which

we cannot--and instead, focus on what is possible--which usually means

taking care of ourselves. And we do this in gentleness, kindness,

and love, as much as possible.

Melody Beattie

Fairy Tale Magic

That's the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here,
all around us, or it just stays invisible for you.

Charles de Lint

(I purchased the above plate in 1993. Wind it up and it plays a beautiful rendition of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow')

'Once Upon a Time', 'Sleepy Hollow', 'Grimm', and now we have 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.'  I absolutely love these new fairy tales for adults and look forward to see what is coming next.   It tells me the magic is coming back, that magic we believed in when we were children....angels, fairies, trolls, fairy tale princesses who lived happily ever after, Tinker Bell, Red Riding Hood, Alice...Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, the man in the Moon. Oh how we love our fairy tales! And how many of us remember fighting to stay awake as we waited for the Tooth Fairy to arrive or to hear the sound of Santa's reindeer on our roof.  Our gardens, the woods, forests, teemed with magical creatures of all kinds.  My goodness, the world was such a magical place when we were young! Why did it have to change?

I still love reading fairy tales and have a well worn copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales to prove it. On my Kindle I have the complete set of Andrew Lang's fairy books, and I love losing myself in them whenever I am feeling down.  Fairy tales not only remind me of  my childhood, but they also serve as a reminder that that there is still magic in the world. And in my life I have learned that the princess actually CAN find her prince, and the fairy godmother can and will show up when we least expect her. We may not even recognize her when she appears. 

I know there are those of us do not believe in the the magical story of the princess who finds her prince and lives happily ever after or of good always triumphing over evil. But, perhaps, one need not look any further than their loved ones to see that their handsome prince has been there all along. And, when one reaches out to help another without any expectations of return, isn't good triumphing over evil?

The world is a magical place. Just because you have grown accustomed to the magic does not make it any less so.

Ralph Marston

Magic is something beautiful, special, wondrous, and yes, there is a magic in our world, but, alas, far too many of us are too busy to see it.  Magic surrounds us every day as we leave the shelter of our homes and venture out into the world--the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, the leaves as they change color and fall from the trees, crinkling under our feet, the stars twinkling in the night sky.  How many of us have wished upon a star?  And, yes, whenever I look out of the window and see one lone star twinkling in the sky above me, I still find myself mouthing the familiar words...

 Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

 I believe.

Monday Greetings

We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted--our names,
the color of our eyes and the texture of our hair, the unfolding of varied
abilities and interests in different subjects. . . . Each of us contains within
our fragile vessels of skin and bones and cells this inheritance of soul. We
are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations,
sacred memories and future promise. Only when we recognize
that we are heirs can we truly be pioneers.

Edward C. Sellner

   

(Over the weekend I found the above picture of my great grandmother Constance Mary in her beloved garden. That's my grandfather in the background. Unfortunately, it didn't come out so well.  The picture itself is old and fading, and because I hadn't had it put on the disc, I ended up taking a picture of it with my camera. )

Good Monday morning, everyone.  I know it is a holiday for many of you, so enjoy this extra day off.  I remember how I used to look forward to these days with plans of sleeping late, but, alas, my body was so used to a certain body rhythm that it was hard to do.  Since retirement I have managed to push my rising time up from 5:30 to 6:30, but haven't been able to muster more than that.  Of course, bathroom runs and a hungry kitty have a lot to do with it.  Ironically, although Miss Minga's meows have gotten unbearably loud (old age loss of hearing), she DOES manage to hear me tiptoe into the bathroom, and once she hears that, I am finished. 

I had a nice time on Saturday when both of my sons paid me a visit.  It is so rare I have them there together that I treated it like a holiday by preparing a feast.  We had that chicken dish with pepper jack cheese,  stewed cabbage, baked yams, and vine ripened cherry tomatoes with olive oil and Italian seasonings.  No dessert necessary.    There was no need for it. Everyone went home with a full belly. And, peaking of feasting....

....as far as Samhain goes, I have planned a 'Dumb Supper' in which I plan to honor my ancestors with a favorite dish from each of their countries.  Thus far, the menu is as follows...

For my French ancestors I plan on serving Chicken Cordon Bleu although it is,  in fact, an American dish rather than a French dish. The French do like it, too.  For my paternal granddad and all of my German ancestors, we'll have a side dish of Rotkohl  (German red cabbage).  Of course, for my Irish paternal grandmother and ancestors Colcannon, one of my favorites, is a must. Also on the menu will be roasted root veggies for my Scottish ancestors, mulled cider for my great great grandmother and my English ancestors, and Dutch baked pears. Of course, the above is all subject to change.

As far as my ancestor altar, I plan to place orange candles to represent 'fire', my Hawaiian volcano rock to represent 'earth', my Holy Water and a seashell to represent 'water', and incense to represent 'air'.  Must remember to pick up some Marigolds.  Wish I had more photos of my ancestors, but will use those that I have along with whatever birth,death, and marriage certificates I have managed to find.

At church on Sunday they mentioned a November 2nd  mass for All Soul's Day.  Unfortunately, it will be in Spanish only, so that is a bit of a disappointment, but it  also affords me the opportunity to celebrate yet another day of honoring the ancestors.  Over this past weekend I purchased and read 'Day of the Dead' by Kitty Williams and Stevie Mack.  The book gave me so many ideas of things I would like to do, but couldn't figure out how to combine the ceremonies, especially the food dishes.  Now I can celebrate both.  Besides, who knows if any Spanish ancestry will show up on my DNA report.  After all, there is a history between the Galatians and the Celts. 

Speaking of Samhain, I was wondering if anyone else was feeling the effects of the thinning of the veil.  In fact, I have been feeling the effects for awhile now.  For the past year or so, what some call the Shadow People have been very active here.  I catch them flitting about out of the corner of my eye more often than ever before...and the visions last for a longer period of time. Has anyone noticed this as well?

Wishing you all a great Monday, and if you are blessed to have the day off, be sure to make it a fun-filled one.

Thursday Ramble

 The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain.  This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency.  

Susan Allen Toth

Well it is early Thursday morning, and  Nor'easter is on its way.  Not snow, but rain, and lots of it are predicted.  Nice day to stay in.  Of course it means I will miss the Columbus Day shindig at the center, but, hey, he didn't discover America anyway.  If you were to ask me, I would have to say the Vikings.  There is evidence that they found it in the 1300's after discovering Greenland, but who am I to say.  And, at least it is not the Halloween party.  I do believe I would make that one in a blizzard if necessary.  That is my special day.

Speaking of Halloween/All Souls/Samhain, I've noticed that many bloggers have been posting the ancestors, be it genealogy or ways to honor them, myself included, I guess as we get closer and closer to day, the veils continue to grow thinner. This year I am planning my own shindig for my ancestors, and this upcoming weekend will include making some plans. 

Yesterday I received an email from Feedspot informing me that I have 40 new followers on Maiden, Mother, and Crone, and, as a result, they were giving me a one year subscription to the premium Feedspot for one year.  At first I thought it was spam. To be honest, I'd totally forgotten about Feedspot.  Remember when we were all trying to figure out what we were going to do when Google Reader went down?  Well, one of the places I had joined was Feedspot.  I hopped on over and discovered I have a whole set of followers I never knew I had.  Talk about suprises!

Yesterday when I left the center, I decided to stop at Pathmark to purchase a few items that I needed. I entered the store behind a gentlemen of perhaps my age.  He had one of those bluetooth things for his phone, and he was chatting away, oblivious to all around him.  As soon as I found the room, I pulled my cart around him while giving him a look of annoyance, but, of course, so engrossed was he in his conversation, that he was totally oblivious to that as well.

On each aisle I ran into this man, and I swear, he was still talking when we ended up in line together.  I remember the days when a shopping trip meant just that...a shopping trip.  Times were simpler back then.  We always asked what someone wanted BEFORE going to the store and never had to worry about making a call to see if we were buying the right  There wasn't as many THINGS back then.  If one wanted mashed potatoes, one bought potatoes and peeled and mashed them.  Now Betty Crocker has so many kinds of instant potatoes it makes your head spin. 

We socialized in person, not over a mobile phone.  Actually, I remember how we had to share our line with our neighbors, but we never got upset when we had to wait for their conversation to end.  Things were simpler back then.  Who knew that in 50 years from the time we got our first telephone, we as a society would be addicted to them?  Yes, I have a cell phone, but mine is used for emergency's only.  I dislike talking on the phone. But, as far as addiction goes, I am just as addicted as the next person...to games.  I play four different Bingo games daily. Oh well, I guess technology has me hooked  as well.

And with that, I'll sign off.  This is definitely becoming a ramble at this point.

 Whether the weather be fine,
Whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold,
Whether the weather be hot,
We'll weather the weather,
Whatever the whether,
Whether we like it or not

Author Unknown

Ship's Passenger Lists...A Couple Free Sites for You

Some people are your relatives but others are your ancestors, and you choose the ones you want to have as ancestors. You create yourself out of those values.

Ralph Ellison

First Name: Alice

Last Name: Keating

Ethnicity: Ireland, Irish

Last Place of Residence: Dublin

Date of Arrival: Feb 13, 1893

Age at Arrival: 20y Gender: F 

Marital Status:

Ship of Travel: Germanic

Port of Departure: Liverpool & Queenstown

Manifest Line Number: 0276

She was only 20 years old when she ventured forth, alone, from Ireland to start a new life here in the United States. My great grandmother, Alice. She sailed on the Germanic which had the distinction of being the fastest ship in the world at the time. What were her dreams?  What were her hopes?  Why did she come? Was she afraid?  Was she disappointed in what life had to offer her?  Marrying so young, so many children. Had she wanted more but settled for something less? Or this her dream to begin with...to marry and have many children?  I have to wonder if  she had imagined that she would make her home on the 'poor side of town', a young immigrant women with so many mouths to feed...five children in ten years time...or perhaps, compared to what she left behind in Ireland, she felt she had struck it rich.  

I never got to meet her, nor have I found any living relatives who can tell me about her. Her life is a mystery. I know the month and year she was born, but I don't know what day. I don't know of her parents, nor of any siblings she may have had.  I don't even have a picture of her so I don't even know what she may have looked like, but I know from hearing my mother talk that she was beautiful.  Will I ever know her story? Will I ever know who she really was? These are answers I may never find, but I will not give up.  When I first began searching, I didn't even know her name.  This tombstone was all I had. One never knows when the answers will come. Or, she may forever remain a mystery, my brick wall as we genealogists like to say.

 As you can see from the above, immigration and passenger arrival lists can reveal the names of relatives and places of birth.  Fortunately, there are several free places that one may search for ancestors. One of the most important arrival ports has long been the Port of New York and of the 50 million people who traveled to America, more than 2/3 of the passengers arrived in New York Harbor. Two great sites are Ellis Island and Castle Garden.

Ellis Island opened its doors in 1892, and until 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island.  Amazing, isn't it?  To think that this is the first place our ancestors landed. To see if your ancestor came through Ellis Island check here....Ellis Island

Not all immigrants to arrive in New York  came through Ellis Island, though.  In fact, the first immigration center in New York was Castle Gardens which welcomed over 10 million immigrants from 1830 until Ellis Island opened. To search for your ancestor, go here Castle Garden

Of course there are many other ports, both on the East Coast and on the West Coast. They are easy to find online in this day and age, and many are free.  Many of our ancestors arrived in Canada and either settled there or migrated to America.  They were all so brave, our ancestors, to leave everything they knew to venture forth into this new world. And even if one is not working on a family tree, you will find it so exciting to find your ancestors  when they first arrived in this country.

She calls to me from long ago;

through sunlit skies, through drifts of snow;

in dancing clouds above the sea,

I call to her, and she to me.

So real was she. She laughed, she cried,

She loved, she lost, she lived, she died.

In hopes and dreams, so real was she,

She lived her life that I may be.

The blood through which my veins does flow,

The same as hers, so long ago.

So it will be. Then when I'm gone,

in a future child it will flow on.

I'll live my life, and when it's done,

I'll live again in those to come.

For I'm a bridge from her to me,

From all that were, to those that be.

 Darlene Stevens

October Returns

'Tis the night - the night

Of the grave's delight,

And the warlocks are at their play;

Ye think that without

The wild winds shout,

But no, it is they - it is they.

Arthur Cleveland Coxe

Yesterday they predicted rain and the tornadoes in the morning'sforcast. It did not seem like one of the best of days to venture out.  So, why not play hooky and curl up in my rocking chair with a good book? And the rain finally did come....about 5 pm in the afternoon.  I really could have made it to the center after all, but who's complaining.  The rain did wash that dreadful humidity away, and that's what counts.  It was actually nice to stay home yesterday.  Spent some time planning my Halloween celebration and then curled up in my rocker while catching up some reading about my favorite holiday of the year.  Here are some of my favorite Halloween books.

An oldie but goodie. I absolutely loved it.  Got it last year for only  99 cents on  Kindle, but you can also find it free online here....The Book of Halloween 

From the publisher....

Originally published in 1919, Ruth Edna Kelley's THE BOOK OF HALLOWE'EN remains the all time classic exploration of Halloween history, from the mysterious year end rites of the ancient Celts, to the autumnal reign of Samhain, the Druid god of death, to the coming to Europe of Christianity and "All Saints Day," to the charming early 20th Century Halloween beliefs and customs of Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, France, Germany and America. Filled with Halloween poems, games and tried and true ancient methods for divining the future (especially for discovering the identity of one's future spouse!), THE BOOK OF HALLOWE'EN opens a captivating window into the past of one of today's most beloved holidays.

Okay, this is a new one for me.  Downloaded the free sample on my Kindle, and I was hooked. Had to have it.  This will be my reading material for today. 

 Book description...

One of humanity's most enduring myths is that the dead, on certain nights of the year, can leave the Other World and move freely about the land of the living. Every year, on October 31, children of the world re-enact a sacred ceremony whose roots extend to the dawn of time. Author Jean Markale meticulously examines the rituals and ceremonies of ancient festivities on this holiday and shows how they still shape the customs of today's celebration.

Also from last year.  A really great book by Gerina Dunwich.  Will be reading it again.  It's one of those books that can be enjoyed over and over again.

From the publisher... 

You may think that Halloween is only about ghosts, ghouls, and goblins. However, there is much more behind this spooky holiday. For Pagans the world over, Halloween is a time of magick and divination-a night for honoring ancestors, celebrating the harvest, and ringing in the New Year. In A Witch's Halloween, bestselling author Gerina Dunwich dispels the myths of this holiest of Pagan holidays and its most famous celebrants.

Written by a Wiccan High Priestess, A Witch's Halloween tells you all that you need to know about this sacred holiday, from the history, folklore, myths, and spells to Sabbat rituals, recipes, divinations, and Halloween superstitions, and much more. This insightful book is a complete guide to celebrating the holiday as it was meant to be.

Bought this one last year as well.  Some really some spooky and fun tales here. 

Book description...

In this book, you'll find stories for the darkest night of the year from some of the top voices in dark fantasy and horror. Two boys investigate a Halloween ghost, and learn a terrible truth...an encounter with a fortune-telling machine has deadly consequences...a World War II veteran finds out his cousin's tragic romance was not of this world...a trick-or-treat game show pits kids against real monsters...Halloween angels unleash inner longings one night a year...and six more stories that will chill your bones like a late Autumn night.

Another one of last year's favorites.  

A collection of Halloween related tales and poems. Ranging from ancient Ireland to modern-day Colorado Springs, you will encounter paranormal beings, ghosts, werewolves, demons, delusion, and daemons. Humor and horror flow from these pages as the authors endeavor to entertain and frighten the reader.

What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted specter, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scouring! 

 Washington Irving 

(a quote from "The Legend of Sleep Hollow")

Monday Morning This and That

Not all of your decisions will be correct. None of us is perfect. But if you
get into the habit of making decisions, experience will develop your judgment
to a point where more and more of your decisions will be right. After all,
it is better to be right 51 percent of the time and get something done,
than it is to get nothing done because you fear to reach a decision.

H.W. Andrews

Ah, another Monday has arrived, another week begins...although I do have to admit, since I retired each day seems to run into another as each day feels like a weekend.  Followed true to my plan for my weekend plan and didn't veer off course. Weather wise, the humidity was back in full force, and it felt pretty nasty. On Saturday I stayed in the entire day.  Had gone to the fruit stand on Friday so there was nothing I needed.  On Sunday morning I went to church. During mass, an elderly woman entered dressed in her Sunday best, a bonnet, white gloves, and carrying a nice little bag.  Stirred up memories of the was church used to be when I was growing up.  Now, people think nothing of going in jeans and shorts and tank tops.  Why, even the priest said, one day during the summer heat, that no matter how hot it is, one should always dress respectful for church.

Part of my yield from my trip to the fruit stand, my favorite all-time grape--Baby Thompson grapes.  They are so sweet and yummy that I really have to be careful not to eat them all in one sitting.

I am so proud of my son.  I don't usually brag about my kids, but he did something special yesterday worth talking about.  Most here probably don't know that my son is a wrestler and an actor.  He appears weekly as an undercover officer on Elementary and Blue Bloods.  Well, he happened to see this story about a young boy who is dying of a rare disease that doctors have been unable diagnose him. At the present time, his brain is deteriorating, and doctors only give him about two years to live. The child's story can be found at Cole's Cause. My son, wanting to do something for this child spent months promoting and eventually producing a charity wrestling show which turned out to be a big hit.  Both stars and wrestlers got together in what was also a tribute to my ex husband, who was also an actor and wrestler.  All proceeds went to a fund for the child.  Tears welled in my eyes when the child's mother posted that this was one of the best weekends her family has had in a long time.

Have any of you been following the incident between the motorcycle gang and the SUV? I am not making any judgements because I wasn't there, but  I can empathize with the driver of the SUV because I've been through it and know the fear these motorcyclists can instill when the mob mentality takes over. A few years back hubby and I were headed for our weekly  jaunt to the beach. It was our day to unwind. The morning was lovely, and we were both looking forward to the day when  we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of motorcyclists.  There were so many of them it was impossible to count, and they were obviously getting a kick out of intimidating the drivers on the highway.  They weaved in and out of traffic, slowed up to look in the windows, laughed, and then pulled onto the next car, sometimes weaving in and out in front of cars.  It seemed to go on forever, and by the time we pulled off the road to go into the beach area, I was so afraid that my entire body was trembling and tears rolled down my cheeks. On that day all of our joy was taken away.

So, I can totally understand where the driver's 'flight or fight' response kicked in.  It is a very frightening situation, and he had his wife and daughter in he car as they headed out to celebrate their anniversary.  As per the hero who stepped in to help, six men pulled him from the car and were beating him and they were starting to pull his wife from the car.  Mob mentality.

Now,  don't get me wrong. I have nothing against motorcycles or their riders. In fact, when I was in my late teens a friend of mine was a rider, and me and my friends fought for the chance to ride on the back of his Harley.  There was nothing like it.  I used to feel like I was riding with the wind. Oh, how he loved his bike and took care of 'her'.   A few years later, long after I had moved to the city, I found out he had been killed in a motorcycle accident.  So sad.  He was so young.

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth forever.--Ecclesiastes

I  received my DNA test on Friday, and it is already on its way back to Ancestry. I am so excited. My previous DNA test traced my maternal lineage only, and though it was exciting to learn which Haplogroup I descended from. This new test will focus on my genetic ethnicity.  Can't wait.  Who knows what new secrets will emerge.

We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies. 

Shirley Abbott