LOTUS LETTERS BY KATHY LONG-BARKER

By Kathleen Long-Barker

The cat was nowhere to be seen as you gulped down deep shuddering breaths in an attempt to regain yourself from the grips of searing radiating red. Hand comes to chest as you glance about the room. Books shudder in their shelves, fine china shivers behind glass. They do not feel any safer than if they were directly before you. For you see...the aggressor in question isn’t a physical one. Rather an energetic pulse that can not be avoided.

Guilt blooms somewhere, enough to make you ease just a little. Just then, off of the shelf, a book leaps and crashes before you; opening to a page marked with an envelope. A red one.

Dearest Daring Divine,

Another lesson in the alchemizing of shadow is in order, I think. After all, books don’t often throw themselves from precipices. You must be in dire need, look at all of this miasma. ‘Did this letter just gesture vaguely to all of me?’ you wonder, squinting at the words. Oftentimes when we are having problems with another being, or a situation, what’s really happening is our individual cells are trying to inform us that we have been holding onto the very same energy that is currently jarring us. The annoying truth is that this particular lesson takes several reviews before it really sinks in for most of us. I’ll share an example: I know a Daffodil and a Dog that are the best of friends. They’re quite fond of one another despite being very different. The dog is feral, prickly, very loud and barks at quite a lot of things. The Daffodil is wild, soft, and bright while becoming fussy less frequently. One day the Daffodil bobbed its little face, telling the Dog how tired it’s become of it’s barking. She was miserable at times because of it! Or so she thought. Never mind the autumn leaves had been falling all around her bed, cramping her. Also never mind the wind, which was chilly! Even the Sun began visiting less and less. ‘But it must be the barking’ She thought. Some time later, more than three leaves toppled over onto her stalk. She shuddered before becoming enraged. Concerned, the Dog trotted over to see what was the matter. The wild little flower wasn’t feeling herself. She spewed and shrieked, flinging her poisonous pollen to and fro. The dog’s ears went back and he retreated a few steps, wishing he hadn’t inquired. She wished she could stop, she knew she was overreacting, but she kept on. The dog sat, waiting for a lull. ‘You know, not too long ago, you fussed at me for barking in general. Here you are barking at me for checking on you.’ The dog stated. The sunny little flower let out a tiny gasp and felt ashamed. He was right! Over many seasons, the dog never sneered at her fits or told her she was tired of them. He kept her company until the anger passed. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she whispered. She could see now her rage had nothing to do with him, just as his barking had nothing to do with her. She had behaved most hypocritically. Anger resides within, and it’s our responsibility to navigate it when it arises, not spew it about. In turn it is also our responsibility not to take on other people’s emotions. We can not control what others do, only how we respond.

This Lotus Letter is dedicated To Johnny Barker Starglass