Cast iron replica of the famous original bronze head
of Aphrodite which is in the British Museum, London,
UK. The original is Hellenistic Greek, 1st century BCE,
discovered at Satala (now Sadak) north-eastern Turkey
www.leedsmuseum.co.uk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSun breaks the eastern horizon<\/p>\n
and finds her there, slumbering on shore,<\/p>\n
a newly formed woman dreaming<\/p>\n
a world of love.<\/p>\n
She hears the surf pounding<\/p>\n
but she does not know what has called<\/p>\n
her to this place. Where are the eel,<\/p>\n
the dolphin, the seahorse?<\/p>\n
The salty water washes from her<\/p>\n
the membrane of new life and she feels<\/p>\n
the pleasure of want for the first time.<\/p>\n
What is love?<\/p>\n
This hard ground presses against her;<\/p>\n
as scales and fins fall away, sand blows<\/p>\n
across her nascent face sculpting beauty,<\/p>\n
faith that being woman will be enough.<\/p>\n
Vestiges of Beltane<\/h4>\n
Vestiges of Beltane shone brightly over the southwest corner of Michigan\u2014the fruit belt where my family and I live\u2014last weekend. Nobody danced around a maypole, or, as far as I know, frolicked in fertile fields, but songs were sung, prayers sent heavenward for a bountiful harvest, and kings and queens of high school age joyfully exchanged branches loaded with apple blossoms.<\/p>\n
We were celebrating the beginning of Blossomtime Festival with the Blessing of the Blossoms, following a tradition begun in 1906. The associate pastor offered prayers and brought a homily suggesting that it is important to bring joy and happiness to others. No Beltane fire was lit, but I was reminded that, like so many Christian-oriented ceremonies, this ritual has pagan roots.<\/p>\n
I am happy that these lovely young women wearing crowns and pastel dresses, teetering in high heels over mole mounds in the grass, are carrying ribbon-bedecked sprigs of apple blossoms. That the kings in crowns, suits and ties are wearing smiles when, as part of the ritual, they exchange apple blossoms with their queens.<\/p>\n
A soloist belts out \u201cGod Bless America,\u201d and I am happy that music is floating on the fresh spring air.<\/p>\n
This, for me, is an affirmation that Earth is vital to our well-being. The sweet scent of apple blossoms offers only a hint of the joys, Goddess willing, our taste buds will savor on Sabbats to come. I\u2019m already anticipating Summer Solstice, Lammas and Fall Equinox which will bring luscious peaches, blueberries, apples and grapes.<\/p>\n
Yet, I know our Earth is in jeopardy. Global warming curses us with extreme weather that will jeopardize agriculture worldwide in ways beyond imagining.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s why I choose Aphrodite to honor Beltane this year. What the world needs now is lots and lots of love. The eminent scientist Edward O. Wilson, author of Half-Earth: Our Planet\u2019s Fight for Life<\/i><\/span><\/a>,<\/span><\/span>says if the human race isn\u2019t suicidal, and if we act decisively, we can protect our world.<\/p>\nThe question: Do we love ourselves enough to take care of Earth, our home?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Do we love ourselves enough to take care of Earth, our home?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3061,"featured_media":4802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[230],"tags":[1187,236,530],"class_list":["post-4799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seasonal-reflection","tag-aphrodite","tag-beltane","tag-love"],"yoast_head":"\n
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