WAITING FOR GANDALF

by Barbara Blue, July 6, 2009
Dedicated to Bettye Johnson

At least since the times of ancient China, fireworks displays have been used to highlight, or to give emphasis and power to was or to commemorate events. Thus, when I attended a friend's 4th of July Life Celebration, and sat overlooking a field beyond that was set up and ready for dusk to fall, my mind wandered to the early scenes of "Lord of the Rings," as Gandalf rode his pony cart full of explosive potential into the Shire. I like the way he was puffing on the ember in his pipe carrying with him the latent spark of fire, the magic still contained.

Everyone was in a celebratory mood, anticipations in the air. People, like Hobbits, are very fond of their creature comforts, and sometimes it takes a pretty big bang to get our attention, to jar our senses out of the velvet-lined boxes we create for ourselves. This was going to be one of those freeing, awesome evenings. The food was great, the wine plentiful, and the guests all happy to be there. Children had a special interest in what they knew or had been told was coming, and as the light faded, the ember glowed, the spectacle began.

Eyes grew wide as tiny rockets flashed apart into bursts of color, amazing mid-air bouquets of fire and noise. Volley after volley shot up in the air, veils of smoke forming in curtains around the spent combustion. Ooo's and Ahhh's were hurd amid the deafening waves of pops and booms, fizzles and sighs. On and on it went, with little delay and constant surprises, until everyone was on the verge of saturation. When the finale started, the best had been saved for a last glorious statement from the Wizard, and no one was disappointed.

Pleased with himself, Gandalf suckled softly, knowing with special delight what he had done. As the air cleared, he departed to his further business, contented with the day. The children felt their tiredness and did not resist going home, being tucked into their beds to sleep and dream of lights in the night sky. Fill with wonder and possibility, the Shire had been renewed. As our friend's life was reflected back to her by all the people who'd come in appreciation of her love and wisdom, she felt a surge of inspiration, a new wind to sail on into the next adventure.

ARE WE FREE?

The word freedom has been interpreted in many ways, but are we free? Here in the U.S. we celebrate the 4th of July with picnics, bar-b-ques, displaying the American flag and proclaiming we are patriotic Americans. The majority of the people have no idea that instead of freedom that we have been carefully herded into enslavement. We are an enslaved people, because we are enslaved to our beliefs, our attitudes and our habits.

It has been eons since women were free. Women have been treated no better than a servant in the majority of the world. Women have been under the thumb of the males for the most part. There have been and are men who treat women a equals and I honor them. When I say men or males in this article, I am talking about the men who wield power over women. Women are still considered sex objects and the dumb blond jokes are sickening because they demean intelligent women who happen to have blond hair.

Religions have perpetuated the enslavement of women by not allowing them to take their rightful place in the pulpit whether it be Catholic, Protestant, Jew or Muslim. For the most part, it is still the women all over the world who bear the children. I do not think the male has the capacity--yet. Am I anti-male? Not at all. I have three sons who are wonderful men, husbands and fathers.

How do we break the chains of enslavement? How many have the strength and will to say no? One of the first chains to break is that of prejudice. Too many people look upon others with suspicion because they are different. What if each of us began to accept the differences in other people and look for something wonderful about them? What if each of us dropped our prejudices against color, language, dress and an opposing belief in God?

What if we women teach our children not to be prejudice and this includes making fun of others. Children can be cruel in many ways, because they are echos of what they hear and learn in the home. Name-calling by children is a cruel past-time. Shame on we women if we allow this in our children.

We have also become enslaved to the advertising corporate world. It use to be that when digestive aids were advertised on television that it was aimed at the older people. Now, I have noticed the actors in these ads are for the most part women that look to be in their thirties. It is subtle programming that one is sick. If women would begin to think for themselves and to look at the commercials as an observer, then a different picture would begin to form and all we have to do is refuse to buy the products. It is time to be discerning.

We women have a brain the same as men. We each have highways in our brain labeled neuronets. Our highways are activated by the belief systems, attitudes and emotions we perpetuate. Freedom comes with a price and that is to give up trying to be like everyone else and this goes for men also.

On this 4th of July, freedom is calling out. It is an opportunity to examine our prejudices, what pushes our buttons, to forgive ourselves and others, and to work for the equality of all people all over the world.

As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might.- Marian Anderson