"Her and Her Episodes" Acrylic on paper... All content copyright! 2005 - 2017 and so on, and on, and on....

Thursday, January 11, 2007

The feeling was mutual - way back in ... hm-hm
at Game Farm, South of Edmonton, Alberta

Coming of Age


Since the middle of December 2006, I have been mentally preparing a post for this coming weekend. (As with other things in life I'm finding I am running out of time... :))
I have been making elaborate mental notes about every five minutes. I have written notes/pages throughout the day and upon awaking…
I now realize it is far more than a single post.
It is an attitude.

There is so much to be said about soooo many things. So much going on around us and I don’t hear much of a response nor reaction to it.

I feel that women, particularly those of us of a certain age, have the obligation to speak up, to share thoughts, experiences and, most of all,
to be instrumental of positive change in their milieu.
It is time that women my generation get real; the world is falling apart around us. And, I am not only talking about Africa and Bush in Iraq – I am talking about our friendships, our relationships, marriages and families.

What have we done with what our grandmothres, mothers and we all learned, our keen observation, our intuition, our nurturing skills? What?

One thing is evident, we are absent.
We are absent from ourselves and our children and our husbands, friends and community.
We have become high functioning, “almost” ('cuz we are never good enough!) perfect looking - detached automatons. (Stepford wives by choice?)

Things that have no relevance have taken hold over our lives.
Plastic Surgery, Mindless Sex and Pornography, Youth Culture, Money Culture, Out of Control “Fashion” trends…. Mass Food Production, Chemicals, The “better”, The “Improved”, Political Correctness, Fad Diets, Trans-Fats, “Experts”, Cell Phones… Little Leagues...

The result is that our world is spinning out of control, yes it is… you know it. And, we are “en masse” living "la vida loca” (or, have thrown in the towel?)

This post will be the marker of another (huge) turning point, because I know I will be really stepping “out of my own box” (which is already “outside” the box) from now on.

For a number of years I have practiced a loooot of “self-control, patience and understanding”, tried diverse social, religious, psychological and philosophical trends seeking to find the right way… always “improving”, “evolving”... when, I realized, that the happiest and most stable years of my life were, when I was perceived to be a “queen bitch”. What joy I had!
I am looking forward to future posts... time, health and energy permitting - owoh, yeah!

Zillion "dusties" to all of you. (Dusties: all that is loving, wonderful and beautiful, as in angel "dust"...)

PS.: Today was the first full day of sun since Halloween - mind you, we are freezing and burried in snow!

29 comments:

Anne-Marie said...

Hi Angeldust,
I read your post with great interest, and although I suspect we are in the same generation, I can't say that I relate to any of the shortcomings that you have listed as taking over our lives. I am sure that these things have plagued our generation, but not in my immediate circle of friends. The women I know are great fun, and have far more depth of personality and conviction than the women I knew in my 20s.

I have found myself happier and stable as I've gotten older and less worried about what the world around me thinks.

That said, I wish you luck in reaching a happier point of balance- we should all be happy, I think.

Dusties to you as well, my dear,
AM

Irene said...

Happy New Year, Queen Bitch! More power to you! ;p

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Anne-Marie,
I am a "bit" older.
A few days left to the 59, threshold to the big 60!

Things may be different out here in the west and particularly in this peninsula - but, we do watch the same tele and it is unavoidable to observe that there is a lot of things "going wrong out there"...

You are pretty well attuned to what's up and, it is obvious by your response that we do not see "the same things" as disturbing.
Which makes my speaking up the more pressing.

Dusties to yous

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Irene

The OPERATIVE words here is "perceived" (to be a queen bitch - not being one - to top it off, I HATE the word!)

BUT, thanks for the encouragement.
lol

I'll take it like a trooper.

Hug

rauf said...

Hi Angeldust !
Terrific post !
People have flowers in the garden and think that everything is fine with the world.
As you say everything is falling apart.
I feel that women can manage things better. I have discussed it in my current post giving reasons.
Yes its time all of you speak up.
love and hugs

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Rauf

It is intersting how our individual jouneys determine the points of reference we look at things from.

AS I posted I shared it with a former neighbour (81, going on 39 she informed this PM) and she was also in agreement.

Your post is a sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air.

I hope you are going to open hearts and minds with it, plant little seeds of courage - as Margie says - there are more people than we think reading silently our posts.

Loving you for your soul work, hugs.

rauf said...

Wish I could send some sunshine from here Angeldust. In the month of January when it is supposed to be cool we have too much sun blazing at us and it is hotter than last year. Don't know where we are heading.

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

I will gladly accept it!
:)

Margie said...

Hi dear freind!
What a great post!
I am in much agreement with you!
I am pressed for time, as that is all I can say right now...back from visiting my sister...she is doing better...will call you tonight!
Thanks for the wonderful visit while I was gone...I so appreciated your kind words!

BIG HUG!

Margie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

NIce to hear from you sweetie.

I look forward to hear from you later on today.
Got to go chase after license renewal - it is awful out there; ice all over - again.
This crazy weather is just really getting to me.
"Cabin fever" set in in November, you must imagine then, I am fit to be tied!

Big HUg.

Anonymous said...

Hi Angel!
I think that I am little bit older than you ( about 2-3 weeks). So ...please.. listen to me...I try to be funny)
I can say as Anne said that
I have found myself happier and stable and less worried about what the world around me thinks.
In 2006 I started with computer and English(E.little bit earlier- 3 years ago). But the best is that I feel better, younger and I can walking without pain and without artificial hips(I was prepared for it many years ago- doc. said it is must), without weel-chair(I had problem with legs from my born).
Somebody says: "Life is starting after 70",... so we are teenager yet.
I didn't have problem with my age. I am who I am, how I feel, how I think etc... I love my age.
I try to be adroit and healty; if I am - I am young.
And still - I have a dreams...

I think your post is very good and very needful.

Best to you!

Anne-Marie said...

Angeldust,
So maybe at 44 I am seeing things a bit differently, that's true. I think what keeps me more real than the disturbing things that surround us, and I don't doubt for a second that they are out there, is that I really believe that those things were always there. The only difference now is that the mass media and proliferation of instant mass communications has brought all these issues to the wider public, to the point where we are overwhelmed by them and think the world is a more terrible place than it probably always was. I think many people suffered in silence when I was young, with no one to tell their story to, and that everywhere in the world horrible things happened that no one wrote about or reported, but still did exist.
So, to me, in a wider perspective, the world is not any worse, just more public about it.

I think too, because I teach and work with children, I am surrounded by a lot of energy and positive vibes all day. It's a nice balance between watching the future and remembering what I was like back then (remarkably similar, although I know we had less pressures)and enjoying the fact that I am now at a point where I don't have to worry about all the little things they are still discovering.

More dusties to you, my dear, and enjoy the weekend.

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

I like these comments I can sink my teeth in!

Will answer them - as they deserve, most likely not sooner than Monday.

Big hug, lotsa dusties and a great weekend!

QUASAR9 said...

Oh yes, Angel Dust
The camel may have got the hump,
but sure looks happy to meet you.

Zillions od dusties to you.
Have a great weekend

Pauline said...

I hear you loud and clear. The challenge for every woman is to find her own individual place of contentment and happiness. We cannot control all of the worlds events. We are but pawns in the chess game. Yet, we can make change and regulate our little circle of life hoping and praying that our contentedness with spread like ripples upon the surface of a calm lake. Each of us shall spiral peace, joy, strength, hope,and positive energies until this world is filled. No longer will it have room for the things that distress. Love from the USA

rauf said...

I am going to make it public Angeldust, you have generated so much warmth that you could be the cause of Global warming.

Happy Birthday Young girl !

lots of love and Hugs
enjoy the day ! hope the day is fine.

rauf said...

By the way your birthday falls on the Harvest festival 'Pongal' here in South India. Wish you all the rich harvest for all your labour and efforts Angeldust. This year we had good harvest in South India, the farmers told me. took pictures too.

Margie said...

Happy Happy Birthday!
May you have the most wonderful day!!!!

May you have a smile on your lips...
and nothing but joy
at your finger tips!


BIG HUG!

Margie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Q,
Dear Pauline - thank you,
will respond tomorrow.

Love joy and laughter

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Rauf Dearest - you are spoiling me, and I love it!
Thank you for your sweet ways, wishes.

It makes my happy to know this is a year for "rich harvest"... indeed I am looking forward to such blessing.

Lots of love, a big hug and zillions of dusties...

Margie said...

Lots of love to you my dear
How i wish you were near
we could celebrate with good cheer!

Happy, happy day to you, young lady!

love,
Margie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Margie dear

It is looking good so far, the sun pushing its way up the horizon amongst the clouds...

I liiiike you "blessing"
Thank you my dear friend.

Must run, the "help" has a day off!
lol

Yes you are missing this afternoon's tea party, turned into a late brunch?
Oh... I'm telling you, this was a bit easier to carry out.

Big Huuuug from the "young lady"

krystyna said...

Hi Angel!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Anne-Marie

It is true that the proliferation of media and wide access to it has contributed to a lot info coming to as at a dizzying pace, the many things have been around forever and not spoken about until recently – many, many things have changed for the worse.

I will be elaborating on my observations form now on with some detail, as I feel and stated that I feel it an obligation to do so.

You are indeed very fortunate to be surrounded by youngens which cal always manage to keep you your heart innocent, hopeful and perhaps more focused on the positive .

I most certainly appreciate very you having taken the time to express your experience, because by sharing it is that we remain fair and balanced.

Love and joy to yous

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Krystyna

With all due respect to “elders”… J
I am really living some of the most interesting and content passages of my life in one hand, on the other, I have become rather mellow and overlooked too much in the hopes to becoming more “virtuous” if you care.
Nonsense! I a scrapping a lot of it and reverting to some “strength of character” mode.

Thank you very much for your birthday greeting.
Had a nice afternoon with friends and was gifted with a glorious sunny day which has vanished this afternoon and we are again expecting a new snow storm, having not gotten out from under the ice of the others!

You know this is a “Rainforest” area – Rain, rain, rain… graceful, warm, blessings life with timely visits – not what we had this past few months.

Love and much joy to you and yours

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Pauline

Thank you for sharing from the heart - I really appreciate your contribution.

It takes time to find that "working seesawing balance"

Love and joy to you

Anne-Marie said...

Happy birthday, my dear, and many returns!

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

OOOOoooooops!

Dearest Q.

The camel was indeed very happy to meet me and so was I to meet him - particularly because I am sadly, sadly aware I not always elicit such favorable/pleasurable reaction in others.

It is always an adventure to meet wildlife, either in captivity or in the wild - there is this "sizing up" of the other that may bring on some unexpected and surprisingly wonderful moments.

I have always had niiiiice, niiiice encounters/experiences with animals, no matter where!

(with the sole exception of one overly protective doggy (and a number of vicious people))

zilions of dusties to you

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday dear "angeldust" sorry I am a little late, hope you had a geat day and may your year be filled with peace and happiness.

Loved this post and so agree with you, so much has changed - and for the worse; too materialistic, too much emphasis on a face-value plastic world. yWhat has happened when young mothers just don't know how to look after their children, when things go wrong its "switch on the television", what has happened to 'the family' when mother and grandmother wre there to help?