Simple Abundance
by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy is just that. There's a page or two for each day of the year meant to enlighten the reader to the joys and comfort of the abundance that we all have. I have read it, mostly everyday for the past several years. After reading March 21's page I just happened to flipp back to February 15 - one of my favorites. There's a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, "It does not do to leave a live dragon out or your calculations, if you live near him."
A few years ago I worked with a woman who turned out to be quite evil. I wanted to trust that she was a good person even though her speech and actions suggested otherwise. Her ugly designs led to the firing of a very good employee and friend. Other workers were being threatened with similar actions - one person was transfered and another was a hair's breath away from being fired. Because of her position, and because she knew how to play the game and smooze her superiors, she was able to convince her superiors that these changes needed to be made.
When I read this quote I knew that she was the dragon and that I needed to be aware, be careful, and to include her in my calculations. I had to have a plan. I was more guarded when I was around her, less friendly but still civil. I knew that she could twist whatever I did or said into her own purposes. Eventually some serious charges were filed against her and she lost her job - that's how my dragon was slain.
Breathnach goes on to say in her book that 'women have always known how to deal with dragons hiding under beds or lurking in closets - we turn on the lights'. She admonishes us to 'pick up the sword of Light and Love' to protect ourselves. I realized that light reveals the truth and allows us to see things as they really are. I felt sorry for that paricular dragon because she could have been a queen, but she wasn't and it was a harmful lie for me to try and believe she was.
Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy is just that. There's a page or two for each day of the year meant to enlighten the reader to the joys and comfort of the abundance that we all have. I have read it, mostly everyday for the past several years. After reading March 21's page I just happened to flipp back to February 15 - one of my favorites. There's a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, "It does not do to leave a live dragon out or your calculations, if you live near him."
A few years ago I worked with a woman who turned out to be quite evil. I wanted to trust that she was a good person even though her speech and actions suggested otherwise. Her ugly designs led to the firing of a very good employee and friend. Other workers were being threatened with similar actions - one person was transfered and another was a hair's breath away from being fired. Because of her position, and because she knew how to play the game and smooze her superiors, she was able to convince her superiors that these changes needed to be made.
When I read this quote I knew that she was the dragon and that I needed to be aware, be careful, and to include her in my calculations. I had to have a plan. I was more guarded when I was around her, less friendly but still civil. I knew that she could twist whatever I did or said into her own purposes. Eventually some serious charges were filed against her and she lost her job - that's how my dragon was slain.
Breathnach goes on to say in her book that 'women have always known how to deal with dragons hiding under beds or lurking in closets - we turn on the lights'. She admonishes us to 'pick up the sword of Light and Love' to protect ourselves. I realized that light reveals the truth and allows us to see things as they really are. I felt sorry for that paricular dragon because she could have been a queen, but she wasn't and it was a harmful lie for me to try and believe she was.
posted by Booklogged at 6:21 PM
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