Below is my first official entry. While I waited for a group of ESL students in the tutoring lab of the St. Petersburg College, I wrote this paper back in 2000. It is based on my thoughts on the spirit and/or progression of women in society from pre-Christianity and to modern day.
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Cycle of the Mother
Or
The Transcendental Woman
by
Evelyn Fr. Altheimer-Fain
Neither the eating of the apple, nor the seven demons who were said to have possessed and were later cast from me caused this much distrust and fear of womankind. My existence extends far beyond these events.
Since the beginning of what man calls the end of darkness or Genesis and throughout Christianity, it has always been the threat of the Seven Angels bearing the Seven Seals who inspired the destruction of women’s freewill.
But before the time comes when I must garb myself in the battle-torn wings of some androgynous or sexless, avenging angel, I need to tell of the times when I was highly revered.
Times when --
While I sat bare-breasted upon the back of a gleaming, sweat drenched horn-headed horse, I swung the blood stained sword of Astarte in defense of the poor then rode on to renew and protect the summer fields from disease. Or, the time when I drew back the silver arrows of Artemis to hunt the sacred forest beast and to protect the dewy eyed youth. Tirelessly, in another place, another time, as Isis, I conceived Horus from the seed of a dead Osiris. As Juno, I answered the anguished cries of barren women asking for bright and lively fruit, and later changed into the temperamental warrior Athena, who if of a mind, would sometimes guide lost and frightened seamen safely home. Effortlessly, I raced through the void to become the lusty Ishtar. Then on a moment notice as Aphrodite, I cast a harmless spell of love, or I float along a future life stream to become the wise Frigga who protected and healed the ailing warriors. Yet, for all my apparent mercies, when angered, I easily become Kali wearing my necklace and belt of skulls, while sitting upon the duo corpse of Shiva, dispensing death and destruction in the guile of justice.
Yes, I am timeless and my faces are many.
As Ruth, I married a divined king by exposing the selfish plan of a deceiving husband. Afterward, I continued onward with my travel through the life stream, until, to save a nation I became the widow Judith and lopped off the head of an evil king. Then forward, ever forward, until I paused long enough to taste upon my lips the salty tears of the redeemed Susanna, falsely accused by two licentious judges of habitual infidelity.
But with this passage into the Modern, I have sometimes been called the unholy, the unclean, the witch, and the whore. I have been murdered, tortured, tormented, shunned, and made the outcast.
Yes I, I who am the first. I who am timeless. I who am endless. I who am Mother.
No matter what face I have worn, what name I have been called, or what nation I have reigned, I still exist -- I still survive.
I am forever, and when this present incarnation ends -- I who shared the coming vision of the revelation through Daniel’s eyes, and bathed and anointed the hands and feet of the One, and heard the fearful shouts of the disbelieving saying, “Hush, Magdalene, the dead do not rise”. -- I with my soot covered wings and battle scarred limbs will stand with Michael to the right and Gabriel to the left to greet all at the gates of judgment
As for my sword, it will be where it has always been--embedded in the heart of God.
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Evelyn Fr. Altheimer-Fain© 02/26/00
*This was inspired by Joseph Campbell - Transformations of Myth Through Time
Joseph Campbell - Mythology
T. S. Elliot - The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Edith Hamilton - Mythology
Cliffs Notes - Mythology
In addition, selected verses from the Good News Bible and the Holy Roman Catholic Bible, Study Edition were used.
Evelyn out.
