Voices From Behind the Veil

Voices From Behind the Veil
 by Mary E. Rapier-LaLuna


Touch me you will see that I am real as you,
I feel
Caress me you will feel flesh beneath your hands,
 like you
Do not be afraid,
as I have fear enough for all the world and more
I hurt when I am forced to be,
to wear to share, as I don't care
So often I grow tired of playing all the games 
when the rules I do not grasp
Scared is what I feel
when other speak of games that I can't share,
 I can't
When you put on your little dresses
It's pants that fit me best
When you dream of girls' caresses
its boys that I want felt
I hurt so bad you see,
I am just like you
But I am me.
 I cry, I cower, I fear
that I will never be loved like you are
Oh God when will I be free,
free to dance in “point” And spin and freely fly my hair,
admit that I am aware
 that I am not the man you think I should be
 I fly, I soar, I climb up high on ladders to the top
I dream as dreamers dream.
Not like other girls I scream
I hide in shame behind the boys,
I wish that I could be as they, and hold your hand,
I am the girl I want you to long to see.
We hide behind the veils of rules
that do not fit our claim to life and love and liberty.
Feel my pain and you shall see
that I am just like you But I am me.

The Key of Love

5 years ago I set out to create a virtual diner. My overall vision was to create a place where musicians, artists, lovers, dreamers, believers, thinkers, philosophers, and just everyday people would come together in a "Third Place" as research and defined by Oldenburg. I myself had decided over 20 years ago what ArtSees would be and by definition it would be a "third place." Because I have never been financially capable of establishing a brick and mortar "third place," I settled upon a virtual Diner. And so it goes, I did and it has been a passion for many years. The mantra remains the same; "Changing the world, One Song at a time, One heart at a time." I had no idea how hungry people really are. No matter what social networking giants we create, there will always be people who will remain unheard as they are silenced out by the crowd of corporate enterprise. They will be silenced, disenfranchised, overlooked and undervalued. Not because they are not genius, amazing, talented beyond belief, but, because we put upon people the need to function the 9 to 5 reality. My vision is to create a place where anyone that wants to be heard will get their chance to be heard. I am ME, Mary E., and I have a dream. My dream is to sing my heart song. As I have grown older I may not be able to sing a high B-flat anymore, but, I am still singing and as I was reminded yesterday by Melanie Safka, after I looked up the singer of one of my favorite songs to sing when I am feeling like a little girl! I am just singing it in a new key. I am not getting Older! I am singing in a new key and that key is the key of LOVE! Join me at the ArtSees Diner table!

We Are What We Eat!

What is it about the Body and blood of Christ that is so important? Why was He insistent upon us eating and drinking in his presence and why did He call upon those who believe in him to share bread, and pass the cup? Why is that the act of eating, breaking bread and passing a cup the central part of so many religious expressions? Anthropologically eating and drinking together is an expression of profound friendship and family. We do not sit down and eat with enemies. It is only when we accept people as they are that we are able sit down and break bread. Jesus knew of the significance of eating with sinners, strangers, the outcast and the unlovable. He promises that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood, will have eternal life. But, it is not just eternal life, but, we have a fulfilled life with the promise that the Lord accepts us at His table, as we are, and through His love and promises we grow fuller and deeper lives influenced by His Grace and Love. We are what we eat.

December 5, a simple Saturday satisfies said soul...

Seriously, it does. Sleeping in, let's go beyond the sleeping in, sleeping straight through the night is sublime. I cannot tell you when the last time was that I slept so soundly through the night as I did last night. I am sure it had something to do with the fact that I worked the entire week at a pace that no woman over the age of forty should have to, not to mention that I was as sick as a dog with a sinus infection the entire week. I am still sneezing, and blowing today!
After waking up at 8:20a.m., (yes, you read correctly, 8:20) I slowly readied myself for a day filled with relaxation, exploration, and gastronomic achievement. Steve, my Saturday partner in crime, announced that he had been waiting for me to wakeup, as he had a hankering for the Blue Plate french toast. The Blue Plate Diner is a favorite of ours. It is located in Lakeside Michigan straight up the Red Arrow Highway from New Buffalo Michigan. The food is wonderful, especially their caramel french toast, and the OOOhla omelete, with tomatoes, tarrogon and goat cheese. This place is so wonderful even their toast and jam is a gourmet delight. Anyway, it was decided, by the baton waiving partner of mine that we would be going soon.
We journeyed towards the east by northeast. The food was as predicted, amazing. Following brunch we traveled further north to St. Joseph, MI and through Benton Harbor. Spending the afternoon looking through a little antique shop called, Days of Yore left us relaxed and discussing how quickly time passes. It is all quite sad really, so much of the old and the simple was traded in for what was seemingly an improvement, but from what I can see, little has been improved. The current architecture is sterile, empty, cookie-cutterish, while the grandeur of the older buildings in Benton Harbor stand empty, neglected, calling out to better days. It was then that I realized that my own memory of the past, past Christmases, my mother, my playmates from childhood are fading from my memory. It was then that I realized the day would come, when memories of me too would be faded, and would be much like the old building we passed by today, fading, neglected and calling out to better days, hanging on by a thin hair of memory. By the time I was done lamenting over this reality of my contribution to the big picture, I sighed, and was satisfied that I am loved, and known. I try daily to contribute to something, to someone, and just be glad to be making memories.
Our journey back into Michigan City was filled with discussion of life, God, and the decision to keep it as simple as possible this holiday season. We settled back into our day, Steve did his thing, and me, I went on to Aldi's (I like to keep it simple, even Aldi's is a little too large for me). It was time to get groceries, time to restock the shelves following a wonderful Thanksgiving week. The grocery cart was filled with goodies. It brings me great joy to feed those that I love. To see the man that I love satisfied through my gastronomic achievement brings about glorious fulfillment.
Saturday was brought to an end with a round of simple songs. Waking up to the one you love, feeding each other's spirit, exploring days of yore, careening along life's highway, preparing feasts of fancy, singing simple songs of love and longing, and knowing, just knowing that today you are loved, simply satisfies, said soul...

“Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear music.” – Angela Monet

It is time to regain my title as "Queen of SoapBlogging"

Soapblogging is a term I coined a couple of years ago. I have always loved he old way in which word was spread, political issues were discussed, and new theories engaged. It was through soapboxing. People would gather their soap box and place it in town square, on a corner, in a park, or anywhere there was a potential audience.

So it is that I take to my soap box, by way of a blog. It is my fondest desire to blog daily. Many blog away at random and this is a good thing. For me, I will blog my way into Christmas. Refusing to be a pansy and be PC calling it holiday for example. No for me it is Christmas. Not necessarily as Christmas has been in the past, but Christmas all the same. I still am fascinated by the story of Christ's birth. To me it matters not whether others choose to discuss the validity of the birth, the outcome is still the same. We gather together in love around the world to recognize the value in loving. So, I choose to love this Christmas. I will share over the next 25+ days random acts of love that I witness along the way. I might throw in a few other tidbits along the way for good measure.

Peace and thank you for joining me on my little journey as the soapbubbles rise forth from my soapblogging, I pray that maybe, just maybe we may experience a little temporal cleansing and come out refreshed, together!

Ciao Bella