My mom taught me compassion, empaty and love. It wasn’t just what she said, but what she did. In her small way, she responded to others’ pain and understood their disappointments.
She endured hardships as a child during the Great Depression. She saw, first hand, the struggles of family, friends and strangers. Most people, she thought, tried their best in nearly impossible circumstances. The poor and infirmed are always hit the hardest and then and as it is now, she knew that we don’t all start from the same place and we don’t all have the same opportunities. We just don’t.
Some of us get a head start. I know I did.
Compassion, Empathy and Love
So what do I mean by these three words? Compassion is our sympathy for the suffering of others without placing judgment on that person or group of people. We can’t understand what they have experienced or how they arrived at this place in their lives–but we feel for their suffering and we want alleviate it. We can all be compassionate–no question about that.
Empathy is more active than compassion so it takes a little more work on our part. It is an intentional act to understand others feeling by putting yourself in their place and attempting to their situation, or their world, from their perspective. We need to do this, like compassion, with no judement. Yeah, it takes intention and some work.
So what about love? Yep, it’s hard to define, but it is certainly the most powerful force in the universe. It’s the only force that moves us forward. It endures.
Through Actions
It’s great to think, pray, meditate, hope and have a whole lot of faith, but we need to attach these wonderful aspect with action.
Mom showed me her compassion, empathy and love through her actions, especially for people she didn’t know. She gave what she could to support Indigenious People, for example, who have suffered from injustices ever since European’s showed up on their beaches. White folks brought a lot of ills and devastated a people and a culture. No getting around that.
Mom was of western Eureopean decent and her family and generations before her had very little, but she knew she had more that the folks who first inhabited the Americas. She felt their struggles the best she could. She knew their plight and how they, at the hands of intruders, had nearly lost everything. She opened her heart to feel a fraction of their suffering. She acted and gave what she could.
When asked about compassion, empathy and love, Mother Teresa said:
“…I can only love one person at a time–just one, one, one. So you begin. I begin–I pick up one person. Maybe if I didn’t pick up that one person, I wouldn’t have picked up forty-two thousand…. The same thing in your church, your community. Just begin–one, one, one.”
Other ways my mom taught me about compassion, empathy and love
In 1977, when I was 17, my mom, dad, and I watched the U.S. Open on TV, where we saw Renee Richards play for the first time. She had transitioned from male to female in the early 1970s. My mom turned to me and said, “I feel for her and what she must have endured her whole life, knowing she was trapped in the wrong body.”
She had the compassion, empathy, and love. She also had the courage to openly support a trans woman, even in a time when the LGBTQ community faced harsh judgment, ridicule, violence, arrests and shame for being who they were born to be.
For younger folks, back then, and until very recently, most of LGBTQ community was deeply closeted due to the darker side of humanity that still lingers. Hate is alive, unfortunately, in 2025 and many communities are enduring unnessary siege. This is why liveing without judgement of others is all part of compassion, empathy and love.
This all came from a woman born in 1921. If my mom were alive, she’d be 105. She saw injustices and always knew that humanity could do – should do- better.She knew it waw all about man and nothing else.
I learned this from her
It’s so easy to be compassionate, to strive to be empathetic and to show love Yes, you read that correctly. Being compassionate, empathetic and showing love is easy.
It’s a matter of will
The happiest people are compassionate so as it lifts others it lifts us as well.
The Dalai Lama sums it up personally for me when he says:
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
If we can remove our ego and judge no one, we might start to feel the pain, and the joy, of others and actually do something about it..
We might choose to help instead of building walls and blaming others for our problems. There’s far too much whining from the most privileged in our country..
I don’t care who your are, but we all need help sometimes—yes, you’ve needed some too.It not, you will.
For me, compassion, empathy and love is about being human. We would be light years ahead if we only valued humanity–our neighbor. To put it another way, if we only valued what (most) moms show us, we would be light years ahead of where we are today on this puny planet.
Man spends his life gathering possessions that he ultimately leaves behind, rather than the things he could collect that would stay in his soul well beyond his last breath.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Maybe you’re like me, but I’ve always wanted magical powers. I’m just glad that there are great stories out their for folks like us to read or view.
This is Part IV of my seires about fantasy heroes and their magical powers.
I listed my eight favorite ways writers introduce the magical powers of their fantasy heroes. Most of these eight if not all, to my way of thinking, are ways we uncover our own superpowers as we navagate our lives. When you think about it we do some pretty extraordinary things when we are pressed and many time, not unlike our favorite fantasy hero.
Characters might find their powers from someplace within them.
Heroes that we love are sometimes the children of a divine or cosmic power or god.
How about the characters who have access to information, and they learn magic?
Then come the characters who find someone else with magic, and they cut a deal to access this power for themselves.
Magic can be found in our natural world if we only know where to look.
What about the wands, swords, and otherartifacts that somehow possess the powers that our hero wants or needs?
The herouncovers powers from within, but it has nothing to do with birthright, but all to do about their own will.
Yes, fantasy heroes may have magical powers but…
…how theyuncover them and, then, how they use them tells us a EVERYTHING about who they are. This is the moment we either relate to them or we don’t. Their story is usually a very human story much like our own.
And what do fantasy readers/viewers like the most?
In Part III I shared some thoughts on the most popular ways readers and viewers like their fantasy heroes to uncover their powers. This is more opinion than scientific as I could not find sources, but it’s interesting.
through some cool magical artifacts,
inherited abilities from their magical ancestors,
or from divine or supernatural forces that grant them magical or superpowers.
My personal favorite is when the hero has to earn or learn about their powers. What’s your favorite way? Let me know in the commnets below.
When and How the Hero find their Magic Powers
Like anything worthwhile, sometimes our hero goes through a process before they can truly use their powers. In the trilogy, The Elias Chronicles, I devoted four chapters on how Elias uncovereed his powers. I shared the first three of those chapters in each post and the fourth appears at the end of this article. ENJOY!
But first…
Elias learns from a mentor, is tasked with many steps and finally uncovers and learns about his magical powers. Most importantly, he learns the gravity of his pwers and when to use them AND not.
Below is chapter 7 from The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok.This is Book III in The Elias Chronicles. The hero, Elias, uncovers his powers in chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 with the help of his mentor, Tas (perhaps pictured above).
The sun was still low and new in the sky when Elias woke up. He could see Tas as he stood high upon a rock in the middle of the lake. Elias swam to where Tas was standing.
“Tas, tell me who you are—and don’t tell me ‘in due time.’ Oh, sorry….”
Tas let out a loud and long laugh that filled the air around them. “You are quite persistent—that is good. If you must know…my father was black, and my mother was white. My grandmother was Japanese, and her mother was Dutch. My grandfather was from Brazil, and my grandmother was Jewish. My father was Catholic, and my mother was Buddhist. My great-grandmother was Lutheran, and her father was Muslim. My other grandfather was Hindu. I have lived on every continent. Ah, I think that covers everything…oh, I tried to be a vegetarian, but it didn’t last. Does that do it for you?”
Surprised by the answer, Elias said, “Ah, yep, that does it.”
“Good. Elias, let’s talk more about you. You have asked me about this place many times. I told you that it doesn’t exist.”
“Yes, that’s right. Funny thing is, I believe you.”
“You asked me how I communicate with the Turul, and I said?”
“In due time,” Elias said.
“That is correct,” Tas laughed. “You asked how I flung that stone with great speed, and I said?”
“In due time, Elias.”
“Yes, and you asked me how I got the fish to jump into my hands, and I said?”
“In due time.”
“And the Donum…”
“IN DUE TIME,” Elias said.
“Well, Elias, your time has come.”
“I hope you don’t mind me saying, but it’s about time,” Elias said with laughter.
Tas laughed, too, as he began to climb higher on the rocks until he reached a landing. He motioned for Elias to join him. Elias climbed up, and they sat cross-legged and faced each other.
“I wish to share with you a power of the Endless Within called Cigam.”
“Cigam? I have never heard of that before,” Elias said.
“Of course not, Elias, as it comes from here, and as we both know, this place does not exist. I am not sure how strong this power is outside of this place, but it may help you on the next leg of your journey.”
“So it might not work outside of here—this place that doesn’t exist?” Elias asked.
“Yes, that is what I said, but I think you are in luck as the place you are going is not of your world. It is not of this time. It may be the past, or it might be the future, but it isn’t the present,” Tas said.
“What? Okay, okay. I should expect all this by now. What do I have to do?”
“First, you must listen to me. Are you with me?” Tas asked.
“Yes, go ahead.”
“I told you of the Earth and how she manages to keep things in balance.”
“Yeah…I understand,” Elias said.
“That is, until she is faced with The Two Powers – good and evil, which are manifested in man and only man.”
“Right.”
“This good and evil comes out in man because of his playing around with The Truths. Because he wants more than his fair share. We look to those with the Donum—the gift—to help.”
“Supposedly, I have this, this—Donum?”
“Yes, you are correct. You have the Donum. You must use it,” Tas said.
“Alright…so what does this have to do with Cigam?”
“EVERYTHING. Last night you saw the brilliant and colorful lights radiating from all the stone pillars just like the one we are sitting atop.”
“They were amazing. Like nothing I’ve seen before…like my palette full of colors but a million times brighter.”
“Elias, these lights are a rainbow of light, an aurora known as the Dancing Souls. They are here with us as we speak. We may not always see them, but they are ALWAYS present. We see them, especially in the darkest hours. They are always here.”
“We’re sitting on Dancing Souls?” Elias asked.
With a roar of laughter, Tas answered, “As a matter of fact, we are Elias…as a matter of fact, we are.”
Elias straightened up and leaned forward. His eyes widened as he asked, “How do I use this power—this Cigam?”
“You must believe…you must focus…you must have faith…you must have hope…and you must have love. Without these, you have nothing. You have no power to do anything. This is why a person with compassion will provide the balance. Remember, Cigam only works for good. The Dancing Souls are forever looking—always searching for balance.”
“So, how do I use it? I don’t get it.”
“It is simple, Elias. When you need Cigam, think about all we talked about. Focus it in your mind. Acknowledge it in your heart, feel it—and then act on it. Stand up.”
They stood together, and Tas handed Elias a stone. “See our camp over there?”
Elias squinted his eyes, “Barely, but yes, I see it.”
“Send that stone that direction and have it land on our campfire.”
“What?”
“You heard me,” Tas said with a raised, stern voice.
Elias looked at Tas and then at the target. He raised his hand with an open palm. Tas gently placed the stone in his hand. Elias cocked his arm and threw the stone, but it went no further than thirty yards and landed in the lake below with a plop.
Tas said nothing but scratched his head and then looked at Elias.
“Okay. There is a little more that goes into this, and let me think what that could be.” Tas raised a few fingers to his chin and thought for a moment. He scratched his forehead and shifted his body weight to his left hip. He filled his cheeks with air as if he was about to play a trumpet.
“Ah, yes. Of course—you must do this as a positive force and not a negative force.”
Puzzled, Elias said, “Tas, I’m throwing a stone. I’m not thinking of whether it is positive or negative.”
“That’s it…but you must—you must! You are not throwing anything, my boy. You are sending, you are transporting, you are moving something…and you are doing so to create the change that is needed. You must visualize what it is you wish to accomplish and then do it. It may appear you are ‘throwing’ a stone, but, indeed, you are not. You are the stone,” Tas said with a fluster.
“I still don’t follow. There’s got to be more than that.”
Tas rubbed the palms of his hands together as he thought. He brought them to his chin. He looked to the side and then up to the sky. “Trust, believe, love, and then focus all your good into what you are doing—no anger, no frustration, no anxiety—just the good. Bring the light of the Dancing Souls into yours. Look for the Dancing Souls in all you do. If you remember this, you will always see the light. You will see what it is you need to see. Choose another stone.”
Elias picked up a stone and examined it. He looked at Tas. Tas smiled, nodded his head, and whispered, “Trust, believe, and love.” Elias focused on the site, cocked his arm, and followed through. The stone zipped off his fingers before he knew what was happening. It soared with an energy that Elias had never before felt. The stone whizzed five feet beyond his target and buried itself deep into the sand. Elias and Tas turned to each other. Tas grabbed Elias, picked him up, and spun him around. They both fell to the ground as they laughed and celebrated his accomplishment.
Out of breath and with a rich and deep tone in his voice that Elias had not yet heard, Tas said, “Very good, Elias, very good. You must work on your focus. That is something we must all work on.”
Elias sat up and thought for a moment and then asked, “But Tas, could a man of compassion use this power to endanger others?”
Tas remained on the ground as he looked to the sky and answered, “Ah. That is a very good question. My answer is yes—you use this power only as a last resort. The power is only effective against what is evil. If you use this to be boastful, you will not get the results you want. Cigam will help you in the Under World. What happens there is later imitated in your world. Your work is that important.”
His mind was flooded with many thoughts, and Elias only halfway listened to his answer.
________________
That evening was a mirror image of the night before. All was calm, and the moonlight was bright and clear. Elias sat on the ground alone on top of a stone pillar. He wrapped his arms around his knees and folded up to his chest. The colors of the Dancing Souls emerged in grand style as the light began to swallow the darkness. The colorful glow shone on his skin and illuminated all around him. He looked at the many colors that blended and moved with the grace of a ballerina. He felt a jumble of emotions. He felt confident from all he had learned. He knew he was now part of the Dancing Souls. He was, however, scared at all that was before him. Who will I meet along the way? What am I supposed to do? He thought. He had many questions but no answers. He was confounded as to whyhe was the one with the Donum. All was quiet. Like magic, Elias turned his head and saw Tas sitting close by.
“I didn’t hear you come,” Elias said.
“Oh, I’ve been here for some time.”
The two sat in silence as they gazed into the brilliant rainbow of lights. After a few moments, Tas stood, walked to where Elias sat, and joined him. Tas sat directly in front of Elias.
“Look at me. Trust me, Elias. Hold the amulet between your thumb and index finger and look at me.” Tas leaned forward and looked directly into his eyes. Tas’ face tightened up, and his pupils became very large. Elias could only see the reflection of the Dancing Souls in his eyes. Elias opened wide. “Elias, you must leave at dawn. You will start your journey atop of Sirok.”
“Sirok?”
“Yes, Sirok, but this time you will not leave Sirok. You will go into its belly.”
“What? Its belly. What do you mean?” Elias asked.
“To go deep inside, you will find another land. This land is of another realm. It needs you.”
“Why, what’s there?”
“Do not interrupt me…I’m on a roll. I do not know how long I will be able to interpret all that is entering my consciousness. Be still and hold your tongue. Okay, where was I? You will go into the ruins, and you will find a passageway that will lead you to an opening.”
“An opening…ah, sorry, I’ll stay quiet.”
“Yes, a tiny hole, a crack, a crevice of some kind. It is an opening, nonetheless. I see it as small as the eye of a needle. You will pass through the eye.”
“What? A hole the size of a needle?”
“Elias, you must think in new ways. Remember what you have experienced here. You will meet many beings along the way. At some time, you will meet a beautiful woman. You will also come face to face with evils. Some you will recognize, some you will not. You will see the Kingdom of Gold high on a rocky hill. Rain? This is interesting…you will make it rain. Ah, yes. This is very interesting; I cannot tell if you will do this metaphorically or literally to make it rain. Hmmm… sorry, but I see no more. I have nothing else to tell you.”
“What? Just like that? Tas, you are not giving me much to go on…how will rain solve anything?
“Perhaps it is what the rain brings,” Tas explained.
“Like little flowers?” Elias said in frustration.
Tas burst into laughter and said, “Questions are good, but please…Elias, you will figure it out.”
“This is like a jigsaw puzzle, and, Tas, I hate puzzles. Tell me more.”
“I cannot. I can tell you that you are entering another time and one that no longer exists in the physical world. Cigam will work.”
“I don’t even know what to do with Cigam. Is this other world like this world?”
“No, Elias. It is not like this one—but it could be.”
They both sat in silence. Elias peered off to the horizon and squirmed. He stood and walked to the edge of the pillar and then sat facing the only darkened area in the distance. “I don’t know about all this. I could stay here with you.”
“I need no more company. The Dancing Souls are plenty. You have the Donum. You have the gift. I will tell you that Zoltan is in danger. You must deliver him and all good people from their peril.”
“How will I defend myself? I wouldn’t be here today without a sword I used to protect myself. I wish I had that sword.”
“Understand this, Elias. You have Cigam—the Dancing Souls—the Endless Within! How many times must I tell you? You need not worry about what you don’t have but rejoice in what you do have. Don’t forget you have the wisdom and power of the Dancing Souls. You became aware of it here, but you have always had it—the Donum. I became aware of that the moment I saw you.”
Elias turned to Tas and said, “What do you mean?”
“The amulet. The amulet around your neck. You may not see it, but I do. It has all the glow and radiance that is all around us. I’m sure Nattymama had something to do with that,” Tas let out a thunderous laugh.
“I bet it was that rainbow she was conjuring up.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Tas said with a tone just above a whisper. “I must visit her again someday….”
As he shook his head and slumped back, Elias said, “Tas, I don’t know about all this. This amulet seems to get me into a lot of trouble. Maybe I should leave it with you.”
“Elias, when will you learn—I thought you might say something like that. It is yours. Some things you just can’t and should not give away. It is you. That’s all I can say.”
“I know, I know. I was starting to really like this place.”
Tas boomed with laughter and said, “Why yes, Elias, this is a very wonderful place to get used to. Of course, one day you will be back as all who are good return, but you are special—you are called to something else.”
Embarrassed, Elias nodded with a faint smile and said, “So, I leave at dawn?”
“Not so fast. I must give you something else.”
Tas reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring covered with flecks of colorful gems. In the very center was the image of the Turul.
“Take this ring and give it to Zoltan. It is his ring that possesses power beyond reason. Oh, and yes…” Tas pulled out the remnants of the scraggly green beard that Elias had around his ankle when he first arrived.
“Why do I need this?”
“You must travel past the Vodnasters when you leave. If you tie this around your wrists, they will leave you alone. You were so smart to save a good size clump,” Tas said with a grin. “I must leave you now.”
Tas stood and began to walk away. He paused, turned to Elias, and said, “It is so simple—compassion balances the world. Use the Endless Within. But, Elias, you will know when it is time to leave that world, and if you do not, you may never return to your world.”
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
What’s your favorite way for fantasy heroes to find their magical powers?
In my previous posts (Parts I and II), I shared eight ways fantasy heroes find their magical or superhero powers. Thinking more about it, I wonderded of those eight, what do readers/viewers of fantasy feel are the most popular ways heroes find their powers?
Since I don’t really know how anyone could honestly be sure about this answer, I decided to check it out on the internet…so ’ve read on that the most popular way that readers/viewers like their heroes to find their powers in the following way:
through some cool magical artifacts,
inherited abilities from their magical ancestors,
or from divine or supernatural forces that grant them magical or superpowers.
…and the internet MUST be right…
Well, that’s for another post. But if these three ways for heroes to obtain their powers are the most popular, then readers/viewers tend to prefer characters who are given their powers.
I can see that, we all like gifts.
In other words, it’s desirable for many readers/viewers of fantasy for the hero to be in the right place at the right time and gains incredible powers without much effort. It’s like winning the lottery. Great gig if you can get it.
But what about this?
I enjoy these heroes and their journeys as well, but I truly love stories where the hero has to act or work hard to earn their powers. Because if they have the drive to work toward something, their journey will be more compelling, and they’ll become a truly heroic figure in a different, more inspiring way.
Maybe it’s just me.
Consider it: if you’re lucky enough to win the lottery, sure, you might do something cool with the money. But say if you don’t win the lottery like 99.99% of everyone, and if you work hard at something you love and good fortune comes your way, you’ll more likely act differently—more thoughtfully, perhaps. Well, maybe.
Heroes like this are underdogs and you gotta love the underdog.
In my way of thinking, this describes most of us, or the 99.99% that don’t win the lottery. It makes me feel a connection to hero as maybe–just maybe–that could be me.
How do you like the hero to find their magical powers?
Think about your favorite heroes. How did they gind their magical powers? Let me know in the comments section below.
In my last two posts, The Ways Our Fantasy Heroes Find Their Powers: Part I and Our Fantasy Heroes Find Their Powers: PART II, I listed the eight ways that I felt were popular ways for the fantasy hero to obtain their magical powers. Take a look.
As promised, here is the third chapter of The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok…
…where Elias is one step closer to discovering his magical powers. This is the second of three books in the fantasy series, THE ELIAS CHRONICLES.
ENJOY, and stay tuned—the fourth chapter is coming soon.
Below is chapter 6 from The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok. This is Book III in The Elias Chronicles. The hero, Elias, uncovers his powers in chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 with the help of his mentor, Tas.
Each of these chapters Elias learns more about his powers as his mentor, guides him to uncovering his powers and magic within and how they are part of a greater source. Like I said last time, pretty cool, huh?
The next day, Elias awoke to Tas standing knee-deep in the lake. He clapped his hands a number of times in a particular rhythm, and a fish jumped up where he could catch it. He did this two more times and walked to shore, where he started a fire.
“Let us start the day with brain food, Elias.”
“How—how did you do that?”
“Do what?
“Catch fish like that.”
“I merely opened my hands, and when the fish was near, I caught it. That was the easy part.”
“No, no, no. I mean, how did you get the fish to willingly leap up out of the water?”
“In due time, Elias. Let’s eat.”
Tas began to clean the fish with a knife and then skewer them. Finally, he laid them on a red-hot stone surrounded by blazing embers. Elias looked on with interest.
“Elias, the fish will be sacrificed for our nourishment. Appreciation and gratitude for all living creatures is important, and we must never forget to respect all life.”
Tas flipped the fish and sat cross-legged while Elias sat on his knees. They both faced the lake. A cool breeze filtered in and out of the trees and sent small waves onto the shore. A few minutes later, they ate.
Tas looked intently at the fire, and with the rhythm of a poem, he spoke.
“Wood feeds fire,
Fire created Earth,
Earth bears metal,
Metal enriches water,
Water nourishes wood,
and then again, wood feeds fire and so on.
Tas stood and walked to the lake and stood in the water. Elias sat and thought about the words he had just heard. He then joined Tas.
“I get it. Everything is connected. Everything needs everything else,” Elias said.
“This rock is the home of every inhabitant from the ant to the antelope. The snail to the sperm whale. Every tree is sacred, and every life enriches another from what we think is the smallest to what we believe is the biggest.” Tas cupped his hands into the water and splashed his face. He took a drink of the fresh, clean water. Tas continued and said, “Come with open hands and drink your fill.”
Elias jogged to where Tas stood, cupped his hands, and drank. He felt the coolness of the liquid as it streamed down his chin and dripped down his neck. He used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth.
Tas looked at Elias and said, “Ah, water—it becomes you, my boy.”
Elias smiled at his friendly remark. Tas nodded his head and began to walk to the edge of the water. He waved his hand, and Elias followed. “Let us sit, Elias.” The two sat on the wet beach and stared out over the water and the stone pillars that stood tall. A breeze rushed in and gave Elias a chill.
“There is a balance to everything, but when the balance is disturbed, we have chaos and destruction. Sometimes this chaos and destruction are easily seen, and other times it is hidden in the hearts and souls of man.”
Without warning, Tas sprung up and swiftly walked into the lake, dove in, and swam to the stone pillar that was closest. He pulled himself up and sat gazing off to the horizon. Elias followed.
“I call this balance The Truths. Alone, the world balances itself. With man, the world falls victim to human desire. What a man wants, a man tries to get.”
“Our history books at school are filled with battles and one country overthrowing this country or that—of wars. I think you’re right. Man sees something he wants and goes for it right or wrong,” Elias said as he picked up a stone and tossed it over the cliff.
“That is troubling if that, indeed, is what man is,” Tas said as he shook his head.
“I agree—it doesn’t sound good,” Elias said.
“Only a man with compassion knows the importance of The Truths, and his compassion shows the way.”
“Compassion? What do you mean?”
“All humans SHOULD have concern for the suffering of others.”
“I don’t know…I think you need more than that,” said Elias.
“Yes, but compassion is where it starts. You can also call it your conscience. Without it, rules mean nothing. This is where the imbalance begins.”
“Hmmm. I think I see what you mean,” Elias looked at Tas, and Tas looked back at him. “I don’t think this way of thinking crosses their minds,” said Elias.
“Even when it crosses a mind or two, man sometimes doesn’t try to understand a person’s struggles and disappointments. Man, many times, does not care. Oh, it is too often that man loses sight of what’s in him—how he can make a difference. This is when a man does nothing,” Tas turned and looked into Elias’ eyes.
“I would never do that.”
“I believe you, Elias, but sometimes we are tempted as we are not perfect. Sometimes it is easy to do nothing, to give up. When more and more souls are tempted, give up, or give in, The Truths go out of whack. The two great powers must be in balance—easy as that.”
“We are all part of the bigger world,” said Elias.
“I would say—the bigger cosmos and the larger dream…but you know, it is rather ironic that even as weak as man is, he still has the ability and responsibility to balance the two great powers. This is just how it is.”
Tas looked at Elias until Elias began to squirm.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” Elias asked.
“Elias, you have the Donum.”
“The what?”
“The Donum is the gift. It’s been given to you—this gift.”
“What gift? And what does this have to do with me and my journey? How does this save Zoltan?”
Tas stood and brushed off his pant legs. He walked a little way from where they sat. He placed his hand over his eyes to shield the sun’s rays.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell me about this gift I supposedly have?”
“In due time, my boy. In due time.” Tas turned to him. “It has a great deal to do with you, but let me first tell you more about The Truths.”
Elias grew more and more impatient but kept his feelings to himself as Tas continued.
“First, Earth. It is stubborn and patient. It has been here for millions of years, taking considerable abuse, but it is steady. It brings life and brings metals, minerals, and beauty. The Earth has volatile powers. It has explosive energy, but in the end, it balances itself. The Earth is special. We only have one, and from it comes all life. This is why we call her Mother.”
“Ah, Mother Earth,” Elias said with a smile.
“Trees bring us wood. Wood may be very sturdy but also may be very flexible. Trees give us what we need to breathe. Trees and the wood from the trees give us shelter and fuel. I could go on and on. Trees are generous.”
“So it is sacred.”
“Yes, Elias, trees are sacred. As far as metal, it is also sacred as it enriches our lives—in our water and food, as well as provides tools for our homes. It is also precious and highly prized. It turns into tools or weapons. The Truths must always stay in balance.”
“I bet my paintings have something to do with this imbalance, I’m sure.”
“You have finally brought up your paintings. I was waiting for that as I have heard of your paintings. Yes, I think you are right—your paintings have much to do with this imbalance.”
“Did you hear this from the Turul too?” Elias asked.
“Of course, Elias, who else?” Tas roared with laughter. Elias couldn’t help but laugh too.
“What about water?” Elias asked
“Ah, water. It is so very precious. We must all have it. It must be clean. It must be abundant. It nourishes trees. It nourishes everything, including our souls. As it is vital to life, it may be very destructive, and its force should always be respected.”
“Tas, I know about fire. I learned this from…”
“…Gaspar! My dear friend. How is he?”
“You know Gaspar?”
“Absolutely. EVERYONE knows Gaspar. He is the goldsmith of goldsmiths. He is peculiar but a very good man. What did you learn from him?” Tas asked.
“How hot and how long. When something is precious, he said, one must know how close and how long to expose it to what could destroy it. He said you don’t think it—you feel it. Fire changes things—for good and for bad.”
“I couldn’t have said it as eloquently as that. Elias. I am telling you something so simple—no secret about it, but to balance The Truths, we must be kind and compassionate souls. Just as catching the fish is the easy part, what gets the fish in the air is different altogether. Tomorrow. More tomorrow.”
Look for the next chapter when Elias learns about “The Dancing Souls”.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Have you ever wondered how fantasy heroes find their powers? In my last post, The Ways Our Fantasy Heroes Find Their Powers, I shared some ways how the hero finds their powers. Not all fantasy heroes are cut from the same cloth, AND thatmeans their powers come to them in very unique ways.
Eight Ways a Fantasy Hero Find their Powers
In my last post, I shared my favorite ways a fantasy hero uncovers their powers. Here they are again:
Some are born with it. That’s the easiest way. Although I love these characters, I feel like I did when I was hanging around with the “cool” kids growing up. Why them? I would ask. I think there are many other ways our hero can become “the chosen one”…
Characters might find their powers from someplace within them. Some event or situation in their lives triggers an emotion, and they begin to use their powers without even knowing it. They realize they have it—they have powers. This is a favorite of mine as I always think that maybe some event in my life with spark my unique power.
Heroes that we love are sometimes the children of a divine or cosmic power or god. These heroes are great, and I love them as well. Unfortunately for me, I won’t be getting any suprpowers this way.
How about the characters who have access to information, and they learn magic? This is an awesome way, as maybe I can find an old book, thumb to the correct page, and learn how to harness the powers that only a few possess. You never know.
Then come the characters who find someone else with magic, and they cut a deal to access this power for themselves. I don’t know many folks who have these answers, but that would be kind of cool.
Magic can be found in our natural world if we only know where to look. Sometimes heroes connect with someone who can guide them to help them find this special place, the spirit or force where these powers flow.
What about the wands, swords, and otherartifacts that somehow possess the powers that our hero wants or needs? These heroes are powerless without them, but wouldn’t we all want something like this? I would!
My favorite is when the herouncovers powers from within, but it has nothing to do with birthright, but all to do about their own will. They are guided by a mentor who helps them by opening a place deep within them. I feel we all possess this kind of magic and can do wonderful things we never thought we could do. It’s up to us.
There are so many great ways our fantasy heroes find their powers
As promised in my last post, I am including chapter 6 from The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok. This is Book III in The Elias Chronicles. The hero, Elias, uncovers his powers in chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 with the help of his mentor, Tas.
Each of these chapters Elias learns more about his powers as his mentor, guides him to uncovering his powers and magic within and how they are part of a greater source. Like I said last time, pretty cool, huh?
The chapters are:
5 – Tas (last post)
6 – The Endless Within
7 – The Truths
8 – Dancing Souls
So here’s the next chapter… the next two are coming soon.
6
The Endless Within
First, Tas taught him rhythmic breathing. “In slow…and even…out slow…easy. “You are not your mind, but you need to ‘see’ your mind. You need to see how it works, Elias,” Tas told him. “Cast no judgment, Elias—welcome no criticism, Elias—stand apart, away from your world.” Tas moved his hands together up and down. “You are like a stone pillar. You must stand alone—nothing can get you or get into you unless you let it.” Tas placed his hand over Elias’ heart. “You see peace. You feel peace. You are free from evil, and you want to share this bliss with everyone.”
With hours left in the day, Tas asked Elias to meditate and not to utter one word until the sun sunk beneath the green hills. Tas asked him to spend the day and watch him and his actions.
Tas dove into the water and swam to a tall stone pillar that protruded high into the sky. He climbed to the top. Elias followed and climbed with confidence to the top. With energy and strength that matched Tas’, though a little slower. They stood in silence and viewed the world from its pinnacle as the Turul flew close by.
Again, Tas dove into the water, swam to the shore, sat on a slab of limestone, and meditated. Elias stood still and watched Tas until he sat in his familiar pose. Elias twisted his waist from side to side, inhaled, and dove into the crisp, clear water below. He swam to where Tas was sitting.
As he looked for a place to rest, Elias chose to sit on the warm sand and closed his eyes. He concentrated on his breathing as he took in the air slowly and evenly and out easy and even. As Tas taught him, he wiped clean all the thoughts that bounced in his head. It was difficult to do, but he continued to focus. Like the stone pillar, he saw himself as tall and strong. He was formidable. As he felt he was part of the Earth, he felt warmth move through him like a wave of strength. Is this what peace feels like? He thought.
Moments later, Tas stood and walked to the edge of the water. A foamy wave gently washed up on his feet. Elias opened his eyes with a few blinks, got up, and walked near where Tas stood. Squatting, Tas picked up a stone that could fit in the palm of his hand. He slowly stood and brought his arm back and behind him in one motion. He tilted his head and closed one eye. His arm snapped forward, and he flung the stone with super speed. Elias was shocked. The stone hit the perch where they had stood earlier in the day.
“Wow. How’d you do that? I mean, it really took off. I didn’t think it would ever come down. Will you show me?”
“In due time, Elias. Now I asked you to say nothing until the sun has sunk beneath the hills.”
“You’re right—sorry.”
Tas said nothing but looked away, so Elias did not see the smile that took over his face.
_______________________
Night came, and a half-moon shone in the sky. Tas and Elias sat by a fire on the shore. Elias dared not to say anything even though his curfew was over. They heard nothing but the gentle rush of the water that flowed close to their feet and then back out. Without warning, beams of colorful light appeared from all of the stone pillars in the water and glimmered upward. Elias looked around and did not believe what he saw.
“Those lights, Tas, what are they? They seem to be shooting up from those rocks.”
“Those lights are special. Every color known to man comes together and pierces the vast nothingness—the dark. It is brilliant, yes?”
“How, how…”
“In due time. In due time you will learn about the lights.
So Elias, what did you learn today?”
“Huh?” he answered as he continued to stare at the lights. “Um…well … I must always start with what’s inside of me before I can expect to know where I’m going and what I’m going to do there.”
Tas turned to Elias. With pursed lips, he slowly nodded. “Yes, of course, Elias—you knew that was going to be on the test. But I told you that. Tell me what came from you.”
As he leaned back on his elbows and looked directly at Tas, Elias asked, “You don’t make any of this easy, do you?”
Tas leaned back on his elbows as well and let out a laugh so loud it echoed from pillar to pillar.
“Okay, let me think for a moment.” Elias looked up to the brilliance and energy of the lights that split the night. He could not stop staring at this mystery. He then gazed at the outline of the half-moon. He looked at Tas. “Okay, okay, I got it. This place—this place can be real. Yes, it can exist. I mean, what’s holding us back? Water, sun, air, trees—life; nothing here is complicated. It seems so simple, and everything seems so rich.”
“Yes, Elias, it is a man who makes things complicated. It is a man who wants more than his fair share. It is a man who makes the decisions. He wants power.”
“Why is that, do you suppose?” asked Elias as he looked back at the lights.
“Because of The Two Powers.”
“The Two Powers? What?” Elias asked.
“Because of the contrasts. Of the many contrasts, The Two Powers make all the difference, and One Power sometimes overshadows the other.” Tas stood up, stretched his long arms on either side and looked upward. He inhaled the fragrant, clean air and then exhaled. He looked at Elias, squatted in front of him, and said, “The Two Powers I am talking about are simply known as good and evil.’’
“Everyone knows about good and evil. So Tas, what
does this have to do with me, and where am I headed?”
“You will learn more, Elias—in due time.” Tas walked
toward the lights.
Elias rolled his eyes and said, “Tas, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t come here to spend time and just hang out. I’ve got to get what I need and find Zoltan. He needs help.”
Tas turned back to Elias and said, “Impetuous Elias, that’s what you are. Let me tell you how you will get what you need. First, you will spend more time with me. Then I will ask you to leave. At that time, you will discover where you must go from here.”
“Okay—I got it so far,” Elias said as he sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees.
“Good—I will learn just like you.”
“Huh?” Elias stood, stretched, and walked toward Tas.
Tas turned to Elias. “You heard me. I don’t have all the answers, but they will come to us somehow. But this is what I do know. You will seize a power that you will find in your soul. A power all man has but seldom uses. Call it intuition, call it a sixth sense, or call it a message from the creator of the cosmos. Whatever you call it, you will understand what this power is saying to you. It is the connection between thought and heart. It’s the Endless Within.”
He looked puzzled and said, “Endless Within?”
“Of course—the Endless Within!”
“So this Endless Within…does it have something to do with these lights?
“Oh, it very well might.” Tas stood and walked to a smooth slab of stone. He lay down and became silent like the night. Elias looked over at him and expected him to say or do something, but he lay motionless. Elias held his open palms out to either side and shook his head.
“Really? Hey, Tas, what are you doing?”
“I’m trying to sleep.”
“What? We’re in the middle of something here,” Elias blurted.
The palette of lights that emanated from the pillars mesmerized Elias. Frustrated, he looked back at a sleeping Tas and shook his head. As he felt the strain of a long day, Elias tried to hold back a yawn, but another one followed. He rubbed his eyes and scratched the back of his neck. He nestled up near a stone ledge to his side, and, light or no light, he fell asleep.
Look for the next chapter when Elias learns about “The Truths”.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Our fantasy heroes find their magical powers in many ways. But it’s not so different than how we find our own superpowers as we navigate the uncharted paths of our own lives.
Yep, we all have magical or superpowers if we only take the time and look inside.
Read on and you will see what I mean.
Reading, watching, and writing fantasy has been a pleasure of mine for my entire life. My imagination has run wild, and I am still searching for my superpowers. However, when I began writing my series,The Elias Chronicles, I knew exactly how Elias might find, uncover, and use his powers. It was fun to see it unfold. I felt they were my powers too. I’m not the only one who has felt this way– readers too tell me they felt the powers along with Elias.
With intentionality and seriousness, every fantasy writer grapples with how their hero is unique and how best to show this uniqueness. How fantasy heroes find their powers is central to their being as well as crucial to the entire story. Many times it is in how the hero finds their powers or their magic that influences their use of them as well. These actions help to flesh out and define who the hero is and what they stand for.
Here are Some Ways Our Fantasy Heroes Find Their Magical Powers
Some are born with it. That’s the easiest way. Although I love these characters, I feel like I did when I was hanging around with the “cool” kids growing up. Why them? I would ask. I think there are many other ways our hero can become “the chosen one”…
…so here are more ways.
Characters might find their powers from someplace within them. Some event or situation in their lives triggers an emotion, and they begin to use their powers without even knowing it. They realize they have it—they have powers. This is a favorite of mine as I always think that maybe some event in my life with spark my unique power.
Heroes that we love are sometimes the children of a divine or cosmic power or god. These heroes are great, and I love them as well. Unfortunately for me, I won’t be getting any suprpowers this way.
How about the characters who have access to information, and they learn magic? This is an awesome way, as maybe I can find an old book, thumb to the correct page, and learn how to harness the powers that only a few possess. You never know.
Then come the characters who find someone else with magic, and they cut a deal to access this power for themselves. I don’t know many folks who have these answers, but that would be kind of cool.
Magic can be found in our natural world if we only know where to look. Sometimes heroes connect with someone who can guide them to help them find this special place, the spirit or force where these powers flow.
What about the wands, swords, and other artifacts that somehow possess the powers that our hero wants or needs? These heroes are powerless without them, but wouldn’t we all want something like this? I would!
My favorite is when the hero uncovers powers from within, but it has nothing to do with birthright, but all to do about their own will. They are guided by a mentor who helps them by opening a place deep within them. I feel we all possess this kind of magic and can do wonderful things we never thought we could do. It’s up to us.
There are so many great ways our fantasy heroes find their powers
In this post and my next three, I am sharing four chapters from The Rings: Journey Beneath Sirok. This is Book III in The Elias Chronicles. Each of these chapters Elias learns more about his powers as his mentor, Tas, guides him to uncovering the powers within and how they are part of a greater source. Pretty cool, huh?
He pulls it together so that he is ready to continue his quest.
The chapters are:
5 – Tas
6 – The Endless Within
7 – The Truths
8 – Dancing Souls
Yep, we all have superpowers if we only take the time and look inside. Read on and you will see what I mean. Look for the next three chapters coming soon.
5
Tas
Exhausted and out of breath, Elias tread water in the crystal clear and calm waters around him. He looked around the cavern. It was enormous, with high curved walls like the inside of a seashell. It was fragrant like the lavender in Nattymama’s herb garden. A glow came from different points under the surface of the water and threw colors onto the walls and ceiling. Elias spun in a circle as he tried to make sense of it all.
He kicked his weary legs to power himself onto a large flat rock. With his last ounce of energy, he hoisted himself up and laid back so he could rest. He still had scraggly tufts and long strands of coarse green hair wrapped around both ankles, and some clung to his waist. After a moment, he sat up and began to pull the gunky strands from his legs. He looked at it in disgust and tossed it to the other side of the stone slab. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a lone man that sat on the other side of the cave. The man was very still.
That must be him, he thought. Tas had very long black hair, which he had pulled back behind his head. Tall and lean, he wore only red baggy pants that hung from his small waist. He had colorful tattoos that covered his muscular brown arms and back. His eyes were wide and enchanting. They were perhaps his most remarkable characteristic. They were the color of dark shiny gems.
Tas sat undisturbed. His legs were crossed, and his back was straight. He rested his hands on his knees. He held his hands so his thumb and index finger connected and formed a perfect “O.” He pointed his chin upward toward the ceiling.
Not moving a muscle, Elias sat still so he could watch him. He did not know whether to call out to Tas or wait for Tas to call him. Elias was still exhausted and knew he wasn’t thinking clearly. The fight he braved had finally caught up with him. He rubbed his arms and legs as his head throbbed. Things began to look fuzzy, so he laid back. His eyelids began to close as the thoughts in his head started to make no sense. He drifted off to sleep.
Whether it was for a few minutes or hours, Elias woke to find Tas standing over him. With one foot on either side of Elias’ chest, he stared down at him. Elias’s eyelids fluttered open, and he tried to focus on the figure above him. His body automatically tensed as he remembered when he had met the Sarkany the very same way. Only the Sarkany had his sword and pointed the tip to the amulet on his chest. At that moment, Elias became fully awake and began to wonder what would happen next. Tas’ face was stern, and he gritted his teeth, but then he let out a guttural, echoing laugh. Elias relaxed and sensed everything was fine—he was in no danger. Tas stepped aside and held out his hand to help pull Elias up. Tas crouched next to him and peered into his eyes.
“So you must be the Elias I’ve heard so much about.”
“Yes, and you must be the Tas I’ve heard so much about, too.
“Why yes. That is who I am to you—today.”
“Today? What do you mean?”
“I am known differently and by many names to different souls. My Earth mother knows me differently than you, as do my many sisters and brothers. Yet, all seem to choose to call me whatever they want. I despise labels…and names are only labels.”
“I get what you’re saying. People judge, and they shouldn’t, but we all have to have a name.”
“I suppose you are correct. Tas is as good as any other”.
So tell me…how is Nattymama? Oh, Nattymama—I do love that precious soul. For some reason, she holds me in such high regard. Perhaps that is a label my ego likes. I suppose there is a great deal of truth to the idea that a prophet holds no regard among those who know him or her best—perhaps that is why she sent you to me.”
“Prophet? Are you…”
“Ooooohhhh, please do not get me wrong. I am not a prophet. I would say I am a compassionate soul. I nourish, I connect, I challenge, and I may even inspire… I love, I have faith, and above all, I have hope for our kind—but I’m not a prophet. Perhaps, I am a teacher,” he said as he wagged his finger and laughed. “I say all this to emphasize that we often overlook the value of what is or who is directly in front of each of us at any given time. All of us can do all these things I have said—we just need to listen to one another.”
“I suppose you are right,” Elias answered and said what he thought he should say.
“Labels do us no good,” Tas said as he sat down. All became quiet before Tas went on to say, “But, I will tell you. Nattymama is special.”
“How did Nattymama send word to you about me?” Elias asked. “She couldn’t have made a trip like this to tell you about me.”
“Don’t sell Nattymama short. She doesn’t have a chain holding her to her cottage, although it is quite a lovely place,” Tas said as he looked away fondly and then continued, “But, yes, you are correct, Elias. She did not come here, but she has her ways. If you must know, the Turul told me.” “First Zoltan and then Nattymama and now you…can everyone communicate with that bird but me?”
“In due time, Elias. In due time you will see and hear things you have never witnessed before,” Tas said with outstretched arms. “Now, tell me, have you been meditating?”
“Huh…what do you mean?”
“Meditation—meditation. It refreshes the mind, body, and soul. To understand the world, we must understand the world in each of us. All of our thoughts, feelings, what we do, and why. What’s in each of us is as vast as the universe. Humans would do themselves a great service if they attempted to learn the world inside them before seizing the world beyond them.”
“WHAT? I don’t understand why you are telling me this. I need to get answers and be on my way. I don’t have time for a philosophy lesson,” Elias said as he shook his head and grew more confused.
Tas boomed with laughter. “My, my…you do have the temperament of an artist now, don’t you? Yes, I was told you might say something like that…in due time, Elias. I remember being young and impetuous like you.”
“What do you mean? You can’t be much older than me. What are you twenty—twenty-five?”
“Let’s leave it at that. Don’t worry about such things. Now, the reason that we must start with meditation is because you will learn how to concentrate and focus. Little things in life that distract will bead away like water on a duck’s back. You must learn to focus. Where you will go, you must know your purpose, and learning about yourself will make this purpose come alive. Alive! Do you follow?”
“Really? Meditate?”
“Oh yes—really,” Tas answered with a big nod and a tight smile. “Yeeeeesssss, you must meditate. Your brain will connect with your heart, and that feeling will always save you.”
“Okay, okay. I’m not so sure I understood you but let’s get this over with. I’m ready. Show me how,” he grumbled.
“Slow down, Elias. Let us take a walk outside this carved out rock, and let me show you what the world could look like—how it could look, sound, feel, smell, and taste.”
“I just came in from the world. I saw what it looked like. It wasn’t pretty. I don’t get what this has to do with where I’m headed. Can you give me what I need and point me in the right direction, and I will be on my way?”
As he paid little attention to Elias’ impatient demand, Tas continued, “Bear with me. What exists only exists in your mind. Others tell us things, and we believe them. We even look for it since it has become so ingrained in our thinking. But it doesn’t have to be this way. It, however, has been the way of man for thousands of years. I’ll let you in on a secret—this place, where we stand right now, doesn’t, well, exist.”
“Huh?”
“It’s better to show you what doesn’t exist than to tell you. Please, follow me.”
Tas started to walk toward a waterfall that poured from the ceiling of the chamber. Elias looked up and scratched his head. He looked over his shoulder at Elias, then calmly nodded and continued toward the cascade of white water that flowed down the glistening solid wall. Elias caught up with Tas, and they walked side by side.
With a hiccup, Elias asked, “Hey, Tas, is there an opening up there where that waterfall begins?”
“But, of course, there is an opening—there is always an opening. There is always a way, although it may be so slight and no one sees it.”
They approached the waterfall, stood in front of the pounding water, and felt its cool spray. It felt good on Elias’ worn muscles and bruised skin. Elias looked to Tas, who stood with his eyes shut.
“Okay, Tas, now what?”
Tas opened his eyes and looked at Elias. As he did, he extended his arm through the powerful flow of water. Like a proscenium arch, the falling flow of water separated like a curtain, and a blinding blue and white light shone through the opening. Tas stepped forward, as did Elias. They took another step together and were now in a world that didn’t exist.
Before them was a body of water so still and blue that Elias was surprised. Jutting upward from the surface of the water, and scattered about were countless natural stone pillars many stories high. Wispy trees and other plants grew haphazardly on its uneven surfaces. In the distance, lush green hills separated the sky from the water. The air stirred with energy and lifted scents of lilac and other flowers and bushes. The sun shone brightly in the sky and tingled over Elias’ skin. There were no buildings, houses, or cottages. No other living creature showed themselves, with the exception of the Turul, who, with ease, glided high above on a current. Tas looked at Elias with a grin that stretched across his face.
“This, Elias, is the world we could live in. This place is good, and it brings joy to me. There is nothing mystical about this place—this that does not exist. Look around. There is nothing here that is not in the world—well, other than man. Here, however, is a balance—a harmony. It is the way of nature.”
“This looks nothing like where I’ve been. I mean, my home is beautiful, but this place is, well, it’s different. It definitely doesn’t look like the path that led me here.”
“The path getting here, or there, is the path. Here is here. They do not have to be the same,” Tas said. “And you, too, live in beauty, but it is an island if you know what I mean,”
“An island?”
“Why yes. The world is full of islands of beauty—could be a place…or people, but nevertheless, they are islands that could be joined.”
Elias walked to the edge of the water, knelt down, cupped the water, and drank. “So this isn’t real?” Not waiting for an answer, Elias turned, looked behind him, and continued. “And just right there,” Elias pointed to the direction, he presumed, where he came, “beyond that rock is where I came from, and it was real. This is all very bizarre. What is this place, and why did Nattymama send me here?”
“In due time, Elias. In due time you will learn about the powers of this nonexistent place, this matrix, and why Nattymama sent you here.” Elias stood and walked to where Tas was now sitting. Elias’ stomach felt heavy, and his mind clouded over. He looked from side to side and then folded his arms across his chest.
“Who are you? Better yet, what are you?” Elias asked.
“I’m Tas! Simple as that, but I’ve been described in so many ways. Some call me a dabbler in magic, a sorcerer, a magician, and some have called me a mystic. I am none of those or perhaps all of those. I hope I am more. I am a man.”
“Okay, TAS—a man. That’s your answer to my question? I mean, really…”
Tas bounced up and spun around one time with his arms outstretched, “Okay, okay, Elias, you deserve more. I am a man who works to uncover what could be. I am a man who finds balance. I am a man who learns to come closer to the creator of the universe. I am a man who finds kindness and compassion should drive our actions. I am a man who works for good.”
“So you are a holy man? A priest or rabbi or someone like that?”
“Again, those are mere labels. Ah, ah, you are quite inquisitive. You are a curious soul, and I see you are ready for much more. I will let you in on a secret. Scientists, and the like, know that we humans use a tiny percent of our brains on any good day. You’ve heard that?”
“Yes, I’ve heard something like that.”
“Well, I have uncovered the truths that allow us to use more than a small percent of what we have upstairs. It is when we connect our thoughts with the most powerful energy in our own bodies—our heart—that moves us closer to realizing what our power really looks like.”
“Awesome. But I don’t know what that means. Now, will you give me what I need so I can get out of here?” Elias asked and shook his head.
“In due time. I am here for you, Elias. You will learn to help yourself, as I will find joy in being your guide. When we know ourselves, we may truly know our rightful direction. No need for you to be an island in the hideous sea that is the world.”
Clearly, he did not pay attention to Tas’ last words, as Elias asked, “So—this place, you said it doesn’t exist?”
“Let me put it this way. You cannot understand this place because you live in a world where man, too often, makes the meaningless appear to be desirable. This is a shame. Many times, because of his tiny brainpower, man doesn’t consider the water, the sky, the air, the fire, the animals, or the insects that slither about. We need all of these things. Where you are now— this non-place—I would have to say is meaningful and, as such, doesn’t exist. At least it doesn’t exist beyond the boundaries. With exceptions, this is a place that the living rarely comes to.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind that for now…this place is easy to figure out. Your world is confusing. Man, because of man and no other reason, lives in opposites. We have love, so we have hate. We have rich, so we must have poor. We have beauty, and we have what is ugly. We have good, and therefore, we must have evil. It would be absurd of me to say because we have air, we have love, and because we have hate, we have water…man can’t seem to stop comparing. This is all up to a man.”
Elias walked back to the water’s edge, turned to Tas, and asked, “Are you saying we must know how to make sense of these opposites?”
“Yes, as long as man exists. But I am actually saying much more. First, man must learn to balance the opposites. If not, we are doomed. We must always fight against what is wrong, even though what is wrong may live with us forever. We might never be able to destroy what is evil, but that doesn’t give us any reason to stop fighting for what is good. Our choices make us who we are, not what surrounds us.”
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Drawing from that post, where I shared some of the quotes I found for my book, I want to share a few more. These quotes cover topics such as: Simplicity and Living in the Ordinary, Happiness, Imagination, Compassion, Truth, Humility, Friendship, Kindness, Forgiveness, and Love.
Photo by Parker Coffman
Over Five Hundred of the Best Quotes Ever
Quotes are relatable because they are simple, powerful words that, regardless of culture, religion, or upbringing, help show how little separates us. Many times, they remind us to let go and live inspired lives.
Quotes tug at our emotions and serve as a kind of balm for what ails us.
They give us validation when, unfortunately, others miss the chance to do so.
The connection they create is incredible, as some of the greatest minds over a thousand years have thought and felt the very same things as us.
We all strive for the same things in life, no matter our upbringing, religion, culture, or circumstances.
Folks, we’re in this together; we are the same.
Enjoy exploring some of the best quotes ever!
Simplicity and Living Ordinarily
Mental toughness is many things. It is humility because it behooves all of us to remember that simplicity is the sign of greatness and meekness is the sign of true strength. Mental toughness is spartanism with qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, dedication. It is fearlessness, and it is love.
–Vince Lombardi
Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does Nature, because in her inventions, nothing is lacking and nothing is superfluous. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
–Leonardo da Vinci
Simplicity in character, in manners, in style; in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.
–Leo Tolstoy
All great change in America begins at the dinner table.
–Ronald Regan
Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.
–Frederic Chopin
It’s true. I’m a simple person. Some people tend to live from trauma to trauma, and that energizes them. I have a hectic schedule, but my mind seeks simplicity – like being in nature, a long bike ride, or sitting on the back porch.
–Amy Grant
Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves.
–Aesop – The Astrologer
What we have to learn to do, we learn doing.
–Aristotle
Happiness
Be content with your lot.
–Aesop – The Fox and the Crab
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
–Mahatma Gandhi
There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.
–Henry David Thoreau
Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
-George Orwell
To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.
–Buddha
Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
–Helen Keller
Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.
–Eleanor Roosevelt
Imagination
Everything you can imagine is real.
–Pablo Picasso
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
–Albert Einstein
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
–C.S. Lewis
Compassion
Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
–Dalai Lama
Forget injuries, never forget kindness.
–Confucius
The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.
–Norman Cousins
I believe that man will not merely endure. He will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.
–William Faulkner
The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.
-Thomas Merton
Truth
Whatever is, is right.
–Alexander Pope
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
–Plato
From the evening breeze to this hand on my shoulder, everything has its truth.
–Albert Camus
Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.
–Jesus
Humility
We often make much of the ornamental and despise the useful.
–Aesop – The Stag and His Reflection
Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives acclaim earned in the blood of his followers and the sacrifices of his friends.
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.
–Saint Augustine
Power is dangerous unless you have humility.
–Richard J. Daley
There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder.
–Alfred Clayton
Friendship
Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
–Ute saying
Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.
-Aristotle
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
–Thomas A. Edison
But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.
–Thomas Jefferson
Kindness
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
-Aesop – The Lion and the Mouse
Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.
–Franklin D. Roosevelt
Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.
–Theodore Isaac Rubin
Kindness and faithfulness keep a king safe, through kindness his throne is made secure.
–King Solomon
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
–Mark Twain
That best portion of a man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.
–William Wordsworth
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.
–Hannah Arendt
Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
–Norman Cousins
Forgiveness is the answer to the child’s dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is made clean again.
–Dag Hammarskjold
To err is human; to forgive, divine.
–Alexander Pope
He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.
-Thomas Fuller
Love
There is no remedy for love but to love more.
–Henry David Thoreau
Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.
–Saint Thomas Aquinas
To love another person is to see the face of God.
–Victor Hugo
Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.
–William Shakespeare
The greatest pleasure of life is love.
-Euripides
Love has features which pierce all hearts, he wears a bandage which conceals the faults of those beloved. He has wings, he comes quickly and flies away the same.
–Voltaire
Love is a chain of love as nature is a chain of life.
–Truman Capote
Where there is love there is life.
–Mohandas Gandhi
Without love in your life, you have nothing.
–Wynonna Judd
Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life.
–Leo Buscaglia
Meditation and Prayer
You become what you think about all day long.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you begin to live life looking for the God that is all around you, every moment becomes a prayer.
–Frank Bianco
Prayer for many is like a foreign land. When we go there, we go as tourists. Like most tourists, we feel uncomfortable and out of place. Like most tourists, we therefore move on before too long and go somewhere else.
–Robert McAfee Brown
It is the prayer of my innermost being to realize my supreme identity in the liberated play of consciousness, the Vast Expanse. Now is the moment, Here is the place of Liberation.
–Alex Grey
Prayer indeed is good, but while calling on the gods a man should himself lend a hand.
–Hippocrates
Prayer is a thought, a belief, a feeling, arising within the mind of the one praying.
–Ernest Holmes
I like the silent church before the service begins better than any preaching.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
Experiences
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
–Charles Adams
If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we’d all be millionaires.
–Abigail Van Buren
Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.
–John W. Gardner
Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
All quotes within this manuscript have been found in publications and the internet and remain the intellectual property of those to whom they have been attributed. Usage of all quotations adheres to the fair use copyright principle.
Share your favorite quotes in the comment section below!
About E.G. Kardos
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Storytelling within a story. What’s that all about?
Many of the most powerful stories ever told feature a mentor who guides the protagonist throughout their journey. Don’t we all love mentors, both in real life and in fiction? I know I do.
Hopefully we’re connected with some amazing women and men who help us along the complex jounrey of our lives. A few names come to my mind who guided me at various times of my life, and they have made a difference. I bet you can rattle off a name or two as well.
In literature, thse mentors are crucial to the flow of the story, and many times, they are characters who we love.
Some fictional favorites come to mind: Gandalf, Yoda, Miss Jean Brodie, Haymitch, Mr. Keating,Helen Burns and Dumbledore. Great stories with memorable characters.
There are so many more who enrich the stories we read, we tell and we see.
Common Qualities
Mentors in books inspire the protagonists’ ongoing journey of understanding, growth, transformation, and connection to their true selves. They help the character make sense of their relationship with a power greater than themselves… and we get to experience a spectacular ride.
Photo by Trưởng Bản Review
All mentors we meet in fiction share the common quality of possessing a strong and natural desire to give of themselves for someone else’s benefit.
Above all, they have wisdom and that’s why they guide the protagonist with storytelling within the story .
They know how to build genuine and healthy trust, and their timing is perfect. They understand exactly when, where, and how to share their wisdom to the protagonist at that very moment they need it the most.
Like Us, Protagonists Learn Through Stories
Storytelling within the story is done with vivid imagery, with allegory and symbolism. Sometimes these stories push the protagonist to act or give them a signal or clue of what’s to come. Sometimes it just to teach and to remind the protagonist of what they may already know.
They Build Trust and are Relatable
Mentors, with their stories, build trust. Relatable, mentors often reveal their own weaknesses and flaws. They are like the protagonist in some way–and they are like us.
If a mentor doesn’t show compassion or has empathy, they are not a mentor.
Wisdom is knowledge tempered by experience, and because of this, they make sound judgments. But they can’t tell the protagonist this.
Oh no, they must find out on their own.
So there story within the story is crucial for the protagonist to begin to understand themselves, their purpose and their quest.
The protagonist of the stories we love, keep the ideas and the stories the mentor shares in the forefront of their minds as they decide the best move to take on their, sometimes, lonely path.
Lonely or not, their path is usually dangerous, complex and tricky so, even with a mentor and their sage advice, it is not easy.
In the series, The Elias Chronicles, Elias’ mentor is Zoltan. The sorcerer, guides Elias through dark and uncertain times to help him to understand why he must take his journey—one he reluctantly began.
Here’s an example of storytelling with a story. Enjoy a chapter from the first book, The Amulet: Journey to Sirok in this trilogy where Zoltan tells a story to Elias about The Tree of Life.
Exhausted from their journey to and from Budapest, Elias slept late the next morning. When he rose, the only sign of Zoltan was the breakfast coffee being kept warm on hot coals and a hardboiled egg on a small plate. Elias ate in silence.
He walked out of the cave into bright sunshine and sat on the ground under The Tree of Life in solitude with his thoughts. He sat at the exact spot he had fallen to his worst fear. Cimbora lay at his feet.
Trying desperately to tie together all his experiences, he brooded and wondered whether or not he was ready to confront the Sarkany. Zoltan walked up the path in silence and sat on a stump about twenty paces away. Minutes passed.
“Elias, do you know why I am able to rest my weary bones on this old and decaying stump?”
Elias looked up at him, said nothing but answered him by shaking his head.
“Fear, Elias, fear.”
“Huhh?”
“Legend has it that the enormous tree, or the one which is giving you shade right now, produced a sapling that was growing as a healthy tree. A young boy nurtured the tree and would visit it frequently. It brought him joy to see it grow, weathering harsh winters and dry summers. That sapling grew for half a century and, as that boy became a man, he came back from time to time. Nevertheless, he would return to sit in solitude to ponder life and reflect on what he found in his soul.
“Although the man did not know for sure, he hoped the tree he cared for was an offshoot of the Tree of Life just mere paces away. Over the years as he watched it grow, he would admire them both—The Tree of Life and the tree he had nurtured. His contribution to its growth humbled him.
“When the man became old, he came back to spend time and sit under the tree with a book. One day when he was hiking to the where the tree grew, he heard a troubling sound. He hastened his approach. He dropped his book and ran, and out of breath he approached the tree. Shocked, he realized it was too late. A young man with an axe had one or two final swings before the tree would fall. To the old man’s horror, he saw the tree that once pointed to the heavens fall to Earth.
“‘What did you do? That was a precious tree and a one-of-a-kind gift to this planet! With all the other trees in this forest, why this one? There must be many trees closer to your home for your fire,’ the old man screamed.
“The young man replied, ‘Oh, this is not for firewood. I had to destroy this tree because I feared its magnificence would overshadow The Tree of Life. It may have become too beautiful and rival what we have come to know and depend on.’
“‘You idiot!’ the old man said. ‘You fear the wrong thing. Fear not what may become beautiful and magnificent. There’s plenty of room for what is good. Embrace it and become part of it. Destroying what might be, dishonors today and disregards our hope for tomorrow.’
“With that last swing only moments earlier, the old man knew, then, that there was nothing he could have done to save the life of the tree. There was only one place the old man could go from there—forward. With great difficulty and from a place of grace, the old man forgave the young man for his foolish wrongdoing, lowered his head, and he walked away in great sorrow.
“A month later, the old man came back with renewed joy in his heart knowing that the time he had spent nurturing the tree and sitting under her shade during his long life gave him refuge from a tired and fearful world. For that, he was grateful, and this memory would be cherished. However, on this day, he brought with him a sapling that he knew he would never live long enough to enjoy its shade but knew others would. He planted it and took care of it until he died. Some say they still see the man in the woods. Some say they feel his presence.”
“So, Zoltan, which tree did he plant?”
“It is the tree to my right. It is the tree that is home to the songbirds which bring me such delight. Listen, I hear one singing.”
Elias looked up and saw a beautiful tree, and then back to Zoltan. The music of the songbird came to the forefront and the air was full of life. They smiled.
“Do you know what else the old man realized?”
“I think so.”
“Good Elias. Well?”
“This is just my guess, but aren’t all trees…well all things, like The Tree of Life.”
“How so?”
“We live on a round ball. Doesn’t that make us all at the center of the world?” Elias asked.
“Precisely. All beings are of value and have their place—no being is more worthy than another. I see you have been thinking. Now do you see what I am talking about?”
“Little by little. I’m starting to understand myself,” said Elias
“Good, Elias, good! Will you tell me what you have learned from your experiences of your quest so far?”
“My deepest fear is not failure to follow the path to my dream. My true fear is what will become of me if I succeed. If I follow my heart, will others still love me for who I will become? Will I be able to handle success? Will I be honest and kind? Will I become arrogant? Will I still be me?”
“My dear man, let me add that we do a disservice to ourselves and the light of humanity that has come before us, to purposefully be anything less than our authentic self. We cannot strive to be anything less than who we truly are.”
“Understanding is one thing—doing it is another,” Elias said.
“Yes, Elias you are right. I am embarrassed to say this is why I lost my finger. The finger that made me different and reminded me of who I was and still am. I so desperately wanted to be like the others that I…that I…”
“Say no more,” interrupted Elias.
“What I will say is that I regret my actions. I don’t want you to regret yours. So, as I see it, you have no choice in the matter. We must love ourselves enough to fully embrace our true nature. As our self-belief magnifies, we attract others to our light.”
“Zoltan, you have it all together.”
“Elias, a day does not go by without reminding myself what makes my heart beat. Our very nature is genuine—it’s real. It is how we were made.
“I now know the significance of the amulet,” said Elias.
“Shush, Elias. Since you know, and I know, we have no need to discuss it—do we?”
Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Quotes say so much without taking up a lot of space on the page. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could express our thoughts in a sentence or two rather in a lengthy disertation?
Often, I find myself searching for a quote for various reasons. Like me, I bet you stop, read a quote, and take a moment to reflect on it. Sometimes, you smile afterward; sometimes, you feel puzzled; and sometimes, it’s something else entirely.
Not Long Ago
I was searching for a quote for the book I wrote, Zen Master Next Door: Parables for Enlightened Everyday Living. It’s a book of seventeen short stories that suggest spiritual growth can be found in the most unexpected places, such as a child’s reaction to an event, a stranger who enters our lives, or even our neighbor next door.
Tongue in Cheek
The stories are a little tongue-in-cheek to keep the reading light, and I must admit, they were fun to write. While the stories and the simple idea I used for each are straightforward, the message is anything but fluff.
Using everyday, relatable situations, I aimed to show how we all strive for the same things, regardless of our background, socioeconomic status, or where we are in life.
Here’s the thing about searching for a quote: once I started, instead of finding one perfect quote I thought would demonstrate this concept, I began searching for a quote for each of the stories.
And it Snowballed
I became so immersed that I decided to add, not one or two but many quotes throughout. I even created a section in the book filled with quotes that highlight the very human parts of our lives—quotes about our journey, love, loss, wisdom, and determination, to name a few
—and I found quotes from diverse people as a true reflection of each aspect of our humanity.
Five Hundred plus
The more I delved into it, the more I realized that we all want and need the same things, no matter who we are. While searching for quotes, I compiled about five hundred that support the idea that simple, powerful words—regardless of culture, religion, or upbringing—help reveal how little separates us and remind us to let go and live inspired lives.
Through this search for quotes, I enjoyed writing a unique book full of stories that reflect the best parts of who we are, supported by quotes from those known to many of us. Here are some of the quotes in Zen Master Next Door.
So, if you’re searching for a quote, take a look at these…more to come in a future post.
The Journey
Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire, the reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down, you climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself.
Robert Pirsig
In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time.
Leonardo da Vinci
It’s taken me all my life to learn what not to play.
Dizzy Gillespie
Our life is a long and arduous quest after the truth and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height.
Mahatma Gandhi
Yes we can.
Barack Obama
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
Edward Abbey
Today
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein
Never let yesterday use up too much of today.
Will Rogers
The past, the present and the future are really one: they are today.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
The future starts today, not tomorrow.
Pope John Paul II
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.
Translation: Seize today, and put as little trust as you can in the morrow.
Horace
Knowledge and Wisdom
Seek Wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future.
Lumbee saying. “Lumbee” is the name of a Native American tribe in North Carolina.
Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
As soon as a man does not take his existence for granted, but he holds it as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins.
Albert Schweitzer
To know that you know, and to know that you don’t know—that is the real wisdom.
Confucius
Doubt
Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.
William Shakespeare
Believing hath a core of unbelieving.
Robert Williams Buchanan
Laugh at yourself, but don’t ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
Alan Alda
Determination
Self help is the best help. Heaven helps those who help themselves.
Aesop – Hercules and the Wagoner
One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.
Lucille Ball
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
C.S. Lewis
It’s all about the attitude, gut, heart and determination to go out and give 120% every time to try and help the team win.
Bo Jackson
Faith and Hope
Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune
Without the words,
and never stops at all.
Emily Dickinson
While there’s life, there’s hope.
Cicero
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
Helen Keller
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale
Not truth, but faith, it is that keeps the world alive.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
To disbelieve is easy; to scoff is simple; to have faith is harder.
Louis L’Amour
Gentleness
The greatest strength is gentleness.
Iroquois saying
Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.
Leo Buscaglia
Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.
Saint Francis de Sales
Gentleness is the antidote for cruelty.
Plato
Peace
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
Buddha
Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone
lives. Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.
From The Mother by Bertolt Brecht
There can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.
Black Elk, Native American
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The Bible, Matthew 6:21
While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.
Leonardo da Vinci
Self
Those who would mend other, should first mend themselves.
Aesop – The Quack Toad
Seek not good from without; seek it within yourself or you will never find it.
Epictetus
Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The Bible, John 8:32
You only grow when you are alone.
Paul Newman
If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.
Maya Angelou
There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.
Benjamin Franklin
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
Billy Graham
Friendship with one’s self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Introspection
The night wind with the big dark curves of the night sky in it, the night wind gets inside of me and understands all of my secrets.
Carl Sandburg
Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
Carl Jung
I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within, It is there all the time.
Anna Freud
We forge gradually our greatest instrument for understanding the world – introspection. We discover that humanity may resemble us very considerably – that the best way of knowing the inwardness of our neighbors is to know ourselves.
Walter Lippmann
On being human
We are what we believe we are.
C.S. Lewis
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
Dalai Lama
All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it!
Bob Newhart
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.
George Orwell
A human being is a deciding being.
Viktor E. Frankl
The ideas that have lighted my way have been kindness, beauty and truth.
Albert Einstein
You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.
C.S. Lewis
The mind is never satisfied with the objects immediately before it, but is always breaking away from the present moment, and losing itself in schemes of future felicity… The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.
Samuel Johnson
Giving
God gave us each a song.
Ute saying
Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.
C.S. Lewis
For it is in giving that we receive.
St. Francis of Assisi
Time and money spent in helping men to do more for themselves is far better than mere giving.
Henry Ford
Pity may represent little more than the impersonal concern which prompts the mailing of a check, but true sympathy is the personal concern which demands the giving of one’s soul.
Martin Luther King Jr.
I had found a kind of serenity, a new maturity… I didn’t feel better or stronger than anyone else but it seemed no longer important whether everyone loved me or not – more important now was for me to love them. Feeling that way turns your whole life around; living becomes the act of giving.
Beverly Sills
Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.
Mother Teresa
I have many more quotes in Zen Master Next Door, so I’ll post round two of Searching for a Quote soon.
All quotes within this manuscript have been found in publications and the internet and remain the intellectual property of those to whom they have been attributed. Usage of all quotations adheres to the fair use copyright principle.
Share your favorite quotes in the comment section below!
About E.G. Kardos
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry’s ears even though the bright mist was descending again, obscuring his figure.
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What is real? What is merely just in our heads? I love this quote, not just because I enjoy reading and writing fantasy, but because the question of what is real and what is happening in our heads extends far into our own thoughts and feelings more than, perhaps, we realize.
Sometimes we act on the thoughts in our heads by moving them to the “real” world. Other times, our thoughts sit idling in our heads always to live there and never to see the light of day.
But could both scenarios be real?
Here’s how I interpret this scene in the book and movie:
“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
Photo by Jules Marvin Eguilos
Like most of us from time to time, Harry is unsure of himself and confused about what’s going on around him at that very moment. Or, could it be that he may be a bit fuzzy about all the experiences he has had since he first talked to the snake at the zoo? What’ more, he knows Dumbledore is dead, but he’s with him as they say, in the flesh—talking with him. If it were me, I’d be asking the same thing.
After all, Harry’s a teenager still full of questions rather than answers. Knowing he’s the chosen one, and having been involved in countless supernatural events, doesn’t give him unlimited insights about everything. He keeps questioning his life, as he should.
So when he asks, “Is this real?” what does he mean when he uses the word “this”? I’d like it to mean his entire adventure, his long journey, as well as that specific moment.
But why would he ask, “…has this been happening inside his head?” when the person he’s talking to could also be in his head? Again, I have to believe that Harry is talking about his journey as he has attempted to understand it since he first arrived at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
But that’s when Dumbledore says so matter-of-factly…
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry,…”
But the defining moment comes when Dumbledore finishes his sentence and says,
“… but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
So, what is real? According to the “greatest wizard who ever lived”? Simply put, everything.
And that’s all Harry needed to hear to complete his task.
As the wise wizard, he might be saying more
Dumbledore might be talking to Harry, but he’s also talking to us. He might be saying to us as well that what we find inside ourselves is real as well. We might not be able to touch it, smell it, hear it, taste it, or see it, but it’s as real as we are.
It’s how we interpret life that makes it magical—or not.
I love this quote because it makes so much sense to me. The magic of our lives isn’t what’s right in front of us; it’s how we feel about what’s right in front of us. Our emotions are powerful, and they drive our actions.
When we feel strongly about something, we do something about it even if it seems impossible. We act out of love, we act out of fear, or with great hope. Sometimes we act with anger or despair, but we always act on what is in front of us because of what is inside our head—and heart. Our emotions make it real.
If a thought is not in our heads, where else would we find the inspiration, drive, or desire to act?
One may not agree with me or may have an entirely different interpretation of this quote, and that is fine…no, that’s wonderful. Let me know what you think.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
I’m certain that fantasy fiction and real life are inseparable. First of all, I should say that real life is full of conflict, split-second decisions, emotional upheavals, villains, and monsters. Real life is about doom, redemption, joy, and sorrow. Loss, power, injustices, and morality are all part of real life.
Unless you are completely unacquainted with fantasy fiction or movies, you will agree that fantasy fiction includes all the above and more.
Thus, fantasy fiction and real life are one and the same.
But some readers and critics say fantasy fiction is mere escapism. They want something “real”. Well, I’ll say it is a good escape as are other sub genres in fiction, but it is so much more than that. It is about real-life issues, but most time these real-life issues are displayed with more color and, perhaps, in a more satisfying way. There, I said it.
It’s a Mirror
In fantasy fiction, writers use supernatural, whimsical, and bizarre settings primarily to reflect our lives and everything within them in a relatable and intriguing way.
Dragons aren’t just creatures that spit fire; they symbolize something larger and sometimes more sinister. Other times they represent something entirely the opposite. The evil sorcerer isn’t just some strange outsider to ignore but represents the evil and injustices we should stand against. Living in 2025, we should be able to connect with, as well as look for such symbolism in fantasy fiction.
Universal Themes
If you’re human, you can relate to themes such as power, loss, social injustice, death, birth, love, and hope. Using symbolism the author shines a light on these themes as they are brought to life for the reader to ponder, but with some distance. This distance is what lies between the symbol and what it represents. It makes us think—to feel—rather than the representation being spelled out.
This distance is powerful.
The reason readers keep coming back to fantasy and fiction of all sorts is that universal themes are the engine that propels not only a good story, but gives our lives substance.
Here’s Why Fantasy Fiction Can Feel so Much Like Real Life
Commentary of our world
You may have heard the term “world-building”. Authors may design a fictional world to critique real-world social structures to include the political climate, the social focus and the internal landscape within the character to project a very human story.
Sometimes these worlds depict oppression, rebellion, inequality, and other injustices. These fantastical worlds are thought-provoking and real.
Belief Systems
We all have them. The structures we need to build walls around our lives and to make sense of them. Hopefully, these walls have doors and arches so that we may pass through them and attempt to understand other belief systems that we don’t hold as our own.
These structures are religions, politics, and various other associations we “need” or seek out in our lives. Fantasy fiction uses these structures that are near and dear to us to tell a story. Good versus evil comes to mind.
Basic Human Emotions
Fantasy stories are deeply embedded in the human experiences. Love and loss, trust and betrayal, ambition and indifference and the mere struggles we have getting from one point to another.
The Characters
Like in all fiction, fantasy fiction allows us to experience life through the eyes of a character that we have come to love, and by doing so, we feel for that character. Our empathy grows while reading fantasy fiction we become the hero of the journey. As our compassion grows we begin to understand and are open to others and their struggles beyond the fantasy workd and into the real world.
Although fantasy fiction on the surface seems to many as pure escapism, it is so much more as it reflects our own lives and the world we live in. Like other types of fiction, the aim of the author is similar, but fantasy writers choose to use other ways to tell the story.
Fantasy fiction and real life are the same. There is no way to get around that.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Because a novel is on the New York Times Best Sellers list, does this make it worth reading? I’m not sure. Maybe. Yeah, the list has great books, but with the millions of novels “out there”, this is a very short list to choose from as there are literally millions that could be tagged as a good novel and worth a look.
Maybe it’s time to consider lesser-known novels and begin to add more inventive ways to your next good novel search. Could it be time take a few more risks to find your next read? Frankly, the risk is minimal.
Most “Best Sellers” Lists are Limited
Something close to 4 million new books will be published in 2025 compared to about 2.7 million a decade ago, and only a mere 280,000 in 2005. Wow! Most truly great reads are buried.
Although there are many estimates from a variety of sources on the number of published books, these figures could be off slightly–but not much. But one thing that is certain, they definitely reflect the growth in the publishing industry. If nothing else. it is safe to say that newly published books have grown by 15 times in the US over the last twenty-five years.
Take a Risk and Treat Yourself to Something New and Different
Instead of the old “best sellers” list and everyone’s lists on GoodReads and social media book groups, chart your own course. There’s more to a good novel than the same formulaic, refomatted story. Novels are personal and what one stranger may think is a great read may not be to you. The question should be what resonates with you and NOT what do others say you SHOULD be reading.
I’ve noticed that online book groups, however, only promote the two percent of all books that make up about ninety-eight percent of all sales–the same old same old. That’s kind of boring.
Using a few keywords that describe what you like to read, you could consider going to online to any/many online booksellers and use those keywords and see what comes up. I’m sure you will come up with some intereesting and intriguing possibilities. Plunk down $12.95 (a couple of lattes) and in a few days you’ve got something new to explore..
This may be a “no brainer” but so is the same old same old we hear about all the time.
Lots of Good Books but with Fewer Readers
I have both traditionally and independently published books. I have learned from this journey that very few people read novels, but I still write them. But the stats are staggering.
Less than 40 percent of adults have read one novel in a given year.
More women read than men,
and those woman with a college degree, who earn a higher income and are under 50 years of age, read the most.
Two Requests for Those Who Read Novels
Please encourage others to join you. If not you, who will?
Broaden your scope and take a risk on a novel that you discover, and then tell your friends about it–both those who read and those, sadly that don’t.
If You’re Still Here…
…then you are a reader and in all honesty, keep reading whatever you enjoy. But keep in mind, a good novel is waiting for you and it might not be what everyone else is reading.Take a chance for $12.95.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Nearly sixteen years ago (December 2008) I wrote Bless the Poor as a holiday story. It’s historic fiction about a legendary King. It’s not about a particular religion, but about how we should treat our fellow man. It is about how the powerful, and not so powerful, can help those less fortunate.
Bless the Poor, although written a decade and a half ago about a king and a young boy who lived in an ancient world is timely and a reminder for us in 2025 that we can make a difference. As I learned from my mother as a young boy, everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. She was never a world leader but perhaps should have been.
Bless the Poor, again has nothing to do with religion but all to do with how we treat each other around the world.
Now that I’ve read it again, I think it is a good read for any and every month including December.
Bless the Poor
Based on the legend of Good King Wenceslas
A millennium or so ago, a good man who happened to be the king of Bohemia uncharacteristically rose late the day after Christmas. But his Christmas day was like most others in the past, as he often devoted his time to sharing what he could with others.
As was his custom, he gave his servants the day to themselves. One page, however, insisted on spending the day with the king as he marveled at his wisdom.
As the morning began, the king spent his time in deep introspection and prayer. With great promise, the day began with golden rays of the sun sparkling on the newly fallen snow from Christmas night. But with each passing hour, the day grew bleaker, and the sky became gray. More snow fell. His chamber, though, was warm as his page made frequent visits to stoke the fire giving new life to the failing embers.
The good king told his page, all of thirteen years of age, to rest by the fire he cared for.
“Why do you tend to me when I have declared this day a time for rest and renewal?”
“Why Sire, my faithfulness to you gives me comfort,” said the page.
“You are not like the others,” said the good king.
“You are a righteous man–forgive me, a righteous king, and I am where I should be as I am calmed by your spirit. I see what you do.”
“And I see what you do. You’re a good lad,” said the king with a smile.
The hours passed and after many discussions, the young page nodded off. The king closed his eyes and, too, fell asleep.
The winds picked up in a menacing way and its howl was chilling. Coming out of his sleep, the king peered toward the window. The page was still curled in a ball on a bed of hay in front of the meager fire. The room was becoming dark as the beams of a full moon filled the room.
The erratic winds were laced with the sound of crunching snow just outside the walls. The king walked to the window. He first looked to the bright and ominous sky and saw a well-defined illuminated heavenly body that gave light. He then looked down and saw a fellow man.
photo by Leisan
He summoned his page.
“Page, do you know this man? Who might he be?”
“Sire, he is a mere peasant and lives outside the walls of the kingdom. The man comes out at night to gather the fallen twigs and branches to keep his family warm. He is a good man whom I met. He is from my village, and means no harm for his trespasses.”
“Where is his dwelling?” the king asked gently.
“He lives near the foot of the hills near St. Agnes’ fountain. It is a good league from here,” said the page.
The king stroking his beard thought out loud, “That is an hour by foot on a good day.”
Spinning on his heel, he turned, bent down, and looked in the eyes of the page. “Bring me meats and bring me wine. Gather pine logs too. Tonight, you and I will see him dine.” His eyes gleamed, and with a smile on his face, the page heard the king’s charge and began to assemble the gifts.
They both loaded sacks of meats, breads, pine logs and a small gift and strapped them to their backs. They entered into the night’s foul cry. The wind was stiff, and the snow was clad by an icy crust, giving struggle to the most seasoned traveler. The wind tore at the bare-faced page as he pulled his collar up for warmth.
An hour into their journey, the boy called out, “Sire, the moon now hides, and the wind is wicked. I am afraid. My body is paralyzed with cold and can go no further. Continue on your journey and leave me.”
” This is your journey, too my son.”
With love in his heart, his words lifted the boy.
“Mark my footsteps, my good boy, and tread them ever boldly. Step in my footprints and you’ll find that winter’s rage will diminish. With each step you take you will find your soul will warm; there is nothing you cannot do. Remember, son, just where we’re headed.”
Without a hint of question, the page trod where the king’s newly formed steps were made. Heat came from the very prints where the good king had been.
Not long after, they reached the peasant’s home and shared their bounty and their good spirit. They were invited to stay the night which they did. The family offered their beds, but the king, a humble man slept on a bed of hay. The boy curled up under a worn blanket near the fire.
On the journey home the next morning, the king asked the boy, “Did you defeat the cold as we traveled last night because of my nobility and wealth?”
Without thought, the boy spoke up, “I don’t think so.”
“Why then?” The king nodded with delight waiting for the boy’s reply.
“Because I followed you.”
“Oh? Perhaps it is more than that. Think of it this way, we journeyed together with one purpose and one heart. Your generosity of spirit flowed forth. It was all you, my boy, all you.
The boy looked to the king and smiled.
The king said, “Remember, those like you, my good boy, who bless the poor, shall too find blessings.”
December 21, 2008
About E.G. Kardos
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
A reader must connect in some way with one or more of the main characters in a book for that reader to keep reading—next word, next paragraph, next page.
As a writer, my hope is that the readers might think, that’s what I would think, too, if some jerk said that to me. Or I’ve always wanted to do that but never dared to. We might even think, I really like this guy—kinda reminds me of….
For me, character development is crucial as my books are character driven. So, first, I want to create characters that in some way resonate with me. If I am successful in doing this, the character has depth and just enough substance so that a reader can grab hold to something about that character that intrigues them as well.
Character Development Takes Some Probing
By probing into and exploring what the character thinks and feels, it is only natural for me to feel connected to the character on a deeper level. During this process, I draw an endless stream of thoughts and feelings from within and use them like bricks to build the character.
The joy of both reading and writing comes from the same place; a well-developed character.
I’m convinced that this is what makes exceptional characters, and it is what most readers want when they choose to invest their time, and heart, into reading.
In Reading, Writing, and Yes, in Real Life Too
Unless you’ve fully immersed yourself in remote work or spend your days and nights only chatting with an AI without a soul on the internet, you meet people in everyday life. This is a good thing because we are social beings. When we meet others and spend just thirty seconds with them, our minds tend to race. We might focus on one word they say, zero in on their eyes or hair—or something physical. Sometimes, we learn more about that person than we want. We wonder if we will see them again or if we hope we never do. Is it fate or coincidence that this person has entered our lives? And what, if anything, do we want to do about it?
In other words, we evaluate the person much like we evaluate characters in a book.
I see, think, and feel a blend between reading, writing, and the “real” world. I want the characters I read about and those I write about to feel as real as the people who come into our lives, whether for a moment or a lifetime.
Because I have written four novels and a book of seventeen short stories, I’ve created many characters. Some are more developed than others, but overall, they are all unique—they are individuals. I’ve crafted characters that, to me, seem so real that when I type the final period of a story, I immediately miss them as if they were living beings.
When you read good fiction, don’t you feel the same?
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Our life is all about moments. We string togehter our moments and that is our life. We hope we have more good moments than not, but all of those moments no matter what make us who we are. I try to remember my moments that made a difference for me like the one I had with Bill Moyers .
That one moment — and it was just that, a single moment — that I have never forgotten is when I received a message from the late Bill Moyers, (June 5, 1934 – June 26, 2025).
Photo from the ap
Reaching Out to Bill Moyers
I wrote to Bill Moyers assistant inquiring if he would be interested in accepting a copy of the first book in my fantasy trilogy, “The Amulet: Journey to Sirok”. It didn’t take long before she responded, sharing with me that he would be happy to receive my book.
I sent him the book with this email:
August 4, 2017
Dear Mr. Moyers,
I am very honored to have this opportunity to not only send you my book,The Amulet: Journey to Sirok, but to tell you that The Power of Myth and Joseph Campbell inspired me to write it. I have read the book several times, as well as other books by or about Campbell, but your interview style and questions bring great clarity to the vastness, and sometime complexity, of mythology. Thank you.
My book takes a new spin on the Hero’s Journey as I feel I have written it for our time. This is a time when stereotypes are been thrown to the wind and, those who have their eyes open and looking forward, are embracing humanities beautiful differences.
I would like to urge you to read my story. I hope you can sharewith me your thoughts. Please share with (assistant’s name) that I appreciate her warm and inviting response to me.
Thank you for your consideration, and I hope for only the best to come your way.
Warmly,
Ed Kardos
Ten Days Later, Mr. Moyers Responded
Aug 14, 2017
Dear Mr. Kardos:
Thank you for your generous words about THE POWER OF MYTH and for your book. I look forward to reading it.
My best to you,
Bill Moyers
There are many other articles written about Bill Moyers that reflect the generous and powerful impact he made during his lifetime, but what I found profound was the moment he gave to me. It was both generous and powerful.
Most folks of his stature, and those with far less stature (and we all know who they are), would have dismissed my original email. But in less than two weeks, Bill Moyers not only accepted a copy of my book, thanked me personally, and, according to his assistant, “took the book home”. There’s so much packed into these moments.
He validated my place as a writer.
I meant it when I shared with him: “I have read the book several times, as well as other books by or about Campbell, but your interview style and questions bring great clarity to the vastness, and sometime complexity, of mythology…”.
Those “questions” that brought “great clarity” made all the difference for me
My Take on The Power of Myth
The Power of Myth explores how universal themes and symbols in myths provide insight into our humanity. This includes our relationships with others, the powers of the universe, and ourselves.
The “Hero’s Journey” is analyzed and clearly demonstrates that following one’s bliss has been essential to humanity since our earliest thoughts and will remain so as long as we exist. In other words, myths are just as important today as they were long ago.
As the Hero’s Journey is central to my work, I have read this book and a dozen others about Joseph Campbell’s work many times. I recommend this one in particular because of Bill Moyers’ contributions.
Mr. Moyers made numerous contributions during his lifetime in many areas and we are better off because of him. What a wonderful man.
About E.G. Kardos
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
I frequently hear the question: if you could talk to your younger self, what would you say? Intriguing, but why ask this question or for that matter, why give it much thought?
After all, we can’t do it — never.
The allure of the question lies in the supposition that we are now wiser; if we could just have a moment back, say from twenty or thirty years ago, we would be able to share our new found wisdom with our younger selves and we would benefit from it. I get it, really I do. Yep, I’d love to be able to do it.
But after some thought I realize it’s just never goning to happen. So I’ve come up with my own twist on this notion.
Photo by Europeana
If you were able to speak to your OLDER self, what would you say? That’s something we can do…well in time.
We all have valuable experiences that we can share, however, not many folks don’t want unsolicited advice no matter how wonderful we think we are. However, we probably don’t, and won’t, mind listening to ourselves so let’s share it with ourselves a little down the road.
No matter how old we are, we have had experiences — both good and bad. Events in our lives have shaped us, bothered us, have even played with us, and at times, questioned our very being.
If we ever reflect and allow for even a modest amount of introversion in our lives, we learn.
We may learn, but we don’t always remember or practice what we learn, as it may be crowded out by the everyday and mundane activities that can overtake the best of us. So, write it down! Keep it tucked away and pull it out and share it with our older self. Your older self will appreciate it as we know it comes from a special place deep within and meant to make our lives more fulfilling down the road.
We Don’t Know When
You’re in the present for goodness sake, and your future may or may not come, but be ready for it as your older self wants to hear from you.
Since the past is gone, I say don’t waste your brain power on what you’d tell your ghost of the past.
What would I say to myself when I’m 67 or 75 or 85 or…? You may be younger than I and may wonder what you might say to the 25, 30, 45, or older you. Whatever you end up saying, it is relevant and important as it meant something to you “back when”. It shows how you thought and how your mind worked. It is a memory that is just yours and it’s worth remembering and repeating, especially to yourself.
Here’s what I’ll say, at least for now
Not only do I want to think of what I “might” say to my older self, I already know some ideas to share. By the way, when I use the word “you” it means “me”.
You were always hard on yourself and if you still are, stop it. Ease up old fella.
You always said that if you had the time, you’d travel the world, so do it–now.
You wondered if your life’s work helped anyone. Hell ya, you spent your work life in a field with a mission to better life for others, and the modest paycheck you brought home, you gave it to your family so that they could have what they needed, and then some, at the time.
So, what if you didn’t write the “great American novel” you sure have hell tried. Who else do you know even attempted writing a book much less finished writing one?
Bucket list or no bucket list, if you haven’t done everything you wanted, don’t worry about it but keep going.
The regrets that are floating around in your head aren’t worth spending time on. Don’t bog yourself down with stuff that could’ve been or might have happened if you had only done this or that.
Thank God you are not a perfectionist and did not live a perfect life. Have you seen those who are and how they lived? Sheesh!
Be who you are even if you couldn’t do it when you were my age.
Chill out, smile through it. I think older folks could smile a bit more–even you.
You ain’t in the 80’s anymore and that’s a good thing wheter you think so or not. It wasn’t as wonderful as you may remember. I know from personal experience even if you think otherwise.
How fortunate you are to have experienced love of and for another and for so long.
Your kids loved you then and still do so don’t even think about it.
You met a lot of people along the way, befriended some and they embraced it or not. They missed out.
The decisions you made along the way were the best for that moment in time so that means THEY WERE the best decsions. So don’t do all that second-guessing.
Hey, I’m telling you these things because I love you AND I know what I’m talking about as I’m talking to you and you’re me—just my older me.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Ah, the gloaming. Twilight…the moment when the day dims its brilliance and welcomes the early shadows of its friendly rival, of sorts, the night.
It’s far more than twilight, dusk, or the setting sun. There’s something more mystical about the moment known as the gloaming. I would say that this peaceful transition of power in nature is even magical. I’ve experienced it, have you?
Photo by Tetyana Kovyrina
Experiencing The Gloaming
First you must be outside and it can be just about anywhere. I prefer where you can observe nature. It costs nothing, but if you’re willing, it just might open a door—a magical door.
First, clear your mind, or the door of enchantment remains closed. Be open to what your internal voice tells you. Your imagination will become heightened. You may even feel “as one” with your surroundings. As we grow older, we lose our natural sense of wonder.
The Gloaming Begins…
When does the gloaming begin or end? Pinpointing those exact moments isn’t easy. I would say that when the day’s clarity becomes muted and loses its luster, and displays for only a few moments blends of blues, purples, and reds, you know it’s the gloaming. It’s a feeling, too, and not a calculated moment that can be recorded.
I love when the sun’s rays lose their intensity, and its light melts into the earth. This is the moment when only what we imagine comes alive. It is a magical moment, that is, if you permit it to be.
After all, that’s what magic is…if you believe in it, you will be part of it.
The magic of the gloaming is poetic…it is lyrical. The moment is enchanting as the fading light dances on the rocks, trees, or a pond, it stirs a sense of awe. The “what ifs” freely enter your mind.
The moment teems with the spirit we all possess as it tugs us into introspection. What we long for comes to mind as we look back on the path the day had to offer. Like that very day, we now loosen our hold of both the good and the bad that the day detailed and eases us into a smooth wholeness of the evening, where the once sharp edges are now softened.
Lightening Bugs
Where I am, in June and only during this month, I am joined by lightning bugs. Just think of their existence. I heard they have been around for 100 million years. It’s really pretty cool. Their flickering presence is unique, and it is dreamlike. Theyare a welcome guest as they are nothing less than magical.
To their potential mate their luminescence is clear and attractive and is the door to future generations. To their predators, however, their light is a signal that if eaten, it will not fare well for the aggressor. Nature is wonderful.
Our Thoughts are the Magic
The gloaming sparks possibilities—some mundane and sensible, while others may be wild and untamed. Our thoughts are the magic. Our feelings float like a mystical aura, and we know there is much we cannot explain, and we are reassured that this is a good thing.
In this vast universe, our knowledge is but a small sliver of what life is all about. As the years progress, we learn more, but we have a long road to travel before us if our goal as humans is to unravel every mystery.
There’s still time to enjoy the magic and mystery in each of us. I hesitate to attempt to dispel all that is magical in our lives and encourage others to consider the same. We just need to slow down and allow our minds to wander. We need the clarity of our future like the lightning bug, and subtly let it be known to our detractors that we are not to be messed with.
I do write fiction, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Note: An Old English word, gloaming, originated with the Scottish and has been used since the Middle Ages in English and Scottish literature.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Several years ago, soon after my first book of my fantasy trilogy was launched, Paulo Coelho responded to an email I sent him with a note of “congratulations and success”. Talking about small miracles, I was in awe.
Coelho happens to be an author I hold in high regard and who has inspired much of my writing, especially in my trilogy, The Elias Chronicles.
Coelho has authored numerous books, but the one that captured my heart was The Alchemist. It was given to me by a dear friend who felt it was important for me to read. I had never heard of the author or the book at the time. Now, I recommend it to all. It is a story of believing in yourself and following your dream.
More Small Miracles
Months later, I sent Coelho a follow-up email. Would I be lucky again and hear back from this known author around the world. I was amazed to hear from him once, but would I hear from him again?
The stars and planets must have been aligned, as I did hear from him once more. With a short note, he sent me a copy of a story that he wrote that was being published in many journals around the world.
Again, I was overwhelmed by his gift to me. His generous action and the simplicity and power of his story inspired me to write Blessing the Poor. A holiday story, which I plan to post in December.
Here’s What I’m Thinking
The book that was given to me by my friend years ago, and Coelho’s generous acts, are testaments of why I believe the way I do; we must take time and value each moment of our lives. But then, we need to do more. We must take it upon ourselves to inspire others to reach for what is good in them and around them.
Not only should we dream, and we should dream, but it is what we do with our experiences that counts much more than the dream. Dreams are just that, dreams, but our experiences make us who we are.
In Coelho’s last message to me in 2008, he ended by telling me, “The Warrior of light concentrates on the small miracles of daily life.” I decided to learn more from his words and read what I found. I contemplated this phrase.
Photo by Alban_Gogh
These are my takeaways
These small miracles are found in our ability to find beauty and appreciate it. Finding joy and fulfillment can be found in the sublime and the mundane. This, I would say, is always found in the moment.
Gratitude need not be for receiving abundance, but for the sliver of good that may pass us by if we are focused on our desires.
The “Warrior of Light” finds beauty in others as they nurture their light within them.
The “Warrior of Light” isn’t always successful, but in failure, they find the light.
We are all intuitive creatures, and when we open ourselves to the voice within and look to the powers of the universe for guidance, regardless of our spiritual beliefs and practices, wisdom is not too far away.
I must remind myself to acknowledge the small miracles of daily life.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
“One day, you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again.” ― C.S. Lewis
Have you ever read The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis? For that matter, have you ever read any fairytales, fables, myths, legends, folktales or any story that takes you on a magical adventure?
Well, I’m pretty sure we’ve all read a tale or two when we were young. Lucky are those of us who have included these stories—I would include fantasy in this category—in our lives as we’ve moved beyond the innocence of childhood and have experienced the layers of age.
So what did Lewis mean when he said,“One day, you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again.”?
Just as the first few stars that appear in the early night sky are followed by many more, in Lewis’ twelve word quote, we realize there are countless ways to interpret his words. I have a few thoughts to share.
When We First Read Stories of Magic, Marvel, and Mystery
Innocence Lost, but is that Forever?
We all wanted to be that kid—at least I did and still do. You know, the kid with the sword, in the spaceship, the one who went on an adventure and became the hero. Or the kid that found something marvelous and magical—or the one that went back in time, into the future or was a princess or a prince. The kid that won the “golden ticket” or flew with dragons.
As kids we search for magic as we know it is there. It’s a question of how do we get to it. Maybe there’s a special cave, or a hidden door to an undiscovered land. Maybe a wand in a trunk or a map with a code that we can crack. Maybe it is in an old trunk in Grandma’s attic.
But We Grow Up
As we grow older, something changes all that. We decide, or it is decided for us, that the thoughts, feelings and desires of our childhood should be left behind. Grown-ups know best…they know it all and that’s what we should aim for. Yeah, right.
Deeper Layers
What many grown-ups don’t always realize is that there is wisdom in fairytales and stories that take us on magical and mystical adventures. That’s why they were written in the first place–wisdom. This deeper layer of meaning may be missed by children but when it comes to grown-ups, they have no excuse. That’s a good reason to return to such stories.
Just like the simplicity of Lewis’ quote, fairy tales and the like may seem uncomplicated and naïve, but they are full of wisdom.
Wisdom is, unfortunately, a word that is seldom used or valued anymore.
A Place for Magic
When we grow older, the sheen of adulthood fades, however. Sometimes we see this when we are twenty-five, sixty-five or somewhere in between. Don’t get me wrong, the wonders and beauty of life grow exponentially forever, but the powers of some and the structures they impose have a way of ensnaring the best and dampen our journey–our life’s journey that should be filled with riches.
We are here but once, and to live it in a box is unappealing to say the least. If we haven’t yet found magic since we were a kid, whether we are twenty-five or sixty-five, we just might want to pause and ask why. Then look for it once again.
Magic is found in many places, and we don’t have to go far to find it in books both old and new. Wow! What a diversion. What a way to learn what it is to be human. Yes in any story that takes you on a magical adventure?
Thinking About It a Little More
I may have overcomplicated this twelve-word quote. I’m not nearly as elegant as C.S. Lewis but here are my twelve words:
You will find magic if you remember the marvels of your childhood.
It’s time to read a fairytale…a legend…a myth…or any story that takes you on a magical adventure. You deserve it.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
There’s genre fiction and then there’s literary fiction. Examples of genre fiction to name a few are: romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thrillers, horror, and adventure fiction. When it comes to literary fiction, there’s really just one kind—literary fiction. There are “types” of literary fiction for instance, there is realistic, philosophical, contemporary and philosophical and something referred to as experimental fiction.
What is Literary Fiction?
Literary fiction is character-driven as opposed to being focused on the plot. Yes, you must have a plot, but it is secondary to the story. When I say “character driven” I am referring to an inward journey the main character takes and whisks the reader off to join them.
photo by Uran Wang
Full of Complexities
If the protagonist isn’t introspective, it’s not literary fiction. This is, in my opinion, the sheer joy of reading—and writing literary fiction. The main character does not react to the event in the story itself, but event spawns a feeling and the feeling manifests into an action.
Metahors, imagery and symbolism help to tell the story and by doing so may lead the reader to personal interpretations. Our own experiences shape the meaning of what we are witnessing just like in all art forms.
More About the Internal Journey
Literary fiction is purely human-centered. This is what makes this type of novel relatable. It makes it significant…important…applicable to our own lives.
Most of our journeys have nothing to do with boarding a plan, getting in a car or taking a train. Most of our journeys are inward as we try to decipher this larger journey we are all on together and that is life.
Who Reads Literary Fiction? And I’m Being General
Too few! Mostly women. Men, not so much.
Nothing against men—I’m one—but come on guys, there’s more to reading books than just science fiction, history, and biographies/memoir, crime and thrillers I should throw in stories about sports and war. Don’t get me wrong, if these are the kind of books you love to read, keep it going as reading is important, but consider mixing it up a little. Try literary fiction.
Having written literary fiction, fantasy and short stories, I’d have to agree that literary fiction is an art form…that it is “serious”. Perhaps folks would argue that all fiction is an art form. When our creative expression come in the form of words and it evokes a feeling in the observer, the reader, it is nothing less than an art form.
While reading literary ficion, our feelings and thoughts could evoke a sense of beauty or just the opposite, as humans are capable of just the opposite and pulling out our dark self. The feeling could inspire, transform or wake up that part of us that is sleeping. Believe me, there’s quite a bit burying in all of us that is fast asleep.
I Also Mentioned it’s “Serious”
Any time we read, or write, about the human condition, it is “serious” whether it’s direct, satirical or somewhere in between. Some things are out of our control and there’s no way around it, so we, and the character, deals with it. Is it how we would deal with it? Maybe.
When we read literary fiction, we are reading about what it is to be human and we see it in the choices the characters of the story must make to continue on our their path. Many times their path is not so different than ours.
My Reminder
Just a reminder, this article is what I learned from writing literary fiction. Others may interpret their knowledge and experience differently than me. That’s the beauty in writing and reading fiction. My thoughts assembled here, just like literary fiction itself, doesn’t end with a neatly tied bow, but I hope it makes us think. It makes us feel.
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
Although many folks express their love for their mothers on Mother’s Day, I think it should be a daily occurrence in some way. That’s not always easy to do as we get wrapped up in our own world, but we should aspire to do more…always. Something I did as a kid many years ago reminds me of doing this. I thought I’d share it with readers on this Mother’s Day.
Several years after my mom passed away, I uncovered this note and drawing. I would never have remembered writing it or drawing the picture had I not been lucky enough to find this perfectly preserved loose-leaf page. When I first laid eyes on it, memories gushed forward.
I was nine years old when I drew this picture and wrote this note—that was in 1969 some 56 years ago!
A Simple Act
It was infrequent that my mom and dad went out to dinner, but I now vividly recall this particular evening. I am the youngest of four children, and so there were MANY babysitters that night. It was an April evening. Without prompting, I did a chore for my mom. Moments after, I rummaged to find a piece of paper and a pen. For a kid my age, using a pen was new, and I wanted to use one any chance I had. I sat at the kitchen table, pulled my thoughts together, and put pen to paper. I wanted to share my picture of our home, tell her I loved her, and let her know the picture and note were hers to keep.
The Feeling
When this memory had become fresh not long ago, it came with the feelings that I had at that very moment in 1969. Feelings of a little, skinny, and shy kid. Yes, this was very weird! It was not “like” going back in time, it was more like I only knew that time as there was no other.
She Saved It
As I thought more about it, it was clear my mom cherished this gift and what it meant to her as she tucked it away and saved it. Why did she save it? I am not sure, but I have a few guesses. Looking at it today, I am warm with delight, joy, and love. Not because of anything I did, but because she saved it. Our connection was seamless—one.
Maybe she saved it for me to find many years later, when she was gone. Yes, I am certain of that. I was meant to find it these many years later. The thing is, she has never been gone from my life.
So, what about these symbols? The drawing is one thing, but the action of tucking it away is symbolic. As a parent of four myself, I know the value of such a gift. Life would be meaningless without symbols and our actions that express ourselves and our enduring love.
Not Just on Mother’s Day
The sentiments of my 9-year-old self and those of my “mommy” symbolize something powerful that cannot be touched, but it can be held as it has a place in my heart. This treasure represents goodness, life, and light. It’s a symbol of love. It’s for everyday and Mother’s Day.
What Does Love Mean?
Many folks have tried to define “love” but there is no one clear definition. For me, love lasts an eternity as its vibrations that began years ago, or at this moment, continue to move outward and forever. These vibrations trample over the ills it may find on its path. These vibrations are warm and tell us so much if we are open to listening.
It’s not about data, analytics, AI, algorithms, technology and other soulless distractions, but love is about being a part of something spectacular, wonderful and beautifully human.
Love’s Not Perfect
Interestingly, I found the rough draft of this note on the back of another picture I drew so I attached it to the back of this picture and placed it in a frame. Even after my nine-year-old self “practiced” what I wanted to write, in the version I gave my mom, I still made an error. Even after I have practiced, when the curtain goes up, and I step in front of the limelight, I do so in all my vulnerable ways—I like that about me. Never used to, though… I’m sure she knew this about me. This, too, is symbolic as I am imperfect and always have been. Love really isn’t perfect either. It is organic—it’s living, growing, and changing. As we change with it, love never ends. I miss her.
“Our House”, the chore I did without being asked, my imperfections, but most of all, the care she gave this gift and me is, indeed, a symbol that gives my life—and hers—a profound and cherished meaning.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom!
About E.G. Kardos
I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.
