#9

What if I were to abdicate my princess throne and become a prophet? It wouldn't be a lateral move according to stories I read growing up. The Judeo-Christian prophets didn't fare well at all. Either their audience wasn't listening or the ruling class was and they usually didn't like what they heard. Those rulers weren't a patient lot! Yeah, death isn't on my agenda for things to do today. Cassandra of Greek mythology didn't have a good time of it either. She failed to return Apollo's love so he cursed her gift of prophecy: no one would believe her predictions. Thankfully I'll only be a hypothetical prophet. What would my modern day prophecy be like compared to some seekers and speakers of old? How would the old wisdom apply in this day and age?


VOICES THEN & NOW:


THEN: The prophet John the Baptist (c. 6-2 BCE - 30 CE) is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'

NOW: I'd call out too if only the desert had cell phone reception!


THEN: Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207 - 1273), Persian poet, theologian, and mystic:

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

NOW: I hear ya, Rumi! If only I'd overcome my inertia and take that online course "how to upload a photo". I could post to a website for Internet dating and have it made in the shade! (Or is that makin' it in the shade?)


THEN: Samuel Johnson (September 18, 1709 - December 13, 1784), English author, poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, editor, and lexicographer (he was busy!):

"Some desire is necessary to keep life in motion."

NOW: This man obviously never worried about getting lost in life. My version would be "Some desire, mapquest, and a GPS are necessary to keep life in motion." Otherwise I'd be stranded out in the desert with no cell phone reception.


THEN: Yiddish proverb on marriage: "Every pot will find its lid."

NOW: They haven't seen my kitchen!


These are some thoughts on wisdom through the ages in this life, the Universe, and everything. Good thing I have no plans to make the job change!