Walls

The waning moon in dark skies 
A crow calls, a voice of doom 
The winds blow and waters flow 
Past ancient walls of stone 
Desolate places in a desolate land 
Heart is empty, soul bereft 
Alone in this place 
Alone in this time 
Hot tears fall down hollow cheeks 
From eyes that are now blind 
For too much once was seen 
Reaching out, to touch nothing 
Seeking ever to find something 
To find a way to end this horror 
And break the walls at last. 

Who cares what Maura Kelly says???

This past week has been interesting to say the least. The most selfish, egocentric thing I read was Maura Kelly's article http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/dating-blog/overweight-couples-on-television

Okay. Its old news now. Its also very cruel and she really didn't think a whole lot about what others would feel. I think what bothers me the most is she obviously doesn't know the people she's trashed (all of us "fatties"). I certainly have never met her. And I'm not sure I want to. After thinking about her article for a few days, and after reading several rebuttals to it, I have decided I really don't care what she thinks or says. Yes, her words hurt, but only because I let them. I'd really like to educate her, but I doubt that would help. There is a bigger problem.

The bigger problem is that it seems to be perfectly okay with a lot of people to bully, make fun of, tease, etc., fat people. Why? Probably no one has really stood up and said that its wrong. What? You mean I have to tell people -- grown-ups even -- that its wrong to be so bigoted against a group of people? Yup. People had to be told it was wrong to make jokes based on one's race, ancestry, age, etc., so they have to be told its wrong to make those same statements about fat people.

Unfortunately, it won't work. Look at the e-mail jokes forwarded to you by your friends and acquaintances. How many of them are racist? Quite a few I'll bet. So if that message hasn't gotten through by now, what are the chances that nasty remarks about the overweight will stop? Pretty much nil. We, unfortunately, live in a society that contains people who feel the need to put others down in order to feel good about themselves. This has been going on for far longer than I've been alive, and will probably continue long after I am gone. No amount of education will completely eradicate bigotry and prejudice. The best we can do is minimize it.
Yes, I'm a pessimist.

So, what to do about Maura Kelly.... I'd boycott the magazine she writes for, but I don't regularly read it anyway. Hell, I only read an article now and then if someone sends me a link. I do think, however, that the best thing to happen to Marie Claire was this article. They have probably had more internet hits this last week than they've had in a very long time. Most from people who were outraged. See, the problem with setting up some kind of boycott for articles like this is that people feel the need to click on the link, resulting in more hits for the offensive site. And when you get right down to it, whether someone was offended or not doesn't make a bit of difference to the number crunchers. More hits is good.

So, I'm just going to go on the way I'd been going on before I was offended by Ms. Kelly. I will keep living my life the way I had been. After all, for all that I am in the suspect population (overweight), I have friends and family who love me for who I am. Not for how I look.

A peek into the dark part of my soul

Following a dark road
Through a forest of sorrows
The night is never-ending
The dawn never coming.

Treading a stony path
Through a meadow of tears
The pain is unendurable
But still it must be endured.

Floating in an ink-black sea
On the night of the dark moon
The motion is unending
No safe place to land.

Stumbling through the night
On a path strewn with shards
Of broken glass and crystal
Life bleeding out behind.

Where does the time go

Its October already. Night comes early and stays long, its dark when I go to work in the morning and getting that way when I come home. Pretty soon, I won't be able to do my cemetery rambles after work, only on the weekends, as the cemeteries around here lock their gates at sunset. I'll miss that very peaceful hour or so.

So, the wheel turns, and so does the world. We're all getting older, watching time fly by.