A long time ago, and in this milky way galaxy, Modesto to be exact, an epic love story emerged from space and time. Her name Donna, his, George Lucas and sadly she turned him down, when asked to prom so many blue moons ago. Her hand already promised to another, but her likeness became a Princess for the space ages. Her title this day, yours truly’s, mother-in-law, and my husbands beloved mom.
Modesto, California is an actual place not very far from here, maybe 45 minutes through traffic. On a hot summer’s day, you bet, looks like a town transplanted from another “lost” planet. Did you know it means demur in Italian? Tidbit for your American graffiti and doubtfully adorning any underpasses these futuristic days and in this time or space. Home to where, my mom-in-law hailed supreme and inspired a few noteworthy individuals even amongst family, for her years through high school, I will be mentioning.
A whole lot has transpired since that prom in Modesto so long ago and I definitely plan on catching up with that reunion. Before we can journey into the present, we must jaunt west for I feel Zephyrus is at the door, blowing an unforgettable Valentine’s Day love tale.
Muses have been around since time and memorial and likely sprouted from the primordial gardens. Love conquers all and this story proves to be, must include the origins, ghosts, music, spells, envy, and Aphrodite herself, too boot. Being so close to Valentine’s Day, I must convey a love story so true, that immortality (Ambrosia anyone?) was given to a human for her perseverance and for having a soul so pure. Her name Psyche and she, like me, was the youngest of three.
The three sisters were known for exceptional beauty and the first two went off and got married. Psyche had so many enamored and infatuated that she was receiving so many offerings and blessings that even Aphrodite took notice. Aphrodite, not known for handling bad news well and showing a decline in her numbers of umpteen gifts, flew into a rage and cursed the unknown girl. She told her son Cupid or also known as Eros, to bewitch the girl with a poor, hideous, and evil mate, forevermore. One to ensure a miserable fate.
At or around the same time, Psyche’s father, a King, feared he had incurred the wrath of the Gods and went and asked the oracle of Apollo for guidance. The kingly father asked who would marry his beautiful, third daughter. The response, horror in carnate, winged, evil, and not even human at all! He was to dress her all in black and have her climb to the mountaintop to meet a hideous mate.
Psyche shivered atop the rocky cliffside, and I can’t start to imagine what was going through her mind. The west wind known as Zephyrus scooped her up and transported her to a secure meadow in the sunshine. “Exploring, she finds a marvelous house with golden columns, a carved ceiling of citrus wood and ivory, silver walls embossed with wild and domesticated animals, and jeweled mosaic floors (Wikipedia).” “A disembodied voice tells her to make herself comfortable, and she is entertained at a feast that serves itself and by singing to an invisible lyre.” That sounds 5 stars!
Psyche grew weary after a long day of ghosts, wind, and thinking one might be experiencing death itself, and sought out some well needed rest. There in the darkness, Eros introduced himself and stated, Psyche was never to see his appearance. Sounds very Disney-esq and in fact, you’ll notice a few similarities between many of the princesses. Epic novels were seeded from the long-ago tales of past Greek mythology, that was conveyed more as history than fantasy. Either way the wind blows, stories to live and learn “life” around, throughout all time.
All was well, for a little while, and the relationship blossomed without ever seeing a smile. Psyche implored that her family surely misses her, and Eros insured, her sisters would only be jealous and twisted. Cupid left out a fun fact, that if his mum were ever to find out, his beauty would surely be sacrificed and slayed like a dragon, without a shadow of doubt and right there on spot. Reluctantly, he finally agreed, and Psyche’s sisters were allowed through, when the west wind blew.
Same as before, Zephyrus, ushered them to the golden meadow once more. They had heard rumblings that her hubby was a serpent. Just as Cupid feared, the sisters started in on Psyche with jealousy and manipulation. Taunting and bullying, all tactics used by the ugly; doesn’t matter if your beauty shows outside only. A mean spirit cannot hold beauty for very long and what’s left is a person’s true form. Dupped by her sisters, Psyche went with a hatched plan to lower her husband’s defenses and witness his appearance firsthand.
She knew their love was beautiful and she wanted to show her sisters that they were just ignorant to her and their so-called fears unwarranted. Psyche crept by the bedside and lit an oil lamp to expose her husband in the light. First gleam were arrows beside a golden arm extended, and once the oil touched his skin, he awoken. Shock and betrayal entered the matrimonial room, and Eros flew away, never to return.
The sister’s tried to replace Psyche and each climbed the mountaintop, only to plunge to their deaths. Quick interruption, never ever look upon a sibling’s significant other as anything more than a brother or sister. This is a cautionary tale, learn some wisdom from this, and believe you me, I’ve been there before, and it doesn’t feel good to have your sister “hitting” (slang for flirting) on your mister. Oh, you haven’t met mine, almost a true crime walking around and about and ready to pounce.
No matter how dire the consequences, Psyche set out to rectify her deceptive actions and win back her beloved, whatever the stakes await. She searched everywhere the ghosts blew and threw her way, and somehow, someway, ended up at Aphrodite’s door. Not before running into Circe (another sister from a different mister), who sympathized but said no way Jose, not with a ten-foot pole. Here’s why:
Aphrodite, also known, as Venus, not only opens the door to Psyche, but assigns two maidens slash prison guards called, Worry and Sadness, to torture and whip her son’s significant other. Oh, and to make fun of her for having conceived a child with a phony marriage. Brutal in every way, these stories can curl your toes, but there’s a message to be learned and we aren’t even close to done. Hopefully, you too are nearsighted, like me, and we’ll need our microscopes to locate love, however small, if it still exists, and is too still, be ever at all, or ever again!
“The goddess then throws before her a great mass of mixed wheat, barley, poppyseed, chickpeas, lentils, and beans, demanding that she sort them into separate heaps by dawn.” Psyche was left in despair, and Aphrodite went to attend a grand affair. Through tears, she wept and wept, and received the sympathies of an unlikely guest. An ant brought back a fleet and helped sort every feat! Returning completely pissed, more ways than one, Aphrodite left Psyche with barely a crumb.
She was sent on a few more perilous tasks, obviously hoping Psyche wouldn’t be able to ever “come back”. Saved by a magical reed and an eagle who took on a dragon, completely on her behalf kept her from actual death, but the final task a quest of unnatural tests. You see, hate wreaks havoc on beauty, and Aphrodite surely had lost some beauty sleep with Psyche. She sent her to hell with a box, said, “ask the queen of the underworld for some beauty to spare”.
“The speaking tower warns her to maintain silence as she passes by several ominous figures: a lame man driving a mule loaded with sticks, a dead man swimming in the river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead, and old women weaving. These, the tower warns, will seek to divert her by pleading for her help: she must ignore them.” (Wikipedia)
Of course, Psyche still in despair has unbelievable luck! A freaking tower helps give her instructions, on how to give the three-headed pup a treat, two coins for safe passage on the river Styx, and the actual directions into the worst place anybody ever would want to be. We’ve discussed the Queen of the underworld before and not in a dream. If anyone could understand, this queen can and has beauty beyond time and sand and more than any box can hold or contain within.
“Everything comes to pass according to plan, and Proserpina grants Psyche’s humble entreaty. As soon as she reenters the light of day, however, Psyche is overcome by a bold curiosity, and can’t resist opening the box in the hope of enhancing her own beauty. She finds nothing inside but an “infernal and Stygian sleep”. Oh no! She made it all that way, only to fail!
Here’s where things get good; Cupid flies free from his mother’s house arrest and finds his sleeping beauty laying on the ground at rest. “When he finds Psyche, he draws the sleep from her face and replaces it in the box, then pricks her with an arrow that does no harm. He lifts her into the air and takes her to present the box to mum.”
After a few sips of ambrosia, Psyche lives forever with her better half, but I’m sure she’s keeping a side-eye on her mother-in-law still. The story ends with a grand festival of a wedding and the two love birds even had a bundle of joy from their perfect union.
Now, there are a few similarities between these epic tales. My beautiful mother-in-law is the exact opposite of Aphrodite. In her entryway for most of my husband’s entire upbringing a framed portrait of Eros and Psyche hung with care. It’s one of my mum-in-laws favorite stories to tell and was given to us for our union to hold.
A huge proponent of love and God, and always tells us to be kind to one another. I was impressed by her from day one and I’ve emulated as much as I can. She’s more than one of a kind and unique to everything in every way. Moreover, she’s an awesome mom and has cared for my husband and I, as our only mother. She gives me actual solid advice and is soft hearted with me and her daughter a best friend of ours, aptly named Sissy.
It’s important to convey love as honest and without an agenda, otherwise we are left with abandonment issues for the ages. She raised my husband as a single parent and holds the force of an entire division. For over a decade, she’s held the position for our mother’s and our father’s, while reverse-aging it’s really been shocking.
I could have been spending the day with you speaking about my father-in-law’s or me could have been dad, John Wayne’s granddaughter. That’s for another day of writing about adventures, out west ghost dads, the golden gate bridge, the cathedral, the holy grail, and the Pacific Ocean, all whilst golfing a hole in one. We’ll pick up on the green once again and cart our way down Highway 1 for that winding and windy story.
Maybe, she the muse for Princess Leia or this story for certain. I might just be an Ewok on a holy mission. All I can confess, is she’s my muse and with obvious reason. Love can take many forms and Valentine’s Day has a valid reason. Isn’t just about lovers for sure, but soulmates and even parents. Love one another and always try to be true.
Your own psyche can tell you; the soul is traveling light years in various frequencies, and with astronomical aspects, out-of-world lengths, every split second and divinely just for you, sent. God speed and safe travels, let love guide you through the madness and black holes. May the force be with you, Valentines! Till next time, keep on keeping on, staying divine.
Beyond Sirius Sea 