This Friday the 13th seems a good time to conclude the Wicked series ... at least for now.  Contemplating the topic has certainly brought clarity to a subject I used to run from. I suppose it was because of my upbringing. As a child I was not allowed to talk negatively about anything. My siblings and I were encouraged to look for the good in people. If we met people that were "mean spirited" we were told to avoid them like the plague and simply pray for them.
  I am grateful for those teachings from the standpoint they provided clear boundaries as to what areas were "safe" to explore and which could lead to ... well, the forbidden fruit. Yes, that is correct, I was taught that anything that was not of God was dark, negative and of satan. And, of course, since everyone was "born in sin," because of Adam and Eve's choices, we could not be trusted to veer away from the teachings we were given. Hence, if we attempt to think for ourselves, we would certainly choose the forbidden fruit. In essence, the forbidden fruit is thinking for oneself .... hmm, Jesus, the son of God, certainly did not teach that.
  Blogging about the term Wicked, has allowed me the opportunity to see the fear that surrounds things outside the circle of teachings instilled by our immediate families. I do not have fear about much of anything these days, instead I have respect for those things that may cause my stomach to flip, my heart to pound, and my mouth to be dry. I have a greater understanding of how my body alerts me to the unknown areas that are outside my immediate "comfort zone," and assist me paying attention to what is around me. 
  The story, "Honoring Our Instincts" from the book, Head to Heart Talks, gives an even clearer picture of the gifts our body provides to help us stay free from harm. Rather then simply rely on the voices in our head that is suspicious of anything new, different, out of the norm or foreign to what it knows, the conversation will go all over the place imaging the worst possible scenarios. Of course, our head does this to keep us safe; however, it is suspicious of absolutely everything! It is our body that provides a more accurate means by which to discern what might be a possible adventure from which we may learn something new or, indeed, something to steer clear of. Either way, the gifts provided by our bodies, if we simply pay attention, are truly amazing. 
  And so, I conclude this entry with something I read this morning in one of my daily devotionals, "Remember, nothing is evil, lest thinking make it so" (Wm Shakespeare) I choose to know that everything put in front of me is for my personal growth; and, that whatever it is will in some way expand my understanding and compassion for things I didn't know, I didn't know.