The Book of Love
Title Page
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| The Book of Love |
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| A collection of various works devoted to |
| Taliena, Goddess of Love and Happiness |
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| Second Edition |
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| Compiled, and written in part by |
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| Elrei Avendale |
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Taliena's Acorn Poem
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| An acorn is a little thing, and yet could be much more. |
| Given time, and given light, it slowly will mature. |
| It shall grow into an oak that stands throughout the ages. |
| So, too, could friendship grow throughout its many stages. |
| Grow it may into a love that is both strong and sure... |
| One to pass the test of time, forever to endure. |
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| - Taliena |
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| And though we may all tire, and fall in endless sleep, |
| The Love we find remains hereafter... |
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| For the roots we grow are deep. |
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| - Elrei Avendale |
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Table of Contents
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| --`-{@ Table of Contents @}-,-- |
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| Taliena's Acorn Poem........................Pg. 2 |
| Dedication..................................Pg. 4 |
| A Praying Waltz.............................Pg. 5 |
| Sands of Love...............................Pg. 6 |
| Spreading Taliena's Love....................Pg. 7 |
| A Message of Taliena........................Pg. 9 |
| Living for Love.............................Pg. 10 |
| Love as a Rose..............................Pg. 12 |
| Roses to Roses (A Love Song)................Pg. 13 |
| Island......................................Pg. 14 |
| To a Human from an Elf......................Pg. 15 |
| Freedom's Responsibility....................Pg. 16 |
| The Ballad of Nimunane and Palavos..........Pg. 17 |
| Sweet Lies..................................Pg. 19 |
| Taliena's Request...........................Pg. 20 |
| Love in the Face of Adversity...............Pg. 21 |
| Beyond the Doubt of a Shadow................Pg. 22 |
| On Readiness, Forgiveness, and Acceptance...Pg. 23 |
| She Loves Me (A Hymn).......................Pg. 25 |
| The Beauty of a Rose........................Pg. 26 |
| The Parable of the Rich Man.................Pg. 27 |
| Taliena and Zandreya........................Pg. 29 |
| The Perfect Heart...........................Pg. 31 |
| Heart of the Dragon (A Children's Tale).....Pg. 35 |
| Perfect Love................................Pg. 39 |
| Closing Thoughts............................Pg. 40 |
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| Any works not otherwise marked were written by Elrei Avendale. |
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Dedication
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| This is a book made by and for the followers of Taliena, Goddess of |
| Love and Happiness. As such, it is only appropriate that it be |
| dedicated, at least in part, to those who made its existence possible. |
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| I would also like to thank my beautiful and caring wife for her |
| love, and undying patience with me during good times and bad. Without |
| her support, I would never have had the inspiration or dedication |
| necessary to complete this work. |
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| Finally, I would like to thank the Mother Herself, Taliena, within |
| Whose Embrace all things are possible. |
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| - Elrei Avendale |
| Sun Day, 20th of the Long Shadows |
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| * ( O ) * |
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A Praying Waltz
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| A Praying Waltz |
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| Your steps are light and drifty, |
| Your paces are soft and speedy, |
| Your smile gentle as spring kiss |
| And your touch is never amiss. |
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| A prayer in dancing rhyme, |
| Perhaps a mere idle crime, |
| A mere trivial to pray, |
| In a whispering, waltzing way, |
| A three-quarter tempo tune. |
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| The fairest celestial lune, |
| A majestic desert dune, |
| Are trifles before graceful you. |
| This is a circular dance, |
| And a circular trance, |
| And a gentle prayer, |
| As your footsteps on water, |
| Praised be your name, |
| For none can be the same, |
| As roses and myrtles know, |
| Love is everything and all. |
| Praised be your name, |
| For none surpasses your fame. |
| As bright as the rising sun, |
| Your grace is forever won. |
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| - Rosium de Hsieh, |
| Crusader of Taliena |
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Sands of Love
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| Sands of Love |
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| If Love was measured in grains of sand |
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| I'd fill the universe with beaches |
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| For my Love for you is evergrowing |
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| Measuring more by every hour, minute, and second |
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| And the time passes quicker when you're near |
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| As we while away the days |
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| And nights |
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| Filling the hourglass with the sands of our Love. |
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Spreading Taliena's Love
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| Spreading Taliena's Love |
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| People are often fascinated by Taliena. Many see themselves as |
| deeply spiritual, but they look at the people of the world and observe |
| all manner of types, some stellar, many needful. And they don't want |
| to love the people that Taliena loves. With our starry-eyed, |
| idealistic images of what we think the Gods should be and do, it is |
| easy to criticize. Yet, the faithfully mature response is to |
| appreciate all of life as we know and experience it. |
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| Love is more than attraction to dewy ideals and spiritual fancy. |
| It is a whole-souled response, a self-giving, a way of life. Yes, |
| Taliena's Church is about being in love, but it is the love of a |
| seasoned marriage more than the temporary effervescence of romantic |
| whimsy. |
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| Many times I hear people say that we, Taliena's faithful, are |
| tasked with spreading Her Love throughout the world. I disagree. I |
| say we are tasked with spreading knowledge of Her Love to all of the |
| world. There's an important distinction in that statement, one that |
| teaches a lesson to those who can understand it. |
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| We do not need to spread Taliena's Love, because it is already all- |
| encompassing. |
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| Taliena loves the inexperienced, the not-always-attractive, the |
| not-always-knowledgeable, and those who repeat themselves frequently. |
| She loves those who have money, and those who do not. She loves the |
| people who are healthy, and those who are plagued by disease. When we |
| walk through the cities we live in, how many of us overlook the cloth- |
| wrapped beggar in the street? How many curse the thieving children, |
| who took a few silver from us so that they can live? What about the |
| frolicking animals in the street which may cause us to stumble, or the |
| trees and rocks which may frighten or cause us to trip in the night? |
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| Taliena loves all of these, yet to spread her message effectively |
| we have to understand it. We have to love all of these as well, |
| despite their imperfect nature, despite the things which we may not |
| like about them. Despite the things that may cause us to avoid, or |
| overlook them. After all, our friends are not perfect friends to |
| start with. Our parents, especially for us first-born children, were |
| not particularly wise in the ways of child-rearing. Our homes, these |
| nations which are constantly plagued with troubles, are far from |
| perfect. Yet we give our love to these people and places, despite |
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| their faults. Why should we be less willing to forgive the faults of |
| a stranger? Taliena overlooks no one, and neither should we. |
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| So I say it is not our duty to spread Her Love. It is our duty to |
| spread the knowledge of Her Love, so that all can know the joy that |
| comes from receiving it. And, in doing so, we spread our own love to |
| the world as well. |
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A Message of Taliena
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| ~@~A Message of Taliena~@~ |
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| Weary traveler |
| Close your eyes and feel. |
| You are not alone. |
| Close your eyes, you are at home. |
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| On the road, ice covered or troubled by desert sands, |
| Close your eyes, you'll feel Her hand. |
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| She's in your heart. She's in your soul. |
| Look inside and you will know. |
| Someone has Love for you. |
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| Someone watches, and waits for signs of your return. |
| You are the fuel for which someone burns. |
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| The day will come when your path will stray, |
| And in the confusion you'll find your way. |
| There, waiting for you, is the half of your soul. |
| Just look in their eyes and your heart will know. |
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| ~@~Lirin Avendale~@~ |
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Living for Love
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| Living for Love |
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| There is a sentiment often expressed in both poetry and prose, that |
| one would find it easy to die for the sake of love, to die so that a |
| loved one could continue to live. While I agree with this whole- |
| heartedly, I believe there is something more important to point out |
| and remember: Dying for someone is the easy part. |
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| Living for someone, making and keeping them happy, supporting them |
| financially, emotionally, or physically, is the much more difficult, |
| and often more important task. |
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| I would die for my wife, my children, and a number of friends, if a |
| situation arose where it was necessary. But unless and until that |
| time comes, I choose to live for them - for their happiness, their |
| smiles - and devote my life to keeping us well and able to enjoy the |
| time we have together in this life. |
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| Diving in front of a crossbow bolt, dying in a duel or battle so |
| that your loved ones can escape and live are very heroic ideals that |
| capture the mind and imagination of romantics. And they are, indeed, |
| great and noble sacrifices for love. But while the imagination is |
| captured by such lofty, epic grandiosity, the stronger undercurrents |
| of love tend to go unnoticed until they have pulled the dreamer under. |
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| It takes courage to live for someone, at least as much as it does |
| to die for them. Courage, dedication, and work (often hard) are all |
| required for love to continue and flourish. Falling in love is easy, |
| but then you need to build the foundation of the relationship in that |
| hole you just walked into. |
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| And talking can be scary. Those of you who know me should realize |
| that, as a performer, I tend to be fairly good at public speaking, or |
| at least speaking in public. But talking to the one you love can be |
| frightening, because you might worry that something you say will hurt |
| them, or cause them to love you less, or be upset with you. There are |
| those who will go to war and fight, facing death, yet cannot summon |
| the courage to talk to the one they love. But it is the single most |
| important tool in building a lasting relationship. And, if they love |
| you deeply enough to live for you as well, then nothing you're likely |
| to say will break the relationship. |
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| You will hurt each other, sometimes. Physically or emotionally, it |
| will happen, though hopefully never intentionally. Don't close up, |
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| don't stop talking when this happens. The best thing you can do is |
| reach out to each other, with words and arms. Reassure the one you |
| love that you do still love them, just as strongly as ever. You'll |
| both be miserable until you do. |
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| Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. And yet, in love |
| faults are noticed only briefly before they become part of your |
| partner's uniqueness. You accept what they are, who they are, as well |
| as what they are not, and you love them all the more. The |
| "imperfections" only serve to make them perfect. That is among the |
| least of Love's paradoxes. |
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Love as a Rose
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| _ Love blossoms much like a rose does in spring. |
| _.;_'-._ At first we keep our hearts guarded and bound, |
| {`--.-'_,} Much like the rose bud protects its petals when |
| {; \,__.-'/} it first forms. |
| {.'-`._;-'; But as time goes by, bonds are formed. |
| `'--._.-' And those bonds like that rose bud grow |
| \\,-"-. When they are nourished and fed. |
| \( '-. \ When the time is right, that Rose will bloom |
| \;---,/ Much like those bonds will bloom into love. |
| .-""-;\ Petal by petal the rose will open, revealing |
| / .-' )\ The rose's ultimate beauty. |
| \,---'` \\ Much like that fully blossomed rose, |
| \| The beauty of love is a rarity. |
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| -Taesia Sha'tavas Dragonblade Avendale |
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Roses to Roses
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| Roses to Roses |
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| A Song of Love |
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| Elrei Avendale |
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| I met a young lady, a lady so fair, |
| In beauty none match her, so far as I care. |
| She sat down beside me, her basket to share, |
| Filled to the brim with both peaches and pears. |
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| Refrain: (Sung after every verse) |
| You may think we tarry much more than we must |
| But once you're in Love, you'll regret having fussed. |
| Ashes to ashes, |
| Dust to dust. |
| Roses to roses, |
| In Love we trust. |
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| We went on a picnic, the orchard to see, |
| Replacing the fruit she had given to me. |
| Flitting about us, the birds and the bees |
| Sang us a song as we picked through the trees. |
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| The next time I saw her, I thought I would die |
| When out from her delicate lips came a sigh. |
| I started to comfort her, drew her nigh, |
| But it was not sadness that made her cry. |
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| The path of my life I have many times traced, |
| And many, the years I had wished were erased, |
| But now I'm with you, I know they weren't a waste, |
| So here is the piece of my heart you replaced. |
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| If ever you marry, which I recommend, |
| Here's some advice that to you I will lend: |
| Remind your young lady, again and again, |
| You'll love her forever, which never will end. |
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Island
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| No man can be an island, |
| This we know must be a truth, |
| For the joy in loving laughter |
| Is what brings eternal youth. |
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| A man who spends his life |
| Putting treasure in the ground |
| Doesn't always see the gems |
| Waiting to be found. |
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| All that glitters is not gold, |
| And not all can you steal. |
| A heart that's freely given |
| Is the greatest gift revealed. |
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| Many things we do for love, |
| Both to find it and to keep. |
| Some there be who lack the will |
| To make that daring leap. |
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| A man who's faced a thousand wars |
| Can through a battle wade, |
| But mention love and courage flees. |
| They'd rather face a blade. |
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| Yet love can also banish fear, |
| And likewise banish dread. |
| The cord that binds two hearts as one |
| Cannot be cut as thread. |
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| True love is not a weakness, |
| As some would have you feel. |
| It strengthens those who have it, |
| Brings us closer to what's real. |
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| No man can be an island, |
| This I now know to be true. |
| The proof is in the way |
| I cannot help but think of You. |
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To a Human from an Elf
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| To a Human from an Elf |
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| In memory of Rosium |
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| by Keeli, Crusader of Taliena |
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| I saw the snowflakes flying furiously past me. |
| Wishing to be a part of them, |
| I reached out my hand |
| And allowed one to fall inside, |
| Quickly, quickly it burned away, |
| Its life shortened by my heat. |
| I reveled in its beauty, |
| Sang its praises to its brothers, |
| And joyfully watched it die. |
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| Yes, I killed a snowflake. |
| But its life was better for my love, |
| And that one snowflake, |
| Long dead to the world, |
| Remains, |
| In my heart, forever special, |
| Forever alive! |
| What a pity had that one, |
| Like all the others, |
| Failed to see my awaiting hand. |
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Freedom's Responsibility
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| Freedom's Responsibility |
| A Response to Malachive and Chaos |
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| More than a dozen times, I have been visited by Taliena. In my |
| years of service to Her, I have performed a number of tasks at Her |
| request. She entrusted to me the creation of a holy text. She asked |
| me to act in my role as a historian, to keep records for Her Church. |
| Always, She was concerned for my well-being, and even worried that She |
| was placing too much upon me. Yet no task, taken willingly, can ever |
| be too great a burden. |
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| Only once did She ever deliver to me what could be construed as a |
| demand. What was that one, terribly burdensome ultimatum? Did She |
| charge me to worship Her alone? Did She exact terrible oaths from me, |
| damning my soul to eternal torment? What horrible task did She |
| enforce upon me, chaining me forever as a slave to Her whim? |
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| She told me to follow my heart. |
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| My heart. Not Her, or Hers. I was told to make my own choices in |
| life, the choices that would bring me the most happiness. I was |
| forced to choose my own path in life, at the direction of my own |
| feelings and desires, regardless of whether that path might align with |
| a continued worship of Taliena. That was her solitary "demand" upon |
| me. |
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| Shalonesti placed more restrictions upon my freedom than Taliena |
| ever has. Any kingdom or organization which requires adherence to a |
| code or set of laws is limiting freedom. Ultimately, I broke away |
| from Shalonesti. For a long time I wandered without a kingdom, but I |
| did not denounce all of them in favor of the freedom of being homeless.|
| Now I serve in New Thalos, by my own choice. |
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| Do not confuse service with servitude. We are each individually |
| responsible for our personal freedom. It is our own choice to serve |
| with dedication and fervor, or to sit by and do nothing. It is our |
| own choice to further the interests of our nations or Gods, or to |
| serve only ourselves. We were created as free-willed individuals, and |
| so were imbued with the ability, right, and even the responsibility of |
| making our own choices. |
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| My name is Elrei Avendale, and I am free. |
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The Ballad of Nimunane and Palavos
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| The Ballad of |
| Nimunane and Palavos |
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| Featuring the True History of the Legend |
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| Nimunane and Palavos, The Lovers in the sky... |
| Many tales are told of them, how they lived, why they died. |
| Their story is a tragic one, as many others are... |
| But the Love they shared earned them a place among the stars. |
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| Palavos was a simple man, apprentice blacksmith by trade. |
| His love, daughter of a wealthy lord, a fair and virtuous maid. |
| "Nimunane," her father bade, "You'll see this man no more. |
| His future isn't suited to the daughter of a landlord." |
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| But their Love could not be repented, and so they met on the sly. |
| Two others vied for her attentions, and, jealous, on the pair did spy. |
| Petrus, the baker, and the cobbler, Revonuire... |
| Framed Palavos for thievery, dooming him out of desire. |
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| And Nimunane, fair Nimunane, heard of her Love's alleged crime... |
| Dressed as a boy, she freed him, but she could not get out in time. |
| The guards, believing she was him, returned her to the cell. |
| In the morn her hands were shorn, the price for pilfering what others |
| sell. |
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| In shame she fled with Palavos, away from city, homes, and farms... |
| Her blood ran, too, and soon she lacked. She died within his arms. |
| Cried Palavos, "Dear Nimunane, I cannot live without your Love. |
| Taliena, I beseech you, strike me down from up above!" |
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| Their Love was pure, and would endure. The Goddess knew this to be so.|
| She descended from above, to Palavos She did go... |
| She tried to ease his suffering, tried to take away his pain... |
| And all the while, She cried as well, diamond tears falling as the |
| rain. |
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| But Palavos begged for his death, Her words could bring no ease... |
| She gave to him a star-blade, from his life to give release. |
| He took the dagger from Her, and as he plunged it through his heart... |
| It broke into a million fragments. Undying Love had shattered it |
| apart. |
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| The shining pieces scattered all about, rising to the night's blue |
| plains. |
| They formed an image of the pair whose Love Her Will sustains. |
| Out of Taliena's mercy they were united, as they'd begun... |
| And beneath them, seen by one and all, Davigan, their son. |
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Sweet Lies
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| Sweet Lies |
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| Song for love |
| Hymn for crying |
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| From the first time we touched with our eyes |
| Only magic could take away my heart |
| I am always afraid for my heart |
| So lay beside me now and tell me lies - sweet lies |
| As long as it's not about love |
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| Shall we sail off the edge of the world |
| Fall forever and never look behind |
| But I must keep my heart from my mind |
| Lay beside me now and tell me lies |
| As long as it's not about love |
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| Oh the last time we touched with our eyes |
| And the magic was stronger than the heart |
| Oh, I can't run away with my heart |
| So lay beside me now and tell me lies |
| As long as it's not about love |
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| Shall we sail off the edge of the world |
| Fall forever |
| Take my heart away but no |
| You can't say words about love |
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| If the magic comes between us |
| And we never meet again |
| Take a part of me away |
| Because maybe it's all above love |
| Sweet love |
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| - Zhaniva Sha'enras Courdileone |
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Taliena's Request
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| Taliena's Request |
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| There is a very powerful request made of Taliena's followers, |
| repeated time and again by Her priesthood: Love each other. Love one |
| another as Taliena loves us. |
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| Yet Taliena's Love knows no boundaries. She loves us, as well as |
| those we would consider our enemies. This is often a point of |
| contention among those who would question our Faith. How can we claim |
| to love all when, for myself, I have fought in a war against the |
| dwarves? And what of those of us who belong to the great Clans? |
| Taliena teaches us we must love our enemies, as well as our friends. |
| How? |
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| Yes, we should love our enemies. That does not mean we have to |
| like them. |
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| There will be times when we simply cannot get along with someone. |
| However, we are responsible only for our own actions, not the actions |
| of others. When we are living as we should, how people choose to |
| respond to us is between them and the Gods. If, after we've gone out |
| of our way to promote Love, the offended or offending party still |
| chooses a life of strife, we can and should be at peace within |
| ourselves knowing that we have done everything within our power. |
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| When Taliena says to love your enemies, She does not mean at any |
| price. Taliena's Church preaches Love and Happiness. We will not
| abide those who seek to destroy these things we hold dear. Though we |
| are willing to accept and forgive much, we will not shut our eyes to |
| everything. |
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| There may come times when some battle must be fought, and when it |
| does, the faithful of Taliena will not shirk it. Taliena does not |
| expect us to sit back and allow ourselves to be harmed. To defend |
| yourself, your family, and your home from those who would do harm is, |
| in itself, an act of Love. |
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|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
Love in the Face of Adversity
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
|
| Love in the Face of Adversity |
| |
| How is it we are able to overcome the hardships of our lives? |
| The trials and tribulations that are ever present and seemingly only |
| worsen with time. The answer is simple, and yet so very complicated |
| all at once. A single word that breathes meaning and hope, and to |
| others, it lingers in bitterness and vengeful resent. Love... |
| |
| And even in love, it is sometimes hard to remain true to one's |
| heart, in fear of hurting others, or hurting yourself. In times |
| such as these, we need our faith, more than we would know. More |
| than some would like to let on. But a pain left to drag on only |
| worsens with time and becomes more difficult to endure. Try as we |
| might, our hearts should always win out. Follow your heart, some |
| say, and as cliche as the words do sound, there are none so true. |
| |
| In love and in faith should we follow our hearts, to strive to |
| accomplish what is best for ourselves, and for those around us. |
| There will, without a doubt, be trying times for us all; times when |
| our faith is tested, when the strength of our hearts must lead us to |
| the greater end though it might not always appear that way. Hope |
| carries us through... |
| |
| Love, faith, and hope each go hand in hand, each provided by the |
| munificence of Her Grace. They guide us, helping us to move forward |
| in our lives. When life is arduous, we need only look into our |
| hearts and find the love, faith, and hope that await us. She will |
| see us through any adversity - by Her blessing, by Her love. |
| |
| - Clarissia d'Arilysse |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
Beyond the Doubt of a Shadow
________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Beyond the Doubt of a Shadow |
| |
| |
| Hatred breeds chaos. Submit to Her Love, and know truth. |
| |
| Love is patient. It finds and embraces each and all. Be |
| compassionate of all and considerate to all. |
| |
| One who follows the heart finds true happiness. |
| |
| - Daeryl Abbott, Priest of Taliena |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
On Readiness, Forgiveness, and Acceptance
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| On Readiness, Forgiveness, and Acceptance |
| |
| Someone very wise once said, on the topic of children, that if you |
| wait to have them until you are ready, you never will. This same |
| wisdom can be applied to many things in life: relationships, |
| purchasing a home, opening your own business, beginning a new career, |
| and more. Whether it's a case of financial, emotional, physical, or |
| some other sort of readiness, one thing or another will always keep us |
| from being completely prepared for the responsibilities we face in |
| life. |
| |
| It is a rather ironic paradox that we, as mortals, often expect |
| more from ourselves than is expected from us by the Gods. We punish |
| and demean ourselves for failing to live up to the standards that, for |
| many, are self-imposed. We flounder, believing we have failed our |
| chosen God or Goddess. I have done this far too frequently to recount.|
| |
| At first, no one ever appears worthy of what Love can make of us. |
| |
| Throughout life, I have been constantly surprised by the faith and |
| trust that others place in me, whether it is professionally, |
| personally, or spiritually. Always have I fought against the idea |
| that I could be worthy of such, even when it was Taliena Herself who |
| came to me, and placed Her trust in me. It is not that She was |
| oblivious to my weaknesses. She knows, however, that it takes time to |
| rise up to such challenges, that it takes experience to accomplish |
| what is set forth in life. |
| |
| Yet here we come across what may be one of the most intrinsic |
| differences between faiths, whether one separates them according to |
| ethos or deity: forgiveness. Often this is attributed to the Light, |
| though I will not presume to say it is exclusive to them, or even |
| fully practiced. I have lived long enough to know that a golden aura |
| does not necessarily mean a nice person. |
| |
| For my own part, I am comfortable with the knowledge that I am |
| capable of making mistakes. I accept that as being inevitable, due to |
| my mortal nature. Yet I feel safe in saying that regardless of any |
| mistakes I may make, I will find forgiveness from Taliena, even if I |
| cannot grant it to myself. I am confident, then, in my ability to |
| serve, even if I do not feel I am ready to do so. |
| |
| Despite my shortcomings, Taliena honoured me and placed Her faith |
| in me. Why? Because of Her Love. In my faith to Her, then, I try to |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| extend this understanding and forgiveness to all around me as well. |
| My understanding of Her domain, and my past history with Zandreya's |
| nation, has led me to the knowledge that all mortals are part of the |
| greater whole. I therefore strive to not only treat others as equals, |
| but actually see them as such, despite our differences in life. |
| |
| Each of us has our own path to walk. Taliena prefers paths that |
| respect the happiness of all beings, but we each follow our own heart |
| as we must, and no path is less valid than another. But without that |
| respect, without recognizing that divine spark which we all carry, our |
| world will eventually destroy itself as parts of the Whole struggle |
| for perceived dominance. |
| |
| - Elrei Avendale |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
She Loves Me
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| |
| She Loves Me |
| |
| A Hymn |
| by |
| Elrei Avendale |
| |
| I stood in shadow, alone, |
| Lost within the fragments of my heart, |
| Watching the reflection of my soul |
| As in some demon's hall of mirrors. |
| |
| I felt betrayed by Love, |
| Denied what I had given so freely. |
| Blinded by the pain I kept inside, |
| My heart well-locked by all my fears. |
| |
| She appeared before me then, |
| And within Her warm embrace I melted. |
| The icy chambers of my heart were thawed, |
| The water drained away by tears. |
| |
| She loves me. |
| She cares for me. |
| This I know to be true. |
| She holds me, |
| And comforts me, |
| Just as She does for you. |
| |
| Though you may not see Her, |
| She is always there inside your heart. |
| Taliena is within us all. |
| Speak your troubles, and She hears. |
| |
| She loves me. |
| She cares for me. |
| This I know to be true. |
| She holds me, |
| And comforts me, |
| Just as She does for you. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
The Beauty of a Rose
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| ~@~ The Beauty of a Rose ~@~ |
| |
| |
| The beauty of a rose may take your breath away, |
| But it can never compare to the beauty of two hearts combined. |
| The soft song of a blue jay may make you smile, |
| But it pales in comparison to those three little words of love. |
| A cozy fireplace may provide warmth to warm your body, |
| But a loving embrace provides warmth to the soul. |
| |
| You can search the lands and find little things
| That make life so much better, that bring a smile to your face. |
| But you can search an entire lifetime and never find |
| That one thing that fills the heart and stirs the soul. |
| Money, power, and material things can make one think they are happy. |
| But it is the kiss, the embrace, the touch of true love that provides |
| life to the soul. |
| |
| ~@~Taesia Sha'tavas Dragonblade Avendale~@~ |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
The Parable of the Rich Man
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| |
| The Parable of the Rich Man |
| |
| Spoken by the Goddess |
| |
| "It came to pass that two men were wrongfully accused of a |
| crime, in which they were sentenced to death. The prisoners |
| were placed together in the same cell, and not wishing to spend |
| their last night sleeping, they stayed up to the morning |
| speaking with each other. |
| |
| They spoke of many things. Of their lives, and how they had |
| lived them. Of their past ambitions, and that which they had |
| achieved. |
| |
| The first man was quite rich. He had spent his entire life |
| working and striving for his material goals. He had lived |
| comfortably, but he had no friends. |
| |
| The second man was not well off. He had a large family, and |
| worked hard each day to feed them, for little pay. But he had |
| married the love of his life, and was happy and had many friends. |
| |
| The first man felt that he was lucky in his situation, if |
| there could be such a thing, for there was little he had to |
| live for other than his money, and he had no one to mourn for |
| but himself. |
| |
| The second man felt that he was the richer, for while he now |
| grieved for his family, and worried about how they would support |
| themselves, he knew that they had happiness, and that he had |
| shared it with them. |
| |
| Finally, the sun came up, and both men were lead to the |
| gallows, side by side. The first man looked around, and all he |
| could see was the jeering crowd, with their angry eyes and harsh |
| words. The second man looked around, and there within the crowd |
| he saw the face of his wife, his love, her face strewn with |
| tears. His heart nearly broke seeing her in this state. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
\|/========================================================================\
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| When the executioner unleashed the trap doors, and both men |
| fell, ropes about their necks, dangling, one man suddenly |
| realized that his life had been entirely fruitless, and the |
| other man died looking in the eyes of a woman whose life was |
| slowly being torn." |
| |
| Whose death shall we truly mourn? |
| |
| Despite, and indeed because of the greater loss suffered by |
| the second man, it is the first one that we should mourn most. |
| His death was less painful because he had not truly lived. He |
| had never known love, and had no one to remember him past his |
| empty life. The second man would be immortalized forever in |
| the hearts and loving memories of those he had loved. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
/========================================================================\|/
Taliena and Zandreya
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| Taliena and Zandreya |
| |
| Moreso than any other pairing of religions, it seems, I tend to |
| come across followers of Zandreya who claim aspects and domains of |
| Taliena as being under the purview of their own goddess. Some go so |
| far as to state that all acts of love and pleasure are rituals for the |
| Goddess of Nature. While I harbor no ill will towards Zandreya, I get |
| very uncomfortable when I see Taliena's Gifts being claimed by for |
| another deity. |
| |
| Taliena once told me that it is Cliath who creates, Taliena who |
| nurtures, and Zandreya who protects. It is true that Zandreya touches |
| upon many things, but I feel She serves to guard the cycle of nature, |
| not to cause its turning. Cliath creates the flower, Dragoth causes |
| the decay which provides the possibility of further creation, and |
| Zandreya ensures that all of this happens as it should. |
| |
| However, I do not see that Zandreya is responsible or has influence |
| over our emotions. Nature, as a force, is without emotion. It simply |
| exists, and follows its pattern relentlessly. Pleasure, happiness, |
| can be found in following one's nature, yes, but that is also |
| described as following one's heart, and the heart is clearly the |
| domain of Taliena. I agree that Zandreya wishes for Her people to be |
| happy, but more than that I feel that She simply wishes to ensure the |
| continuation of the proper balance of things. |
| |
| Further, pleasure is removed from happiness. I do not agree with |
| Zandreya being attributed the happiness that one finds in mating with |
| another, since procreation is far removed from sharing a deep and |
| loving connection with one's partner. Any animal which couples can |
| experience pleasure from exhausting such an urge. True happiness, |
| however, is beyond this. |
| |
| If one includes base, primal instincts and the needs of survival |
| when speaking of desires, then yes, Zandreya watches over these as a |
| part of nature. But life is meant to be lived, not merely survived. |
| To experience true happiness above and beyond simple satisfaction, we |
| need more than shelter, food, and some unknown mate to produce |
| offspring. |
| |
| To attain a place of no more desire, in the above case, would |
| indicate attaining death. In death, one no longer needs or wants |
| shelter or food. True, a being can train their mind and body so that |
| they can ignore such things, but that does not remove the need of them |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
\|/========================================================================\
_______________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| for survival. I therefore do not categorize them as desires, but as |
| necessities. |
| |
| Love and Happiness are Taliena's realm. Without Love, procreation |
| among humans, Elves, and others, would proceed as they do among the |
| lesser beings of the world. We would feel no attachment to any one |
| mate, beyond the need for mating. Keeping one partner for life would |
| be exceedingly rare. Marriage as an institution would be unnecessary, |
| irrelevant, and meaningless. That is why Love, not pleasure, is |
| Taliena's. It is true that pleasure can be derived from things other |
| than base urges and needs, but such would require love to attain. |
| |
| Without Love and Happiness, the cycle of life could continue, yes, |
| but life itself would have no real meaning or purpose, beyond |
| propagating itself. Nature, then, teaches us to be happy with what we |
| have, while Love teaches us to strive for better, to reach beyond mere |
| survival for a happier existence, either for ourselves or for our |
| children. Taliena and Zendreya's realms touch upon each other at |
| times, but I do not believe they intertwine so closely as many would |
| claim or indicate. |
| |
| Both religions, however, have a deep, shared understanding. This |
| understanding is that we are all part of the same greater Whole. They |
| teach us to develop a sense of reverence and devotion to all. To |
| worship everything, seeing the Divine in all, is what these religions |
| advise. |
| |
| None of us would consciously injure our own body because we know it |
| would be painful. Similarly, we will feel the pain of other people to |
| be our own when the realization dawns that everything is pervaded by |
| the same consciousness. Compassion will arise, and we will sincerely |
| wish to help and protect all. |
| |
| In order to protect all, to preserve the world in as undamaged a |
| state as possible, sometimes we must defend it against those who do |
| not have this understanding of the greater Whole. To defend yourself |
| and those you love from those who seek to cause harm is, in itself, an |
| act of Love. Militant followers of Taliena are therefore concerned |
| with defense, not aggression, and should seek to use tactics which |
| minimize the loss of life. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
The Perfect Heart
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| |
| The Perfect Heart |
| |
| There is a kingdom and a place not far from where we are right |
| now, and in this kingdom and in this place there are very special |
| people. Now these people are special because they consider their |
| most valuable possession to be their hearts. In fact some of the |
| people are able to hold their hearts in their hands - a very special |
| gift indeed - and even if a heart gets broken it may be repaired at |
| the local heart specialist. These people believe that all of their |
| actions should flow from their hearts. |
| |
| Now in this kingdom there lived a young man who claimed to have |
| a perfect heart. He was very proud of his heart because it had no |
| cracks or scars or blemishes. It was very solid and could not be |
| hurt or penetrated by anything at all. One day the young man was |
| showing his perfect heart to a large group of people - something |
| which he did quite often. People came from miles around to see his |
| perfect heart. They just looked upon him in amazement for there |
| was no one else like him in the entire kingdom. |
| |
| Suddenly a frail voice arose from the crowd and said: "My heart |
| is more beautiful than yours." |
| |
| The crowd was quiet for a moment, and finally the young man |
| laughed at such a claim for he was sure perfection was the most |
| beautiful thing in the world. When his laughter subsided, he said |
| to the person with the frail voice: "Come out of the crowd and |
| show me your beautiful heart. Compare it to mine!" |
| |
| The young man was sure there could be no comparison, but he |
| enjoyed the attention immensely. Slowly the source of the frail |
| voice appeared as a little old man emerged from the crowd. He was |
| bent with age and his face was covered with lines that told the |
| story of a long and sometimes difficult life. |
| |
| The young man spoke arrogantly to him saying: "Let me see your |
| heart, Old Man, so I can compare it to mine." |
| |
| The old man did not speak - he simply showed his heart to |
| everyone in the crowd. He did not keep his heart in a fine glass |
| case, but he carried it with him at all times. He merely stood |
| before the crowd gently holding his heart in his old wrinkled hands. |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| The young man immediately began to laugh when he saw the old |
| heart. "That is the ugliest heart I've ever seen. Why it's made |
| of pieces that don't even fit together perfectly. You are a fool, |
| Old Man!" |
| |
| When he said this, everyone laughed. |
| |
| The old man began to speak again, and the people in the crowd |
| hardly hear his frail voice. |
| |
| "Many years ago my heart was like yours. Yes, it was perfect - |
| but that was before I knew the meaning of love. My heart had no |
| cracks. It had never been hurt. It was just another part of me, |
| but soon I began to learn what love was all about and that's when my |
| heart began to change." |
| |
| The young man began to laugh, but a little girl in the crowd |
| cried out: "Be quiet and let this old man tell us his story." |
| |
| So the young man stopped laughing, and the old man continued to |
| speak as his heart tottered back and forth in his hands. "No, my |
| heart does not look perfect because it is not my heart alone. You |
| see whenever I love another person, I give him a piece of my heart |
| and he gives me a piece of his. We cannot be separated - not even |
| by death. In fact, when someone I love dies, part of me dies with |
| them and yet at the same time part of that person lives on in me, |
| and I am able to share that person's love and life with others. So |
| to you, my heart may look very ugly and funny because of the strange |
| shapes that it is made of, but to me it is beautiful because I carry |
| within my heart the love of many people whom I have loved and who |
| have loved me in return. By the standards of the world it is not |
| perfect, but the heart does not exist by worldly standards... It |
| lives because of love, and is measured by love." |
| |
| He looked at the young man and said: "Yes, your heart is |
| perfect to look at, but it has not yet known real love, so it lacks |
| the beauty that only love can provide." |
| |
| The crowd stood silent and waited for the young man to respond |
| when finally he said: "Old Man, you have explained the various odd |
| shapes that make up your heart, but you have not explained the |
| meaning of the ugly cracks." |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| |
| Again the old man spoke with a sigh: "Whenever you love someone |
| you take a risk, and sometimes it can cause a great deal of pain |
| because we can hurt one another so easily - but love is not known |
| unless those risks are taken. The cracks that you see are reminders |
| of the times when I have been hurt by one of the persons I have |
| loved, or when I have hurt one of them. Some take their love away |
| and remove themselves from your heart and remove you from their |
| hearts. It is things like this that cause those cracks to appear. |
| Yes, it sometimes hurts to love, but you must keep on loving even |
| when it is painful. Love can be a cause of both laughter and of |
| tears, and sometimes you can't understand the cause of either the |
| laughter or the tears. They are just a part of your real love - |
| and, throughout, you continue to hold your friends in your heart |
| which is the most delicate and sensitive part of your entire self." |
| |
| By this time the young man was crying very hard, for he had come |
| to realize he was always so busy with his perfect heart that he had |
| never loved anyone nor had he allowed anyone to love him. He |
| removed his heart from his special glass case and held it in his |
| hand. It was very cold and hard to the touch. Tears flowed over |
| his heart, and he was extremely sad because he did not know the |
| meaning of real love. He only knew about perfection. Just as he |
| was about to leave the crowd and go away from the kingdom to hide |
| forever, he noticed the old man hobbling toward him. The young man |
| looked up and saw the old man reaching towards the oddly shaped |
| heart that was in his wrinkled venerable hands. |
| |
| The old man had removed a very ancient piece of his heart and |
| offered it to the young man. He said: "This is a piece of my heart. |
| I give it to you out of real love. Please accept it." |
| |
| The young man reached out to accept the piece of the old man's |
| heart. He quickly tried to make it a part of his own, but he soon |
| realized that there was no room for it. He was puzzled for a moment |
| until he looked at the old man and saw the answer in his caring |
| eyes. Then the young man nervously removed a piece of his own heart |
| and offered it to the old man. Now the old man's heart was so oddly |
| shaped that the piece he had given to the young man did not fit |
| perfectly into his heart, but the young man simply set it in its |
| place and looked at it through tears of real joy. |
| |
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| For the first time in his life he really felt happy and he |
| realized his heart was no longer cold and hard but it was now |
| growing soft and warm. He finally had a happy heart - one that knew |
| the meaning of love. The young man and the old man set their hearts |
| in their rightful places and they were both very happy. The crowd |
| cheered and cried aloud. |
| |
| The young man told his teacher that he wanted to follow him for |
| the rest of his life, but the wise old man said: "No, my son, you |
| must not follow me. Now that you have learned of real love you must |
| go forth and share it with others. You must share your love, as I |
| have shared mine, throughout the kingdom." |
| |
| The young man felt very sad again, and he was sure that his heart |
| was beginning to break, but the old man continued to speak: "You |
| must remember that we always carry one another in our hearts no |
| matter where we go. That's what makes them so beautiful, and we |
| will always be together because of that." |
| |
| The young man knew the old man was right. He walked up to him. |
| They embraced and then went off in different directions to spread |
| the meaning of real love throughout the kingdom. |
| |
| -by the Priestess Chryselle Elysce |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
/========================================================================\|/
Heart of the Dragon
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| |
| Heart of the Dragon |
| |
| In a large country house, on the top of a hill, on the edge of a |
| small village near Althainia, there lived a young boy by the name of |
| Rhys. Rhys lived with his mother and father, and would help them in |
| the daily chores required by life on a farm. On the other side of |
| the village lived the family of a relatively successful merchant. |
| For nearly every day that could be remembered, Rhys and the |
| merchant's daughter, Allyson, had played together as children, and |
| it was said, as they grew, that the two would make a fine couple. |
| |
| In the beginning, Rhys and Allyson paid little mind to such talk, |
| for they were children, and did not care for talk of Love or |
| marriage. As time went on, however, their games and fun turned |
| serious, and they became smitten with one another. They spent every |
| moment they could together, and one night, beneath the stars, they |
| each promised to love the other forever. |
| |
| Rhys's parents were very happy with the idea of his betrothal to |
| Allyson, and indeed it seemed the entire village supported the |
| notion, and many choruses of "I told you so" were uttered by the |
| people there. Allyson's father, the merchant, was not so pleased, |
| however. He made arrangements to move himself and his family across |
| the sea, to the distant city of Arkane. |
| |
| When Rhys heard the news, he became distraught. What was he to |
| do? His family had not the money to pay for passage, even just for |
| him. He hid in his family's barn and cried, praying desperately for |
| some way to stay with his beloved Allyson. His prayers, however, |
| seemed unheeded by men or Gods. |
| |
| Every night he spent like this, once chores were done and all had |
| gone to their beds. Every night for two weeks, he prayed for |
| guidance, until finally morning broke on the day that Allyson was to |
| leave. Waking to the daylight, Rhys sat up, and was suddenly |
| blessed with a vision. He saw standing before him, in all Her |
| divine glory, the Goddess Taliena. |
| |
| "Dear Rhys," She spoke, "the purity, strength, and devotion of |
| your Love is rare in one so young. However, you must also have the |
| courage to pursue that Love, and that is something none may give |
| you. You must look within yourself. Prove to me your courage, and |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| I will aid you how I may." And with that, She disappeared. |
| |
| Rhys sat in stunned silence for some time, but soon enough began |
| to consider what he should do. To prove his courage strong enough |
| to pursue Love, he decided to do just that, and set off for the |
| merchant's house at a run, hoping he was not too late. |
| |
| "Allyson!" he cried out as he approached, and again, "Allyson! I |
| have to talk with you!" |
| |
| "What's this?" said the merchant, exiting his house. "Be gone |
| with you, churl. My daughter is no concern of yours." |
| |
| "Aye, but she is," Rhys replied, "and I would speak with her |
| before she goes." |
| |
| "You would, perhaps, but you won't, as I will not allow it." |
| |
| "I ask you, please, let me see her?" Rhys pleaded. |
| |
| "No, never again!" the merchant said, and he struck Rhys with the |
| back of his hand, sending Rhys to the ground. "Now leave." he |
| commanded. |
| |
| "No." Rhys answered, defiant despite the blood on his face. "I |
| love Allyson, and not without her will I leave." |
| |
| By this time, Allyson had come outside as well, to see what the |
| ruckus was about, and she saw Rhys's face, bloodied from the cut of |
| her father's ring. That was all she saw, though, before her |
| father's hired guards drug Rhys away, even as he fought to escape |
| their grasp. |
| |
| And so as Allyson and her family began their journey to Arkane, |
| Rhys continued to struggle against the merchant's mercenaries. Now, |
| Rhys was young, and severely outnumbered, but he had also worked on |
| his family's farm for a great many years, and such work will put |
| great strength in a person. Finally, the guards tired of his |
| struggling, and one of them drew forth their crossbow, to aim at |
| him, warning Rhys that he would shoot if Rhys did not settle down. |
| |
| "Shoot me, then. Kill me." Rhys replied, "For without Allyson I |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
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\ / |
| |
| am dead anyway." |
| |
| The guard was struck silent by the force and feeling of Rhys's |
| words. Lowering his weapon, he bid the other guards to let Rhys go. |
| Quickly, Rhys thanked him, and began to run for home, to take his |
| horse from the stable, as there was no way of catching up to Allyson |
| on foot. |
| |
| Swiftly, Rhys rode to find his beloved, and caught up with her |
| family's wagon in the desert east of Althainia. As he rode up he |
| called to her, but her father had ordered her to be restrained, and |
| she could not break free. Her father sent more guards after Rhys |
| and this time ordered them to kill, as he had grown tired of Rhys's |
| persistence as well. |
| |
| Rhys tried to guide his mount out of the path of the arrows and |
| bolts, but he was not trained for battle, and neither was his horse. |
| Soon, Rhys was kneeling on the desert sands, still trying to crawl |
| forward though he had lost his steed, and also much of his own |
| blood. His strength waned, and he knew that he would die. |
| |
| Silently, he whispered, "I have failed you, sweet Allyson... |
| Failed us both... But no matter the cost, I will love you forever, |
| as I promised." With that, he fell forward, to lay upon the |
| bloodied sands. |
| |
| He never touched the ground. Hands caught him, and when he |
| looked up, he saw kneeling there before him, once again, the Goddess |
| Taliena. Warmth began to spread from Her hands, and he felt his |
| wounds begin to close as She spoke to him. |
| |
| "Now you have shown me the courage to match the dragon's share of |
| Love within your heart, and so shall I gift you. For this day, I |
| grant you the power to take on a dragon's shape to match your dragon |
| heart." As She faded away, Rhys found himself to be growing, and he |
| was filled with renewed and newfound strength. |
| |
| Flying now, Rhys soared after Allyson's wagon, catching up before |
| they had passed out of the desert. With a great gust of wind and |
| sand, he landed before them, and roared, "I will not let you take |
| her from me!" |
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
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| \ /
| |
| This scared Allyson and her family, as it would likely scare most |
| to have a dragon land before them. Allyson then noticed the scar on |
| the dragon's face, however, where Rhys had been cut. "Rhys?" she |
| called out. "Is that you?" |
| |
| "Yes, Allyson, it is. The Goddess Taliena has recognized our |
| Love, even if your father won't, and granted me this form that I |
| might keep you with me." |
| |
| So Allyson ran to him, as there was very little her father could |
| do to prevent it, his guards' weapons unable to pierce Rhys's armor |
| of scales. They flew off together, to a place they would never be |
| found, and there they stayed, living happily together forevermore. |
| |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
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Perfect Love
_________________________________________________________________________
\ / |
| Perfect Love |
| |
| Love takes many forms in our lives, but for the most part I have |
| found that there are two major categories of Love which mortals share |
| with each other: Affectionate and Compassionate. Each of these has a |
| place within Taliena's faith. |
| |
| Affectionate Love encompasses familial love, friendship, and |
| romantic love, while Compassionate Love encompasses the love of |
| strangers, and even enemies. Both of these are connected to a third |
| type of Love, often called Unconditional or Divine Love. This is the |
| Love which Taliena has for us. It is love which demands nothing in |
| return. |
| |
| As mortals, we most often give love out of a desire or need to |
| receive it. Even Compassionate Love, which encompasses charity, can |
| be tainted with selfishness. It makes you feel good about yourself to |
| be charitable towards others, and so you still gain a benefit. |
| |
| Perhaps the closest to Divine Love is Affectionate Love, in its |
| capacity as the love between a mother and her child. This is the |
| most pure form of love to be found on our world, as parents, and |
| mothers in particular, often endure a great deal of punishment without |
| commensurate reward or compensation. This is why followers of Taliena |
| often refer to the Goddess as our Mother, and goes a long way towards |
| explaining the motherly disposition I have seen Her exhibit towards us |
| as well. |
| |
| As the priestess Aurilu'mosa shared, it is important to consider |
| why we love something or someone, to analyze the reasons from time to |
| time so that we can understand if we are being fair to them. Do we |
| want to love them, serve them, or do we want to possess them? Do we |
| care for them out of concern for their needs, or for our own? |
| Sometimes the answers are surprising. Unconditional Love, she stated, |
| is the goal, but as mortals it is difficult to reach it. |
| |
| Selfless, unconditional love is ideal because it is the ideal. |
| Taliena's Love for us is not only all-encompassing, but forever |
| constant. Striving to emulate Her Divine Love brings us closer to |
| the Divine ourselves. |
| |
|
| |
| |
| ________________________________________________________________________|
\|/========================================================================\
Closing Thoughts
_________________________________________________________________________
| \ /
| |
| There are many things in life which cause us to question what we |
| know, or think that we know. Once you have found the answer to the |
| question you pose, your understanding becomes more complete, deeper, |
| and less questionable. |
| So it is with religion as well. Many speak of questioning faith, |
| and some believe it is not to be done, that questioning faith is not |
| for us, as mortals, to do, or that we should simply follow blindly, |
| and not worry over the questions. I believe, and have long believed, |
| otherwise. If you question your faith, and then find the answers to |
| those questions, either within or without yourself, then by answering |
| them your faith becomes stronger and less questionable, even if it |
| causes your faith to change from what it was. |
| This book contains many stories and poems intended to guide, and |
| teach, and answer some of the questions that may arise to a follower
| of Taliena. Obviously, one book cannot hold all the answers to |
| anything, and if you find yourself desiring to learn more about Her |
| following then you may want to find a priest, or even just another |
| of Her faith. Remember, She is inside all of us. Speak, and She will |
| hear. |
| Remember that we, all of us, are both students and teachers. To |
| believe that you are solely the latter is to admit that you have |
| stopped learning. Anyone who teaches because it gives them power over |
| others has got it wrong. We all receive gifts. They are not given to |
| us to be hoarded, but shared. |
| If we acknowledge what we do not know, we can learn, question, and |
| experiment. And, we can disagree. But any who are aligned in a |
| common purpose should have the confidence to disagree, and feel the |
| right, and even responsibility, to challenge each other's thinking in |
| order to gain the deeper levels of understanding needed to achieve |
| their goal. |
| Those who are aligned in their vision, who hold in their hearts a |
| common purpose, can engage in serious, respectful, and divergent |
| conversation about the best way to achieve that vision. Further, that |
| is the only way to do so. |
| Finally, I would warn against hollow words of respect. We must not |
| only treat each other as equals, but actually see each other as such. |
| We all have our own paths to walk, and no path is less valid than |
| another. Without that respect, without recognizing that divine spark |
| which we all carry, we will never be able to unite, towards any goal. |
| |
| Namaste. |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________________ |
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