What makes us human…
Eternal embrace? Couple still hugging 5,000 years on
ROME – Call it the eternal embrace.
Archaeologists in Italy have discovered a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, hugging each other.
“It’s an extraordinary case,” said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.
“There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging — and they really are hugging.”
Menotti said she believed the two, almost certainly a man and a woman although that needs to be confirmed, died young because their teeth were mostly intact and not worn down.
The Eastern world has long held a philosophy called Taoism. The goal of this philosophy is union with the Tao, which is accomplished through nonaction and detachment from the world. The final goal is to overcome worldly desires and attachments. Thus fear, hatred and jealousy are vanquished forever.
Yes emotions and worldly attachments give us our wars, our murders, our hate, envy, greed, and lust. The darkest side of humanity, the blackest part of our soul, is fed by our emotions and attachments.
But our emotions and attachments also give us our love, our music, our art, and our poetry. Without our emotions we would have no Beethoven, no Taj Mahal, and no Shakespeare. Our love for our attachments drives us forward, and makes us seek to be better then we are. Without this drive we would have never reached the moon and risen above all other creatures in the world. Our emotions and attachments bring out both the worst and best of humanity. If we follow Taoism the world will be safer, but a much less interesting place. And worst of all, there would be no love, one of the few things that makes life on this small blue world somewhat bearable.
Love, more then anything else, is what makes us human.
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As a widower of 18 months, I can also tell you it makes you vulnerable to the most down time of your life.
The great years of having been with the best of friends, your confidant and lover can set you up for a fall from the highest peak.
I know, I have been there and walked the valley.
I know my dear wife would not want it that way, but I know how true it is.
In her memory I will post two poems, her’s to me and mine to here…hope I am not a downer for everyone because that is not what I intend..I wish to show how good it can be.
This poem that is by an anonymous author was given to me by my future wife on the occassion of my asking her to marry me
Touch me — in secret places no one has reached before,
— in silent places where words only interfere,
— in sad places where only whispering makes sense.
Touch me — in the morning when night still clings,
— at midday when confusion crowds upon me,
— at twilight as I begin again to know who I am,
— in the evening when I see you and I hear you best of all.
Touch me — like a child who will never have enough love,
— for I am a girl who wants to be lost in your arms,
a woman who has known enough pain to love,
a mother who is strong enough to give.
Touch me — in crowds when a single look says everything,
— in solitude when it’s too dark to even look,
— in absence when I reach for you through time and miles.
Touch me — when I ask,
— when I’m afraid to ask.
Touch me — with your lips,
your hands,
your words,
your presence in the room.
Touch me — gently for I am fragile,
— firmly for I am strong,
— often for I am alone.
A lovely poem that totally reflected the essence of my wife.
Sadly I lost her last August, but I am humbly thankfull for have having the pleasure and priviledge to have known and loved and been loved by such a sensitive lady.
So if some of you have seen the post from my wife to be that she gave to me, this is the one I shared with her a few weeks earlier.
It is by Rod McKuen
This is the way it was
while I was waiting for your eyes
to find me.
I was drifting going no place
Hypnotized by sunshine
maybe,
barking back at seals along the beach.
Skipping flat stones on the water,
but much too wise for sand castles.
My castles were across the sea
or still within my mind.
There were the beach bars
and the other beach people
sometimes little bedrooms were my beach,
but I was drifting.
I must have thought the night could save me
as I went down into pillows
looked up through dirty windows
smiled back from broken mattresses
turned in Thunderbirds
and kissed in elevators.
I cried too sometimes
For me.
I loved every face I thought looked pretty
and every kindred eye I caught in crowds.
But I was drifting,
before you.
You notice the one on the left died with the mouth open? Must have been the wife 🙂