Preface: For those Wonderfuls in the “know (body knows the trouble I’ve seen…”)–ever a work in (Pilgrim’s) Progress–I’m picking up where my last (two) posts left off in search of greener pastures.

For those who are new, or in need of elaboration, Context is meant to get you up to speed, so you can slow down and catch my drift.

(And, if I lose you along the way, don’t worry…it should all come together by the end.)

Context:

Struck by spontaneous reminiscences over the past couple weeks, I found myself experiencing brief bouts of intense sobbing as I was struck by how dismal my life once was.

Initially bothered by these uncharacteristic  (but manageable) outpourings, I knew this was evidence of growth, and new work to be done.

Since then, I’ve come to realize that I’d been too hard on days gone by–and, this lessoning judgement allowed for a (pardon my rose) garden-variety perspective…

…a metaphor for my understanding that, while celebrating my current blessings, I mistakenly weeded out a good deal of the annuals as I tended to past hurts…a reduction that left me remembering my earlier self as a lone flower growing up through a crack in the (de-)pray-vement.

I can see, now, that this is an easy (bear) trap to fall into, since the big-screen picture–my Xanadu, if you will—is still a bit fuzzy/dicey.

For, at this stage, as I prepare for a “future so bright I gotta wear shades”, I’m caught between an (oopsy-daisy) balancing act/exploration of two worlds (past and present)…

Virtually alternating between dancing along unfamiliar (roller) coast(er) lines–and taking lurching-baby-steps…

(*both of which sometimes result in pink-cord-ripping pratfalls*)

Happily, Adorables, today finds me embracing the perspective that a Utopian green (and, gold) space, where my dandy Zion fluff will fertilize my (sunny and Cheshire) field of beams, is write around the corner of my eye.

And–as I continue to encourage myself to get out of my way–I offer the same compassion to any who care to take me up on it.  🙂

Here we go….

Greetings,  salt of the earth(lings)! 🙂

I’m sure we agree that, “as the days go by”, “What the world needs now, is love sweet love”…

So here’s comes my contribution to spreading more of it around. 🙂

(And, “same as it ever was”, my gratitude for you keeps me striving to give as good as I get. 🙂 )

On that note, what say you to an increase in inclusive/empowering metaphors, Wonderfuls?

For, while so many of us are encouraged by existing word-plays, I’m sure we can agree that, true to theatrical form, life can be a comedy of errors…

One minute it’s all—“easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy”—(Bugs) Bunny slopes…

The next, an H.R. Puff’n’Bluff that leaves you wondering if anyone else is truly enjoying what’s on offer—given your (non)sense that just when you think you might get where the happy’s going, you lose your ever-loving-find/mind…

(*Okay, unless you’re familiar with the (1969-1972) cartoon, H.R. Pufnstuf (of dubious appeal)—and/or remember my torn pants from an earlier post—I’ve lost your mind…thereby, creating a tear in the space/time continuum…or, in splayman’s terms, an inadvertent banana split in our connection*).

(*Oh, and for future reference…a main Pufnstuf character is “Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo.*)

On the upside, if the Pufnstuf joke hit its mark, it’ll serve as fitting segue/metaphor to inspire and encourage those struggling souls who—still lost in a Fog(horn Leghorn quagmire) of social ills—are in need of brighter shores…

Here comes the magical combo now:

Given reflection on a long, long…long ago high school (lunch) period—

when I encouraged my girlfriends to come up with (*and, please forgive me*) old-lady code names so that, gaggle of Olive Oyl-ian chickens that we were, we could boldly emblazon the (close-to-school) sidewalks with chalked declarations of “Endless Love” for our respective wish beaus—

I have a newly-found empathy for the Wicked Witch of the West….

(*Oh. Please imagine a two-handed T gesture at this juncture, friends—I need to pause for the clause…a TMI-HFO…AKA: a Too Much Information Hesitation For Over-Explanation*).

1. Said love-handles included Esther Mae Rathbone (Loves Mark Smith); Agatha Gertrude Raisin (Loves Rob Hamilton); Henrietta Matilda Cratchet (Loves David Montgomery)…and, I can’t remember the other two aliases.
2. And,  yes, I was the one to make them all up…and, boy, did we laugh hysterically, conspiratorially—and, conspicuously—long after the deed had been done…
3. Prefaced with the old-school expression, turkey (rather than the lighter jab, chicken), the wish beaus /wish bone pun would have had more punch—but, I’m a lover, not a fighter, and
4. As originally (but, differently) stated , I’m ever mindful of being kinder to my younger self/ memories.

Now, my pretties, if you’d follow me back to the point(ed hat, nose, and puns)…

It’s a little-known fact that the Wicked Witch of the West became increasingly so because,

no matter how well meaning,

mainstream society had a (one-size fits all) expectation that, “when faced with life’s storms, all should learn to dance in the rain”.

Well…homely, long-faced with misunderstanding, and understandably fearful of admitting her hidden vulnerability, the Wicked Witch of the West (Side Story) gave up and turned her back on hopeful prospects.

Tragically, this left her terribly-wicked monkeys in charge of all things water…and, she was well and truly hosed when they convinced her that (when it  came to tending her garden) it was better they mist the flowers, and pour on the weeds.

Now…contrast this bamboozling with Winnie the Pooh’s early years…

Adorable as all get-out, Pooh was spared downward spirals into Eeyore-ian depths, because–

on the occasions he entertained notions that he just might be Witchie the Pooh

(given his tendency to melt whenever he saw Christopher Robbin’)–

his loyal friends made sure to let him know that he wasn’t a thief-lover; rather, unequivocally good-hearted, delightful, lovable, and loved….they always encouraged him to water his seeds of greatness….and, never his weeds!

So, Amazers, here comes the tale-end of my message….

I hope I’ve succeeded in illustrating that–since our goal is to help each other come out from behind shadows, masks, and alter egos–we need to offer a greater range of strength-inducing invitations…

You’ve done this for me by listening and supporting me as I work to understand what it means to be more of my best self…the self that finds a way to show up and be seen for who I am (warts and all 🙂 )

And, to that end, I urge the privileged among us to (Fred A-)Spare a thought for those who can neither sing, nor dance in the rain.

Let’s create a world where someone like the Wicked Witch of the (wild, wild) West could happily face life’s storms by shaking her caboose as she dances in a train! 🙂

As always, Wonderfuls, I can’t thank you enough!

God bless you and your loves 🙂

P.S. Context for the more obscure wordplay:

Title is a play on “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday”, (1991) Boyz II Men cover version of 1976 song; “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen”is a (1867) spiritual song—my homage to Black History Month; “The Pilgrim’s Progress” is John Bunyan’s 1678, Christian allegory/novel—as a teen, I tried, but couldn’t get into it; “days gone by” and “same as it ever was” are lyrics from Talking Heads (1981) hit, “Once In A Lifetime”; Looney Toons character, Foghorn Leghorn didn’t get anywhere with Miss Prissy/the opposite sex; “Endless Love” is a Lionnel Ritchie/Dianna Ross (1981) hit; “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden” is a lyric from Lynn Anderson’s 1970 cover version of “Rose Garden”; weeded out, annuals (flowers/plants that die after one season) and tending (as in, tending the garden) are garden (variety) puns—a tie in to Jan. 29/17 post; bear trap is a foreshadowing to Winnie The Pooh; Xanadu (pronounced, Zannadoo) is a 1980 movie starring Olivia Newton John—she and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) had a number one hit with the title track….also, given that roller dancing/skating features prominently in Xanadu, it makes way for fuzzy dice pun,  caught between two worlds pun, and reference to Dec 26/16 post that includes a funny/embarrassing segment about me tripping/ripping my pants while roller skating; oopsy daisy is an expression I associate with toddlers falling—I’ve used it as a metaphor, but daisy also makes it a gardening pun; “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades”, is a (1983) hit by band, Timbuck3, and the pun is tied to shielding my future self from the harsh glare of celebrity when I make it big as a writer; Xanadu, a Utopian fantasy world, laid the foundation for dandy Zion (dandelion/weed) pun and green/gold reference found in “About Me (Part A)” post; salt of the earth people are pure of heart, making earthlings an otherworldly pun; “What The World Needs Now” (is love sweet love) is a lyric from 1966, Dionne Warwick version;”Singing In The Rain” is a 1952 movie/classic…Gene Kellie’s iconic song and dance number is legendary–but, Fred Astaire’s skill was undeniably comparable.