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Thursday, June 13, 2019

EPISODE XVII - WILL THEY REMEMBER, THE PRICE PAID FOR THEIR INNOCENCE?

EPISODE XVII - WILL THEY REMEMBER, THE PRICE PAID FOR THEIR INNOCENCE?

In the previous three episodes, I spoke about your growth, both physical and spiritual; how at each stage of life, your identity, "your name," was earned. The most crucial element of all these life-changing qualities, you must appreciate, is that everything in nature is part of a great balance. All are related in one way or another - this is known a "the Butterfly effect." What this means, is that every action in life, no matter how minute, its effect, "affects" the universe, your reality. You might ask how this applies to each of you? I hope if you watch this video, it will make sense to you. The examples that follow, from my experience, should add to your understanding of this concept:

In the fall of 2008, I described to my precious mentor, Constable Martineau, my experience with Christopher "the nuisance," as I have told you the story in Episode XI - The Phoenix:

"Christopher, "the nuisance," is now very subdued: He has buried his face in his folded arms on his desk, receiving the stare of some of the students around him. A girl next to him, signals Mr. Leousis, by placing her fingers on her eyes and pretending to rub them as if Christopher, is weeping. Mr. Leousis moves closer to Christopher and asks, "Chris, are you alright?" Christopher continues to hide his face in his arms and does not respond. Mr. Leousis addresses the class":

I pursued Christopher during recess, that day, to find out why he had gone silent; why he had wept in class. I assumed that he had been disturbed by the video we had watched,
on the topic of getting old. I thought he was upset because he had some older family member, a grandparent, or another relative, who was experiencing some form of old age, mental degeneration. I was surprised to find otherwise:

Christopher described to me that his older brother, Joseph, had an accident early on last year and that he was slowly losing his memory. As tears, once again filled his eyes, he described to me how his brother of seventeen, had fallen off his skateboard and hit his head; I needed to find out more. Christopher told me that his brother was attending St. Monica's High School, so I arranged to substitute there the following week.

I attended my first class, an art class, replacing Ms. Ergo. The lesson plans were simple: Each student had to describe a collage they had put together; the subject was "lost love." Because Ms. Ergo had taken the majority of students on a field trip, to the art gallery, there remained a hand full of students; two boys, and three girls. They could not attend the tour for various reasons.

The first student to come up and describe her project was Elizabeth. It was a fascinating collage about her cat, which had run away a few months earlier and had not returned. Next up was Joseph, Christopher's brother.

Joseph had put together a series of slides about skateboarding. These slides were pasted together, forming a series, around the image of a girl, who was about his age. On her body were applied two skateboards in the form of an "X." On top of this "X-boards," was glued an image of a horrible looking cross skeleton. Joseph started explaining how he had lost the two "loves of his life," all at once. His passion for skateboarding as well as his love for Samantha. His voice began to crack as he spoke. I realized he was getting very emotional, so I intervened and said:



"Wow, Joseph, you remind me of the loss of my favorite sport of cycling. From an early age, by “hook or by crook,” I always managed to go and participate in my favorite sport of cycling.” Many times, I had to "pay the price" for my innocence. 

I went on to describe to the students my experience as I have noted in my story of EPISODE X - LOVE, TRUST AND FORGIVENESS and how I nearly lost my sight. Years later, another more severe tragedy almost took place, with a bicycle: 


"By working many, many hours, helping out my father in photography and doing a lot of pleadings, he finally relented and allowed me to purchase a brand new bike. I had learned my lessons since my accident with the phantom police cruiser, and I was going to be exceedingly careful, obeying all the rules of the road. What I did not understand then, which I realize now, is that it takes more than your best effort in the safety of the road. Everyone else around you must also be extremely focused: 

It was that first day, "the very first day," that I decided to ride my new bike up the mountain to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where my mother was working. I wanted to show off my new bike. I arrived there, all sweaty and out of breath from climbing the hills and managed to get to my mother's place of work. My mother shared my happiness about, my spanking new bike; she invited her coworkers to refreshment as is the Hellenic tradition. Each one wishing me, "Siderenio" (Siderenio, καλή τύχη στην ελληνική); meaning, "made of steel," a wish of good fortune, to celebrate my new bike. I was proud! 

On my way back, just before entering the busy intersection, of Pine Avenue and Park Avenue, I waited at the corner of Rue Durocher, so that the downhill traffic would lessen, before attempting the ride, left, under the overpass. As I waited at the edge, with my right foot resting on the sidewalk, a dark blue sedan approached from my left, wanting to make a right turn on Rue Durocher. The driver, not realizing that he had taken his turn too sharply, began to mount the curb. His car began to run over the front wheel of my bicycle. A few centimeters higher, over the sidewalk and he would have crushed both my legs. He just drove on his merry way, without even realizing what he had done! In shock, I tried to contain my fear and anger and proceeded to carry my mangled bicycle home. I will not describe to you what awaited me at home when my father found out. This was the last time I was to ride a bicycle for many years to come.


At this point, I could see Joseph wanting to say something, so I addressed him, "Joseph is there something you want to add?" Joseph, struggling for words, choking; he tried to hold back the tears as he spoke.

"Sir, I loved skateboarding; it was my greatest joy, now I have lost this and Samantha." He went on to explain that, his father had nagged and warned him to no end. He insisted that Joseph wear his helmet when skateboarding: Joseph defied his father each time and refused to wear a helmet.


One day, while trying one of his favorite flip tricks, to impress his girl Samantha and friends, he slipped. He crashed into a metal sidebar and was knocked unconscious. He obtained a severe head injury.

Brain scans had since revealed degeneration of Joseph's brain cells. Cognitive tests revealed loss of memory over time and doctors suspected something called, "chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE," might be at play. Studies were continuing at McMaster Hospital, to which Joseph attended at least once a month for test and injections of a new test drug. In fact, he was due for an appointment that very day, after school.

In relating to his artwork, Joseph explained that the series of skateboard pictures leading to crashing on his girlfriend Samantha meant that their future was over, thus the cross bone skull. He loved Samantha more than his skateboarding, more than his life, but there was no future for them. If they were to marry and have children because of his brain injury, he would not be able to recognize his children, their names or joys as his brain degeneration took its final toll... at this point, he broke down and cried. Students got out of their seats and surrounded him trying to counsel him. I asked Joseph to take a break, go out to the bathroom, and wash up.

We continued our discussions and followed with the other presentations until the bell rang. I asked the students to locate Joseph and have him meet me in the classroom as soon as they found him; minutes later, Joseph appeared at the door. As I spoke to him, he lowered his head in thought, staring at the floor and avoiding my gaze. When I placed my right hand over his right shoulder and said. "Joseph, I want you to know, I have a strong feeling that things will turn out just fine. As a biologist, I have been studying the latest findings on this cognitive disease. There is great promise in the latest research. Joseph, soon after, began to raise his head. Staring me in the eyes, said, "Thank you, sir, I wish so much for a cure."

That night, I entered the Elysian Fields for my just reward, my touch on his right shoulder, without Joseph realizing, had set him on the path of healing. The fact that I had taken matters onto myself, without consulting with the Elysium, was another matter soon to be revealed to me, "a price had to be paid":

Within the laughter of joyous women, Hygieia ("Hygiene", the goddess/personification of health, cleanliness, and sanitation), Iaso (the goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (the goddess of the healing process), Aglæa/Ægle (the goddess of beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, and adornment), and Panacea (the goddess of universal remedy), I was surrounded by them. They each took my hands and led me into a garden where serpents roamed freely and harmlessly: Here, the voice of Asclepius, the God of healing, cried out to me:



"Νέε, φορέα του "Φωτός," έχεις αυτή τη μέρα για να φέρεις θεραπεία στον ενδέκατο γιο του Εβραίου Ιακώβ, ας είναι έτσι' αλλά η σοφία δεν είναι με το μέρος σου. Η πράξη καλοσύνης, έχει εξοργίσει την Κλωθώ, τη Λάχεση, και την Άτροπο και θα επιζητήσουν το μερίδιό τους από εσένα. Ας είναι το δάγκωμά μου σαν από φίδι στη σάρκα σου, το δώρο μου για σένα για την προστασία σου από αυτές."

(Young carrier of The Light, you have this day, brought healing to the eleventh son of Hebrew Jacob, let it be so; but wisdom is not on your side, "fates" (Moira) have been altered:


And so it was, I held out my left arm. A small serpent rushed and bit me on my hand, leaving a small scar. It was, "the price I had to pay" for using "The Light," without consulting the judges of the Elysium: Immediately, I felt a calming rush of warmth flow through my body. I was now protected.

Constable Martineau, who all this time was listening intensely to my experience about Joseph, finally spoke: "Je vois que «Joseph» a de nouveau saisi votre vie. Je peux le voir dans le ciel en regardant vos bonnes actions et souriant." 

(I see that "Joseph" has once again entered your life. I can see him in heaven looking down at your good deeds and smile.)


What he was referring to was the old man, Joseph, in my story; THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY? We both laughed. We ended our conversation, by Constable Martineau, saying goodbye and adding, "Ah, will they ever remember, the price paid for their innocence?" As I thought about what Constable Martineau noted. I wondered aloud, "I hope young Joseph realizes, the price "I," paid for him, and he uses this life-giving opportunity, to make a difference."


You see my friends, in the first instance, with my bicycle accident; I had done little to invite my consequence. I did not encourage this careless driver to smash over my bike with the possibility of crushing my legs. In that case, any help I would have received from anyone would have been a just compensation.


In the second example with Joseph, I had interfered with a choice Joseph, had consciously made. He purposely did not listen to his father. He chose an irresponsible path. The butterfly effect had now been placed in motion: His naive actions, had now affected all around his reality. His young brother, his parents, his girlfriend Samantha, and others were all now asked to "pay the price." I decided to help, Joseph. I knew that my "Moira," (Μοῖραι) would be affected as well: For this, "I" would have to pay the price as well in the form of regression, from the path towards the Elysium.


There are many persons out there, each day, "paying the price" for your innocence:

In this age of rage, parents mostly will put themselves in harm's way, having to deal with an out of control teen, who through his nature to reach independence will go to extremes placing themselves in harm's way to the horror of their parents or guardians. I know of some cases where parents have risked their own lives, have been beaten, arrested, and paid a heavy price in their attempts to save their children from self-harm. Although these are extreme cases, nonetheless, this is the extent such "genuine" guardians will go "to pay the price", for their young's innocence. All they ask in turn is that you recognize their contribution and sacrifice for such a young teen's care. To honor them through kindness and understanding towards others as "payment" in recognition of their deeds:


Can you name a few persons; you have been kind to today, to honor those who have paid the price for you, those who have paid for your innocence?


For this reason, my young listeners/readers of this story. Will you use the opportunity given to you by life itself, and those wise men/women, who sacrifice for you by passing on "The Light," "to make a difference"?


I want to deliver my message in a lighter note, please see this video.



 By Elias Leousis,

(Η αγάπη είναι το μελάνι, η σοφία είναι το μήνυμα.) 
Love is the ink; wisdom is the message!







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