Sure, at first glance it would seem these two women have very little in common, but let’s look again: both were too young when one afternoon their lives changed forever; both were strong & independent; and both were fiercely loyal.
Scarlett was my first hero. I read Gone With the Wind probably six times before I was eighteen. I loved that Scarlett was tough as nails all the while looking gorgeous and batting her eyelashes. I instantly connected to her love of the land – her red earth…Obviously the Irish thing was a huge pull, but I loved that Scarlett grew-up too. Her heart and its wantings changed with time and age.
Like Scarlett, I didn’t appreciate the value of female friendships until after I had had children – women were always competition before. Take Melanie – she was no simpering fool although she often appeared helpless due to her poor health, but time and time again she supported Scarlett when no other would. In contrast Ashley appeared to be noble, forthright and strong, but really he was just an anchor to the past instead of the rock Scarlett first perceived him to be. Melanie was the rock…and Scarlett.
Scarlett would do anything, say anything to protect her beloved Tara and what was hers. Of course there were costs in this. Things were sticky – to save Tara and give her family a home, she married her sister’s fiancée. She stole him really, all while penniless and gorgeous in her new green, velvet dress, a.k.a. the parlor drapes. How could you not love her???
Mother Mary wasn’t so easy for me to attach to initially. First off – the story of a virgin birth, can we say tramp? Cover-up? It took me years to allow the possibility of this story – the leap of faith. I had to come to understand the teachings and environment of these stories. I discovered there was much more space in the details of the events.
As you may know Jesus was a Jew and his story was originally told by spoken word through his disciples – something akin to a Rabbi. Well, one forgets that the Rabbi told stories and allegories to teach their followers – the details were shifted a bit to keep the story interesting and connect to audience they spoke before. They were, in many cases, the entertainment of the day.
For example, Jesus was forever going off for 40 days – to the desert, in isolation, whatever, but did he go off for forty days? Back then, when someone said, “forty days,” it just meant a long time. The audience then knew this; however it is us, the exact interpreters that need things to be black and white. This taught me about flexible thinking…but I digress, back to Mary.
Mary has always challenged me not only by the virgin birth, but also, how could she just stand there during the crucifixion of Jesus? How could she not shout out, “Stop, stop, take me. Take me, please, please, take me…” What kind of mother was she???
It took me years to discover she was exactly the kind of mother I strive to be everyday. She supported her son and the decisions he made for his life because she trusted him…and God. This was Jesus’ life and she stood by, faithfully until the end.
How could she deny the truth of what Jesus predicted to unfold? Hadn’t she also heard Gabriel announce her own difficult path? How many called her a tramp as she walked by? Perhaps her village shunned her…but she accepted her path and held fast to her own truth. How could her child do less when so called? And again, where else would Mary be, but at Jesus’ feet as he shouted out his last?
I believe, Mary knew the glory to be on the other side for Jesus. You see, Mary knew magic and miracles every day – every time she saw Jesus’ smile she was reminded how real they truly are…
There you have it – Scarlett and Mary, my two heroines of tales gone by, who guide me each day to a brand new tomorrow, where possibilities unfold and magic is surely lurking just beyond…
Who are your heroes???
Did you like this? Share it:
Subscribe to Kelly Ballard's Blog (Using Google Reader)
