Love's Synergistic Ways

Octavia looked at the snow globe center of her dressing table.  Roses of varying shades filled the water and artificial snow interior.  The roses retained their beauty for her to enjoy again and again.  She remembered the time the bouquets arrived shortly after Tomas joined their household.  Tongson's jealousy and possessiveness almost broke the trio apart.  Tomas admitted to feeling similar pangs and quirks during a yelling match between the two of them.  

Octavia smiled as she reached for the globe admiring how the sunbeam shining through the frosted window pane illuminated the tricolored rose center of the display.  Three distinct colors each brilliantly standing out at the edges of the petal, muted as they flowed toward the center of the rose blended together in a mixed new shade.  The shade showed tinges and parts of the other colors creating a whole that brought out the discrete qualities of each part of the whole. One word came to mind, synergy.  The sum is greater than the individual parts.

“Admiring or remembering, love?” Tomas’s voice purred over her shoulder warming her ear.   He nipped the bare flesh between her neck and where the strap of her night gown lay. 
“Maybe both, you feline,” Tongson murmured, moving up on her other side.  His warm hand slid up her arm stopping at her shoulder.

Octavia smiled as she viewed the uniquely different men’s reflections in the mirror.   There was no mistaking the love their eyes glowed.  Glancing higher, she noted they stood shoulder to shoulder, touching without avarice or jealousy.  Each knew the value they brought to the triad.  When she remarked on either male’s similarities to the other in emotion or action, they teased or fussed sometimes.  Most of the time, they smiled and nodded agreeing that even though they were different in their animalistic natures, their human side embraced the difference and learned how similar they were in many ways.  Love did that to people who took the time to learn, embrace change, and see things from a perspective diverse from their own.

“I’m seeing the new and change amongst us while remembering.” Octavia picked up the snow globe, saluting Tongson and Tomas individually.  

“Good times and hard ones influence each of us,” Tongson offered kissing her cheek.  He glanced up catching Tomas’s nod.

“Yes, my friend and co-husband,” Tomas replied, kissing Octavia’s other cheek.  “I learned how to fit in and to share.  To embrace my uniqueness and let go of fear while finding out how to trust.”

Tongson smiled.  He winked at the three of them as he spoke.  “I had to overcome my own doubts and worries.  I needed to let love guide me instead of listening to my mind.  Letting my heart speak and address the issues that plagued me most took a lot of work and time.”

“How would you rate the effort?” Octavia asked rubbing her cheek against Tongson’s hand.

“Worth the journey and education,” Tongson replied, raising his hand to cup her face.  “And you my co-part?”  Tongson nodded to Tomas.

“Hard work is often worth the effort.  I took the path of resistance until I realized that letting love in was easier than I thought.  I stopped resisting and started loving.” Tomas raised his hand above Octavia’s head, palm up moving it toward Tongson.  “Loving showed me a way I didn’t know existed.”

Tongson raised his free hand up, grasping Tomas’s over Octavia’s head.  Each nodded as the trio quietly sat taking in the moment and the love surrounding them.  Octavia’s  smile grew as Tomas and Tongson brought their faces down next to hers so the three appeared surrounded by the halo the setting sun reflected into the mirror.

Love’s synergy brought them together.  Mixed, enhanced, and even changed them while bringing them closer and more fully in love.  That love multiplied and embraced Mickey and Nighthawk.  A trio became a quintet and a family strong and firmly bonded.  Love’s catalyst and addition brought them to a place they might not have gotten to without it.

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Happy Weekend Gang!

Be sure to catch our blog hop here next week.  Some of our Talbot's Peak's citizens share their best and worst Valentine's dates and moments!

I hope you're warm indoors reading a good book or two.  I know we have had our share of cold and weather here at the Spice Homestead.  Colds and doctor visits have headlined this past week.  We're on the mend and with the TLC flowing I'm sure we will be fine.

As the middle of winter battles with the fine edges of spring waiting and watching for the time grab hold, share a good book or two with your loves and spice.  I know I will!

Until next week,

Solara

HOME AGAIN

Tongson sat before the fire pit staring into the flames.  The brisk breeze blew down off the mountain peaks bringing with it the hint of chill and cold telling of the change of seasons.  Soon the first snow fall of the season would decorate the peaks behind him.  Fall foliage and many of the highland animals would vacate for lower areas closer to town.  Even Tavia mentioned packing up and returning to their city home.  Tongson inhaled filling his lungs with the scents he’d come to love over their spring, summer, and fall sojourn here on their peak in the mountains. 

Tomas left six months prior on one of his journeys that took him far away from the family.  The twins were barely crawling when he left.  Their older brothers and sister ran the quad with their spindly legs racing all over until they curled up in young children puppy pile style fall fast a sleep for a few hours.  Mickey and Night Hawk’s daughter ruled the rest of the children like the diva she loved to be.  Her new brother might temper those outbursts as he got older.    Yes, life was good here on their peak.    The book store and Tavia’s new arts and craft business needed attention.  And the tribe needed him.

Tongson stirred the fire watching the sparks fly into the dark midnight sky.  Deep within the house, most slept.  Ready for the journey they would undertake in the morning.  Maybe not until late afternoon if he didn’t sleep soon.  This time the truck and SUV would take them down the mountain and back to town.  Shape shifting with small babes and toddlers took more energy and time than any of them had leaving the mountains this late in the season.  Tomorrow would come no matter how much he longed for time to slow allowing him more time in the serenity and quiet he’d come to enjoy.

“Can’t sleep?” Tavia asked slipping her arms around him from behind.  She hugged him to her.  

Tongson nodded as she kissed his cheek.  “I wish sleep would claim me.  We elude each other.  Back to town tomorrow.”    He sighed and leaned against Tavia.

“The seasons have seen us grow and change.”  Tavia slipped her hand into Tongson’s.  She knew the call earlier in the week still haunted him.  His father at the age of one hundred had joined Tongson’s mother in the hereafter.  Watching two human parents age weighed heavily on their adopted son.  Neither of them permitted Tongson to deny his heritage or who he was.  Their unconditional 

love and support shaped the man next to her.  The man, the spirit bear, she loved and called husband.

“Tomas called,” she whispered leaning closer to Tongson.  

“How is he?  I miss that Tom Cat!”  Tongson sneezed as if on cue.  “Even miss his blasted dander tickling my nose.”

“He’s coming home.” Tavia squeezed her senior husband’s hand.  “Both my husbands will sleep with me between again.”

Tongson nodded.  Sometimes home was a place, a feeling, and even the people who made up the family.  He was blessed to have all three here and now.  Tomorrow he would have more again in another place that called him home again.

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Happy Weekend Gang!

A few readers have remarked on how harsh and hard Tyburn and Rachel's saga is.  Pris and I are thinking about where to take the story next with them.  Meanwhile, the other part of our Alaskan group is making their way back to town after some time in their mountain home.  

Be sure to keep warm as the chill of fall begins.  Keep a good book or two handy  to share as you cuddle with your Spice and loves under a blanket in front of the fireplace.  I know I will!

Until next week,

Solara

 

Love, Faith, Hope-The Greatest of These

Tomas looked up from the sermon he laid upon the pulpit.  He smoothed out the crinkles in the pages again.  He splayed his hand over the words making up the title.  His throat constricted as two more filed in and made their way up the aisle until they found seats in the hard wooden pews filling the converted church.  

Tavia’s weak smile warmed his heart.  Two pews back Mickey and Night Hawk sat keeping the children occupied.  Tongson’s brief nod as Tomas’s eyes met his communicated more than Tomas could ever say aloud.  Human and shifter alike dab their eyes.  Many took the packets of tissue offered as they entered the sanctuary.  

Tomas cleared his throat catching the attention of the packed room.  He nodded to the gray haired woman sitting at the battered piano.  She played the opening chords of Amazing Grace.  A quartet of men and women rose on the left side of room.  Their voices blended as each sang a line of lyrics before all four sang in unison.    Another familiar song filled the room as two shifters sang a ballad about illicit love and broken hearts.  As they sat, Tomas spoke.

“Friends, neighbors, and loved ones, today’s tragedy brings home once again why we must unite as a community.  One person took too many lives, hurt innocent beings, and lost touch with himself.  Others seek to harm and hurt anyone who is different.  Some shrink away in fear.  Some use words and actions to justify the malice they do.”

Tomas paused.  Several heads nodded and whispered echoed off the walls.  Licking his lips, he continued.

“Our fellow shifters in Talbot’s Peak face life and death daily from human and shifters.  Humans face the same from humans and shifters as well.  They’ve chosen to unite and live.  To embrace their differences and work together to create a haven and home for those that want to live in peace, love, and a faith in their fellow citizens’ innate goodness and sincerity.”

More nods and soft yeses resounded.  Tomas scanned the crowded room.  Two large men stood near the exit doors.  Their arms hung at their sides.    Moments earlier, they were tight against their chests.  Tomas inhaled deeply.  His eyes meet Mickey’s.  She mouthed I love you, raised her and Night Hawk’s joined hands, and blew a kiss toward Tomas.

Tongson sat with his arm around Tavia.  His wide smile and wink erased any lingering angst Tomas felt.  Tavia’s head bob gave him the fuel he needed to go on.

“There are many quotes on faith, peace, and love.  Many of us here are pagan, a natural religion.  Others are of varying faiths.  For me, I have three that guide me daily.  I’d like to share these with you.  First comes from the Christian Bible:  Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.  The next quote I stumbled upon surfing the internet looking for inspiration for tonight’s topic.  I found one that hit home by a person named Adlin Sinclair a British executive and humanitarian.  He said, and I quote, ‘Without faith, hope and trust, there is no promise for the future, and without a promising future, life has no direction, no meaning and no justification.’  The last is from Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher: Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

Tomas looked up from the paper in front of him.  He felt all eyes watched him intently.  It was though the community breathed as one spirit, one entity, with them waiting for his next utterance.  Tomas swallowed hard and followed where his heart led him.

“I sense a deep love and caring within us.  Those in Colorado are hurting.  We’ll do what we can for them through our connections with Talbot’s Peak.  I know I want to tell each of you I love you and your love gives me the courage to go on despite this awful tragedy.  Our faith in each other unites us and brings us together to work in peace and harmony for the greater good of all.   Over the next days, weeks, and months as those touched by this begin to heal or let out their grief and hurt, let’s remember we’re in this together.  No one stands alone.”

Tomas gathered up his papers.  He stepped down from the pulpit.  One person stood, clapping.  Another joined and another.  Smiles, greeted him as he made his way down the aisle.  When he reached the door, the largest of the guards leaned down.  “The donation area is packed with boxes and items offered by everyone in attendance.  The cash jar is stuffed to the brim.  We found another and it is overflowing as well.”

Tomas clenched the paper in his hands.  A tear threatened to streak down his check.  A soft hand wiped it away.  He turned.  Tavia and Tongson stood next to him offering their hands.  He moved toward them knowing he’d come home to where he belonged and acceptance was the norm, not the abnormal.

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Hi Gang,

My heart goes out to the people of Aurora, CO.  Having gone through the last Los Angeles Riots,  I can relate to the feelings everyone is going through.   My post this week is my attempt to make sense of the world around me and the horror that sometimes fills our lives.  Hug your loved ones, friends, and extended family by blood or choice.  Tell them you love them and how much they mean to you.  It's important.  Take time to enjoy each other and have hope that a brighter tomorrow is out there for all of us.

Solara