My obligations pile up faster than I can deal with them, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. Although I don’t sweat, I can feel my hot spots revving into high gear. My pulse is racing, and I want either a mud bath or a huge bunch of bananas. You can’t fight instinct sometimes. Personal comfort has to Read More
Tag: ganesha
The Cairn on the Beach
by Annie Bien Artha’s feet sank into sand, the tide swept waves forward, ocean swarmed his legs, stung his ankle wounds. He cringed, dreading the whip, shouts, lacerations. He sank torso deep. Stay still. No more fire, collapsing wood, temple crashing, shouts, running, no darted thigh, falling. He remembered the boy blowing into his trunk, whispering: “No more whips, marigold Read More
Righteous Nonviolence
In our stories and histories, humans often glorify violence and struggle. We render conflicts great and small as physical confrontations with clear winners and losers. Reality, however, reveals few solutions born from violence. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we should consider a different path. We should aim for righteous nonviolence, even if we fall short. Storybook Solutions Some men Read More
Beget (Violence)
The evening commute on the NYC subway system requires one to maintain patience, divest oneself of personal space, and ignore a substantial amount of noise. I do none of those three things well. My huge ears pick up far too much commuter crazy. No body configuration allows me to stand comfortably without jostling humans. And I’m a city pachyderm; I Read More
Happy Diwali!
Happy Diwali everyone, and welcome to Elephants Never! Today, more than a billion people worldwide will light candles, say prayers over flames, and shoot off fireworks. We will celebrate the triumph of light over dark and the renewal of our family bonds. We will turn up the music, dance, and enjoy the Hindu festival of Diwali with our families. And Read More