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The Golden Thread
When thinking about life, it is easy to understand why so many cultures have stories and legends about gods, goddesses, and all sorts of beings invested with power over the human life. In times when diseases were not understood, it made perfect sense that someone, or something evil, caused afflictions. Recently, it has been The Fates that occupied my thoughts. One Fate to spin the thread of life, one to measure that thread, and one to cut the thread to end life. Their work seemed capricious, taking down both good and evil gods, as well as mortal humans. In fact, their power over life and death made them the most feared and the most powerful of all the magical deities in both Greek and Roman mythology.
Three weeks ago, I was given health news that made me think of my own golden thread. How Atropos may have been sharpening her scissors not so far behind me. Meanwhile, Cotho, the spinner and Lachesis, the allotor, would continue to spin and measure until the scissor performed its duty.
I spent anxious days waiting until the “as soon as possible” test would confirm what I had already been told — a 90% chance of a heart attack — soon. I learned how capricious life is. Within two weeks I lost two friends. One who had called me to tell me she was going to die, and there was nothing to do for it, so she was at peace with it. She said she specifically called me to “make her laugh,” using my…
