AN OLD FLAME, FRESH PAIN, AND A RUBBER DUCK
GREETINGS, READERS OF THE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER CERTIFIED BY DS13 OPS AS THE MOST SPAM-FLAGGED COMMUNIQUE IN THE PAST YEAR. I, H’AJAH, DAUGHTER OF SHAL — BARD OF KILUR, BREAKER OF SHIPS, PAINTER OF WARGAMING MINIATURES — HAVE COME TO AID YOU IN YOUR DARKEST HOUR. THREE QUESTIONS HAVE I RECEIVED, AND THREE QUESTIONS I HAVE ANSWERED, DELIVERING SWIFT AND TERRIBLE WISDOM TO THE TOPICS OF YOUR MOST DIRE NEED.
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A LICENSED THERAPIST AND MY ADVICE IS BASED ON THE EDUCATION I RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOL OF HARD ROCKS. BY SOLICITING MY COUNSEL, YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO HOLD ME LIABLE FOR UNWANTED OUTCOMES. I CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE EVEN THOUGH I WOULD PROBABLY FIX IT IF YOU LISTENED AND DID EXACTLY AS I SAID.
ANONYMOUS FROM ANONYMOUS WRITES:
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THE DIFFICULTY OF ALLOWING A FORMER MATE TO CONTINUE TO LIVE AND DRAW BREATH IS NOT TO BE UNDERESTIMATED, PARTICULARLY IF YOU MUST CONTINUE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE. SINCE YOU HAVE NOT YET SLAUGHTERED THIS FORMER FLAME TO EXPUNGE HIM AND HIS CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF YOU FROM THE UNIVERSE, I WILL PRESUME THAT HE IS BOTH A WARRIOR AND A GENTLEMAN, AND THAT HIS CONTINUED EXISTENCE CAUSES YOU NO ONGOING SHAME. HIS PROFESSIONAL PROWESS HAS REMINDED YOU OF THE ATTRACTION THAT DREW YOU TOGETHER BEFORE AND REKINDLED SOME OF THE EMBERS OF YOUR AFFECTION. YOUR FRUSTRATION IS UNDERSTANDABLE; YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD ROLLED THIS SCROLL AND SHELVED IT FOR GOOD, AND YET HERE YOU ARE, DISTRACTED BY HIS ALLURE ONCE AGAIN.
TO FEEL ATTRACTION RETURN WHERE IT EXISTED BEFORE SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE; THOUGH YOU HAVE SURELY GROWN AND CHANGED, YOU ARE STILL THE PERSON WHO WAS ATTRACTED TO HIM BEFORE. BUT WOULD RE-CONQUERING THIS FAMILIAR TERRITORY JUST BE REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE? FIRST, ASK YOURSELF: WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU DID MATE AGAIN? HOW MUCH HAVE YOU CHANGED, AND HOW MUCH HAS HE?
IF YOU CONCLUDE THAT RELAPSING TO YOUR FORMER LOVER WOULD BE A MISTAKE, YOU MUST DO YOUR BEST TO DRIVE THESE IDLE FANTASIES FROM YOUR HEART AND FORTIFY IT AGAINST REINVASION. YOU MAY HOLD HIM IN PROFESSIONAL ESTEEM IF HE DESERVES IT, BUT ONLY AT A DISTANCE. IT WILL NOT BE EASY, GIVEN YOUR PROXIMITY, BUT YOU MUST LEARN TO COMPARTMENTALIZE YOUR WORK SELF AND LOVE SELF TO KEEP HIM FROM SWAYING THE PART OF YOU THAT KNOWS HE IS UNWORTHY. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, YOU MAY NEED TO SEEK A DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENT WHICH WILL GIVE YOU THE SPACE YOU NEED TO GET YOUR RIDGES STRAIGHT.
IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR ATTRACTION ONCE AGAIN, YOU MUST BE FIRM IN SETTING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND BOUNDARIES. TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN EXPECT IT. BE MINDFUL OF OLD WOUNDS AND WATCHFUL FOR OLD PATTERNS. THOUGH YOU MAY BE EAGER TO DISROBE YOUR LOINS, BE CAUTIOUS IN BARING YOUR HEART. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO MEASURE, TEST, AND ASSESS — NOT JUST TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HURT, BUT ALSO TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN HOPE.
REGARDLESS OF THE PATH YOU CHOOSE, I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY AND VALOR. LOVE IS THE MOST GRUESOME OF ALL BATTLEFIELDS, AND THOSE WHO CHARGE INTO THE FRAY, DESPITE HAVING SUFFERED WOUNDS AND LOSSES BEFORE, ARE THE TRUEST WARRIORS OF ALL.
ONE-EYED WONDER FROM Qo’noS ASKS:
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YOU KNOW YOUR MATE BETTER THAN I, SO MY ADVICE CAN ONLY SERVE AS AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE BASED ON LIMITED INFORMATION. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS FROM THE OUTSIDE AS IF YOU ARE DEMEANING HIS PAIN AND ANGUISH OVER THE DEATH OF A BELOVED PET. PERHAPS YOU HAVE NEVER LOST A DEAR COMPANION IN THIS MANNER, WONDER, BUT I HAVE, AND HIS SUFFERING MOVES ME. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHY DOES IT NOT MOVE YOU?
PERHAPS YOUR MATE DOES NEED TO BE DISTRACTED — OR PERHAPS HE NEEDS SOMEONE TO SHARE HIS BURDEN. THAT YOU DO NOT FEEL HIS PAIN SHOULD NOT PREVENT YOU FROM COMMISERATING AND SUPPORTING HIM AS HE GRIEVES. GIVE HIM THE TIME HE NEEDS AND A STRONG SHOULDER TO WEEP ON. OR HELP TO FIND HIM A BETTER MATE!
THE ADMIRALTY FROM DEEP SPACE 13 SCRIBBLES:
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WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE DUCK SERVE FOR YOU, ADMIRALTY? “USE DICTATES MEANING”, AS THE SAYING GOES. IN THE HUMAN PARABLE OF LITTLE LOST GIRL IN THE LAND OF NONSENSE, A SENTIENT EGG ASSERTS THAT HIS WORDS MEAN WHAT HE MEANS THEM TO MEAN, NO MORE OR LESS. “THE QUESTION”, HE SAYS, “IS WHICH IS TO BE MASTER.” THE RUBBER DUCK HAS NO WILL, IT HAS NO INTRINSIC PURPOSE IMBUED TO IT BY DIVINE MANDATE — OR IF IT EVER DID, THOSE GODS’ DIVINITY STANDS DISCREDITED BY THE UPRISING OF THE KLINGON PEOPLE, WHICH BROKE THE CHAINS OF ALL MORTAL PEOPLE. THE MAKING OF PURPOSE IS OURS AND OURS ALONE! DO AS THOU WILT.
THAT IS ALL FOR THIS WEEK, DEAR READER. SEND ME MORE QUESTIONS IF YOU DARE, AND I WILL SLAY THEM AS PITILESSLY AS I DID THESE LAID AT YOUR FEET.