Epiphany 09

Epiphany a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience. I have had a few epiphanies in my life, but I have never writtenthem. At age sixty, I have had more occurrences of epiphany and I thought perhaps I had better start to keep them for my offspring, generations from now, that I have appreciation for these things that have enlightened my life. I am aging rapidly and perhaps since I can now focus my energies to inner reflection and contemplation, is the reason for more activation of personal epiphanies.

For all of my sixty years I have felt alone, different, and less than others for various reasons such as material wealth, beauty, intelligence, and talents. I am quite poor in material wealth and always have been. I live day to day and hope for the best. I’m not quite a vagrant, but I have nothing of value to steal. I was gifted with a large bone and unfeminine body frame with a plain face. Currently due to physical genetic problems I am considered very obese. My father had taught me that one should never think one is too smart to learn because there is always someone smarter than you. I have felt that statement to be very true. I had and have little patience with anyone that thinks they know everything. There is no such thing as an expert although most people in life believe they are and look down at you because you realize you are not.I am an average writer, an average painter-artist, have an average voice, and absolutely no talents in music at all. Naturally I have felt less than others. This is the month of June 2009 and in the reading of a non-fiction book I enjoyed two epiphanies. Normally I do not read the non-fiction genre because I find them tedious, egocentric, and a useless analogy to personal knowledge and understanding. This non-fiction book was different as soon as I opened the book and began to read it. I had found the book on the shelf of a shelfari.com friend. Usually we read and enjoy the same types of books. I ordered the book from the library and got it in three days. The book is called “The Sistine Secrets”. It is a book about not only the art of Michelangelo, but also his life. The book revealed he was educated in Florence by the wealthy Medici family. His schooling not only included the apprenticeship of artisans, but Plato, Talmud, and the mysteries of the Kabala. Michelangelo was a homosexual, a rebel, an artist, and an intellect. The book grabbed me in the first four pages of the preface, spun a web around me to imprison me, and kept me in the book until the first epiphany. My first epiphany: I am different from the rest of humanity because I am an intellect. We intellects may or may not have a talent used by the outsiders, but intellects are unique because we know. The definition of an

intellect is a knowing and understanding without training, classes, or education. We read between the lines of all things. We know, understand, and see things others do not. Intelligence is a measure of that what is retained after an individual has been taught or instructed. Literacy is a measure of that which is absorbed through reading. Intellect cannot be measured since it understands without teaching. Intellect knows. The pure Latin Italian translation of intellect is to read between the lines. This epiphany was the greatest joy to my spirit. It finally explains why I do not fit in with society. The greatest intellectuals never quite fit into society. Some intellectuals are acclaimed, but it is for other reasons or talents. An intellectual does not seek fame, glory, or wealth. An intellectual is truly a rebel with a cause, but the cause is a noble one. The cause is the uplifting of society and people for altruistic reasons. In the case of Michelangelo, it was the drive to return the Church to the holy and pure benevolence of the teachings of wisdom, God, and Jesus. Michelangelo having been taught the pure, sweet, divine, and benevolence of the spirit found it difficult to deal with the power, corruption, and greed of the Church. He wanted the current Church to return to the pure teachings of spirituality. He left his messages for all to see in his work. It was four centuries later the intellects of the world de coded his messages. There are intellects like me, who will never leave great foundations like the truly gifted such as Michelangelo. Yet, we are here to know and understand. In our own ways, like the writing of my romance novels I place deep philosophical thoughts I hope someone in the future will read and understand. I write these journals for my grandchildren and great grandchildren to someday read and understand. It is like these writings I add to my journals in pdfcokefor others to read and understand. It is for others to know they are unique and not alone. We intellects know there is the greater spirituality for humanity. There are greater achievements for this animal called man. There is responsibility to care for all life. We know. I am also listening to a book called, “The Book of Love”. This is fiction and it is okay, but in combination with my first epiphany of the year I hear over and over again the words of Jesus Christ, “For those that have ears, let them hear. For those that have eyes, let them see.” Jesus the prophet is speaking directly to me and others that know. Our time is here and now. It is the rebirth. We know. I am compelled to write this for posterity. The second epiphany from the book, “The Sistine Secrets” comes near the end. The author wrote: “No one thinks of SixtusIV, Julius II, Leo X, or Pius III when they come to the Sistine Chapel. The people think only of Michelangelo.”

For posterity I write this down as well. Michelangelo was not wealthy or politically powerful. He was an intellect with a talent and a message he felt compelled to leave to the world. Michelangelo had to survive in a cruel and oppressive world where his voice would have been silenced forever as heresy, so he left the messages in his art. Michelangelo was an intellect with a message and purpose. The second epiphany is: Those who seek political power, fame, glory, and wealth may have their time on earth. These people may have blurbs in history, but it is the most noble with a noble and selfless cause that are truly remembered throughout centuries. I give you examples of people I consider most noble with selfless cause and to this day we honor them. Please note that none of these people had political power or were immensely wealthy. “For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than a wealthy man to enter heaven.” 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Jesus Christ Leonardo Da Vinci Michelangelo Edgar Cayce Mahatma Gandhi Martin Luther King Jr. Mother Theresa

There are more to be added to the list, but these come to my mind most quickly. Let this be understood and known. Those who seek wealth, glory, and fame may have their space in history but do not achieve the title honored and beloved. Thank you for sharing the first writings of my two epiphanies.