Friday, March 29, 2019

More Garak


I'm still reading about space aliens.

Garak is now a politician trying to reassemble a world that has fallen to division, plague, and blame. A crowd he is addressing wants revenge. Against whom? Anyone will do. He is giving an ill-received speech. But this part is true:

Alright,” I answered the voice. “But let me ask you a serious question, my fellow long-suffering Cardassian; have you thought about what this world is going to look like if you do strike the last blow?”

Complete silence. Stillness. They stood looking at me like stunned animals.”

The planet Cardassia is grappling for normal. It has been destroyed deeply, not only by the war that took the infrastructure and so much life, but by a harrowing lack of what is needed to rebuild: vision, hope, trust; all those words that mean, if you are in a downward spiral, look up. There is no "up" on Cardassia, so the hopeless look to vengeance to save them. 

This hits close to a war between two people in my own life. For me, there is this repeating sentiment that comes whenever I am angry: There is not enough time to fix everything, just enough time to forgive.

Garak is put into the Vinculum, which if I could describe with words is like the tesseract in "A Wrinkle in Time." It's like being awake in a dream. Like hearing the voice of God. Like knowing something you have no way of knowing. Like a song you hear for the first time, but know the next note. I wish I could describe it with words. Somehow the author did it, but I am not quite.

He meets people he killed.

"But they marched in the procession with such pride of place, in the fullness of their youth and power, and with a dignity that’s traveled far beyond my murderous acts.”

He also sees friends, an enemy who became his friend, and his real father. Are they really there or is he seeing only what he thinks these people to be? 

This is how he describes the woman he loved:

"And Palandine…so open and alive. The great empty place in my heart.”

He is finding peace within. Is this how he will save Cardassia?

"In the minds of the living, we think we can interrupt the flow of life with acts of alienation that we justify and rationalize. War is a logical extension of diplomacy, someone once suggested. One can argue that murder is a moral act, even an extreme form of friendship. After all, I killed a person I loved. But here, in this Vinculum, as I watch all the souls who have gone before, it’s clear that this separation, this alienation from the continuum, is our greatest illusion."

Oh, my God!

Then he is pulled out and can't find the words to explain to his non-believing friend what has happened to him.

"I looked at him, wondering how I could ever explain. Parmak was a scientist; he believed that we can reconstruct a society based solely on a rational model. He had no idea that before he could even get to that point, we had to surrender everything."

We can't rebuild with just bricks and mortar. We have to have something more. 

Thanks, Garak.





41 comments:

  1. Hey Sandi, two things come to mind, while reading your post.

    1. Don't let your anger take control of you. This is interesting, because, as you know, I'm doing a series on Esther and don't let anger get the best of you, is one of the lessons.

    2. While in the Vinculum, I was reminded that is how Christians look at life with the Messiah and most can not fully describe our condition.

    Good Post!

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  2. Replies
    1. It's in a Star Trek anthology called Prophecy and Change.

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    1. "The Calling," a short story by Andrew J. Robinson.

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  4. Wow - there is much wisdom in this.

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  5. Is this what the after-life like? Will we meet all the people we have come across in our lifetime and remember how (badly) we have treated them? Will they look at us and their face ask us silently "Why? Why have you treated me so?"

    Anger is a common emotion. Sometimes it is good. Because without anger we would not be moved to put right a wrong that has happened to us or to others. However, when we get angry, (and we are aware of our anger), we should pray to God to help us keep it in check and to react with proportionality and justice.

    Praying for you. God bless.

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    1. Thanks, Victor.

      I find it hard to imagine wanting to spend any time confronting people and asking why-- now or in the afterlife. I hope it's not like that.

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  6. Anger is a real emotion not to be denied, but dealt with in appropriate ways. Anger is heavy and the sooner we set it down, the lighter our hearts.

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    1. Yes...so true. Love is MUCH easier to carry.

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  7. Wow, not normally my go to for reading but you do offer quite an interesting review!

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    1. Thanks, Karen. Just trying to spread my Star Trek addiction to the masses. ;)

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  8. Sandi, it's brilliant! You wrote that Garak found peace within himself. That is freedom! Freedom from anger, from negative emotions. Garak liberated himself. I enjoyed tremendously reading this post. Thank you!

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  9. I have never had an inclination to read any of these books, but I will look for the anthology. Thank you, Sandi :)

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  10. I really, really hope that more people realise the importance (and power) of forgiveness and love.

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  11. Hi Sandi, Love this ... "It's like being awake in a dream." Wow!

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  12. I find it interesting that the crowd wants revenge as life, as they knew it, ceases to exist and appears unlikely to return. It doesn't seem obvious to the crowd that revenge will not ameliorate their existence or quality of life. I enjoyed your post. Love and forgiveness and splendid things.

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  13. Hi Sandi, Well, its still a little deep for me, but Kudos to Garak for touching human hearts from where ever in space he is. Love break-throughs come in all galaxies, and may there be one (love breaking through!!) in ours!! Blessings and Love!!

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  14. Hello, interesting book and review. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and new week ahead.

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  15. Sandi nunca he leído este libro, tendría que buscarlo.

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  16. Não conheço o livro, mas pelo seu texto vejo que deve ser interessante.
    Uma boa semana.
    Um beijo.

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  17. Lots of good thoughts and wisdom to be found in this character. Hope you are having a great start to your week. Hugs!

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  18. I find the most important message of your post in the following sentence: "There is not enough time to fix everything, just enough time to forgive".
    Life is short.

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  19. Hi Sandi,
    I am afraid I know nothing about Star trek. However, I do believe that God can speak to us through anything - as he did through a donkey. The main thing is that we recognize what He is saying. I have to admit that I do not feel 'anger', but at one time I asked the Lord to teach me patience, as I could only endure 'gritting my teeth'. The word patience in my dictionary means 'the ability to endure with calmness'. The Lord answered my prayer within a short time by sending me to work in a care home for the elderly :-) I definitely learned patience there, thank the Lord.

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  20. Hi Sandi, Wow, I've got to remember this ... "There is not enough time to fix everything, just enough time to forgive." Powerful.

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  21. "It has been destroyed deeply, not only by the war that took the infrastructure and so much life, but by a harrowing lack of what is needed to rebuild: vision, hope, trust; all those words that mean, if you are in a downward spiral, look up." Imagining a world where we could not look up (or ever choose to look up. That would be a dark world indeed. I love these Sandi. Don't stop writing!

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  22. hi sandi, this is a powerful message, a few lines really stood out to me. i have never seen a star trek movie or show, i am surprised to see it carries this message, "there is not enough time to fix everything, just enough time to forgive." that is so true!!!

    ps..your comments continue to go into my spam folder, i have tried to fix that but so far, i have been unsuccessful!!!

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  23. I enjoyed the Star Trek series and movies, but I've never read one of the books. Your two recent Garak posts are encouraging me to do so. The last two sentences in your post are profound, Sandi!

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  24. You have shared things to ponder for sure. Blessings :)

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  25. Hello Sandi! Wishing you a happy day!

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  26. Hi Sandi! Hope you will excuse another comment here ... I'm stopping by to answer your question about the cherry trees on my blog. I had to do some research to find an answer. The trees at the UW are Yoshino Cherry trees. According to Wiki ... "The pit (seed) is huge in comparison to the flesh. Not all trees produce fruit, and even if they do, not every year. 'Yoshino' cherry is the elegant tree that graces the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC each year." Have a happy day and thanks for the question. John

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    1. Thanks, John!

      We had a cherry tree in our yard when I was a kid. It produced tons of sour cherries every year, but I think the blossoms were white. Must have been a different type! We lived in Michigan.

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    2. "Excuse another comment"? ;-) I love comments!

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  27. I enjoy your posts on Deep Space 9 :) I have often heard that anger is like drinking your own poison.

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  28. forgiving is a must ... i try to forget as well. i know at the time i am hurting i forgive ...but forgetting is my problem. which is so tough. i keep working at it. ( :

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  29. Wisdom reflects through your sharing dear Sandi like always!!!

    yes forgiveness is key to inner freedom !

    your post provokes me to watch "wrinkle in time " as i see it on Netflix but never watched it until now
    story sounds profoundly interesting

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