ManicDDaily

Protective ring?

We live in a world full of fear, and of fearful prospects.

(Everyone says it, so it must be true, right?)

Certainly, we know an awful lot about fearful events these days.  I was just in Florida within hearing distance of my parents’ TV (half a mile away might be within hearing distance), and it seemed, even before the Giffords’ shooting, that there was an emergency breaking news story of violent crime–possible bomb here, shooting there–every few minutes.

In the face of fear, or perhaps in order to face fear, it’s pretty natural to look for a mechanism of control, some tool by which we can protect ourselves.  For many, that mechanism is a gun.

For others–i.e. me–that mechanism is a particular necklace.  No, I don’t want to choke anyone–I just make a point of wearing it every day.  You may not know it but that necklace has protected New York City from terrorist attack for over nine years now.

It is made of hollow silver balls, strewn together on a silver chain.  (It has a sentimental background relayed in another post.)  Its magical protections are unique, but, as I discovered on a recent trip to Taxco, Mexico, relatively similar looking necklaces are available by the storefront-full, albeit the ones in Taxco are brightly shiny while mine is clouded with tarnish/power.

I was shocked to realize as I arrived at my office today that I had somehow forgotten to wear it.  I quickly looped a wool scarf around my unprotected bare neck so that the collective fates that overlook both me and New York City would not notice the absence of those clouded silver balls.

I don’t know much about guns, but my sense is that some people like the idea of carrying one for reasons similar to my insistence on my necklace:  just in case.

One big difference, of course, is that my necklace could not do too much damage to myself or others.  (It would hurt my feelings if I lost it, but that’s about it.)

Crazy people could wear necklaces like mine with no problem at all.

Another big difference– I really do know that my necklace is (probably) not essential to New York’s protection.  I don’t fool myself that having lots of guns…errrr….necklaces around is any true shield.