The Stoic Name: Mrs. She-ra Motto: "I act; therefore, I am [happy]."Tammy She-ra rises from bed early, extending fingers to the ceiling. She flips on the television to hear the latest on the recounting business in Florida. Shaking her head at the disorganization, she considers running for president next term. Or maybe governor of Florida. After retrieving the morning paper from the porch, she sits down to breakfast - coffee and a croissant. It would be a good idea to depart for work a bit early this morning; the roads were particularly icy, according to the weather channel. Pulling out of the drive, she thanks Goodyear for inventing her new snow tires. At precisely nine o'clock, She-ra arrives on the bustling campus of Central Michigan University to teach her first Philosophy class. Walking up the familiar stairway, she reviews her lesson for the day, thinking of how grateful she was to be a teacher. Teachers have the ability to reach out to so many people, presenting anywhere from 3 to 300 students with valuable knowledge about love, life and everything else.
Barely a minute passes, it seems, before it is time for lunch. She-ra makes a grateful call to her husband, thanking him for the soup and sandwich he took the time to prepare for her. As she eats, she reads a few essays on virtue, taking random notes for her next book, "Virtue for Dummies." She-ra barely glances up as a colleague enters and sits across from her. She knows better; as soon as she first laid eyes on him, she felt a primal need to get to know him better. However, she got control of herself quickly, refusing to be a slave to her desires. A neighbor of hers once cheated on her husband, keeping it concealed for almost a year before he found out. Their relationship came to a disastrous end as divorce papers, accusations, and mind-consuming angry feelings alike took wing. She had every intention to learn from this adulterous mistake. Today, Mr. Wheeler makes several attempts to ask her out, but is thoroughly rejected each time, and both professors return to class, the female unscathed, the male mildly annoyed. The final class of the day concludes with a vigorous debate over the true meaning of life.
As She-ra pulls in to the parking lot of the local soup kitchen after school, around 4:00, she catches herself wishing she could go straight home instead. ‘How inconsiderate of you!’ she reprimands herself. ‘These poor people need all the help they can get, and here I am, wanting to turn away and do nothing. What a brat I am!’ and she continues to scold herself the entire time she works, forcing herself to put forth twice as much effort to compensate for her self-centered behavior. She feels somewhat comforted on her way home two hours later. She very much enjoys helping other less fortunate than herself; whenever she feels the slightest bit down-trodden, all she has to do is see the looks in the eyes of the homeless at the kitchen, and she realizes just how lucky she truly is. Aiding the poor gives her a sense of purpose in life, as if she really does make a big difference. Her service to others also provides a great ministry. She-ra attends church avidly and as a result of what she has learned there, she has made it her daily goal to reach out to others. ‘Besides,’ She-ra thinks to herself, ‘even if good works are not rewarded in heaven, at least I know that I have made a difference in this life on earth.’
Upon her arrival at home, She-ra makes sure that each of her two sons have done their daily chores adequately before rewarding them with dinner, reminding them of how much better the food will taste when they know that they have worked to earn it. After eating, the family brings dinner to an elderly couple down the road. The sweet pair used to baby-sit for the boys when they were toddlers. The family continues to thank the now nearly penniless couple by providing their supper several times a week, as well as some other essentials. She-ra oftentimes comes to read to them and help them with household chores and laundry in addition to her own housework, which is greatly appreciated and earns her much respect from the neighbors.
Later that night, as she sits alternately reflecting on the day, writing notes in her journal, and reviewing her speech, she realizes that she is fresh out of paper. Grabbing her coat, she rushes out the door to pick up a new notebook before bedtime. On her way into Meijer’s, she passes her neighbor, Mrs. LaVerte. No amount of insistence could pull this woman out of her self-wallowing and shallow mindset. However, She-ra is willing to make the continuing effort to help this neighbor grow to her full potential.
"Hello, Mrs. LaVerte," she cheerily declares.
"Uh…yes, hello, there," LaVerte responds awkwardly. She appears to be in a bit of a hurry, but Tammy She-ra knew better.
"What have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you in a week or so," she demands.
"Just got back from a camping trip," is the reply, accompanied by eyes peering into the parking lot, down at the ground feet or at the keys fiddled with in hands.
"Well, I was hoping, if you are not busy, of course, that we could get together and talk sometime. I am giving a speech on campus tomorrow. It's in support of that new bill they've been arguing over in Congress these last few weeks. It's about preserving the forests of northern Michigan. Maybe you would like to attend? It will be very informative, especially if you are still undecided on the matter." Mrs. She-ra vainly attempts to make eye contact with her fidgety neighbor, hoping to coax her into coming through the power of her gaze. When she gets no response, she weakly adds, "We'll be eating dinner together afterwards…"
Her efforts are fruitless. Looking irritated, her neighbor adamantly declines her offers and begins to turn away.
‘That poor woman. What a waste of a great mind! She is so creative and thoughtful. If only she would put her mind to good use instead of dawdling around in the garden all day. She could be a true leader in this community if she put her mind to it!’
Suddenly, to She-ra’s surprise, her neighbor turned around with an inquisitive look of interest upon her face.
"Well, now, it just so happens that I am hosting a banquet dinner tomorrow night. If you like, after your speech, you could drop by for some food and conversation. I'm sure my friends would welcome company," Mrs. LaVerte says, eyeing her warily.
The two stand, staring at each other blankly and without comprehension for a moment before She-ra answers in an exasperated tone, "No, thank you, that is quite all right, I have a lot of work to do tomorrow night." With that, the two parted ways.
As She-ra stands in the checkout line a few minutes later, she begins to feel frustrated with her efforts. She wonders if she ought to go to the dinner. Maybe she can be a good influence on her lazy, selfish neighbor and on the petty, superficial conversations her friends carry on. She-ra just can not stand dialogue that lacks depth. She could throw in some politics, a bit of philosophy, maybe encourage them to take a course or two at the University….
The Epicurean Name: Miss LaVerte Motto: "Eat, don't drink too much, & be merry!"After a long, restful night's sleep, Katie LaVerte awakens to the noonday sunshine. Although she loves her beautiful, light, breezy home on the countryside, she feels dissatisfied as she rises from the bed. She returned yesterday from a week-long camping trip, and now she longs for the smell of the fire pit, the sounds of birds chirping just overhead, the feel of the crisp air on her sleepy face… In attempts to satisfy her longing for nature, LaVerte decides to take brisk walk in the neighboring woods. Breathing in the cold air of winter and feeling the fresh snow crunch under her feet, she begins to feel better. She loves the appearance of the woods just after it snows ? sparkly, serene, and unblemished. Being surrounded by the wonders of nature makes her feel peaceful and happy inside. She wanders deeper into the woods, following a well-trodden path without even looking down. She caught a glance of smoke rising from a chimney deeper into the trees. It was coming from the small chapel nearby. She occasionally considered attending a service, but refused to sacrifice her sleep-late Sunday mornings.
Miss LaVerte often wonders about the existence of a Supreme Being; one who had created all these endless marvels. If there is a God, should she be trying harder to please Him? LaVerte ponders these questions as she walks. ‘Surely an all-powerful God would want His people to be content with their lives here on earth. I must be doing the right things, I have always felt satisfied with my life. I appreciate all that has been provided for me, and I love nature as God has created it. Surely that is what He would want.’ This thought comforts LaVerte, and it is with a lighter heart that she returns to her home to eat brunch. The sweet taste of honey on the homemade biscuits and the tangy flavor of fresh fruit are a perfect complement to her mood, as is the tinkling of her daughter on the piano in the background. Brianna was an accident; she was forced to raise her alone after refusing to marry her old boyfriend. He left her just after the girl reached the age of ten. At first she was angered at this disruption of her lifestyle, but the girl was adorable and proved to be rather useful around the house. She is happy to have her there, caring for her very much, but more or less allowing her to look after herself. Brianna does not attend school (LaVerte would not have her daughter's mind corrupted by those ignorant sages who called themselves educators), but she is very keen on reading.
This morning she appreciates Brianna’s presence all the more, for the girl has brought in a vase of poinsettias, placed on the table for her to admire. Their poignant red color brings a smile to her face as she finishes the last of the biscuits and honey. Leisurely sauntering down the hall, Miss LaVerte wanders into the bedroom. The scent of sultry potpourri chases away the last of her yearnings for the woodsy campsite. She tugs open the curtains, allowing the shining warmth to flood over her face. After a long, luxurious bath, LaVerte sits down at the table with Brianna to make final plans for tomorrow's banquet. They plan to have a candlelit picnic dinner in the patio. Various wines, cheeses, and fresh fruits, along with green salad and biscuits with honey, would be served, and Brianna promises to play for a while on the piano while the friends relax together. It has been a while since Katie has spent quality time with her friends. She misses their company and their long talks about life and happiness; it is almost as though she is unable to be happy without discussing the happiness of her loved ones. As she and her daughter make finishing touches on the patio décor, LaVerte realizes that she completely forgot to buy candles! She would also need more honey, since she finished off the last of it this morning. Off to the store goes Miss LaVerte. While checking out her groceries, the young clerk rattles off his routine remarks ? ‘Hello, ma'am, How are you, ma'am, Nasty weather we're having isn't it?’ The mundane tone of voice employed by this boy is not at all suitable!
"Why, whatever do you mean, young man? This is a most beautiful night. I simply adore it when it snows; it is one of the most peaceful and marvelous occurrences that I have ever had the opportunity to enjoy," she exclaims.
"Well, yeah, I guess it's pretty and all, but it really stinks to try to drive in," grumbles the clerk.
"Have you ever considered walking? It would certainly decrease the amount of pollution in this world if people would just slow down long enough to appreciate the beauty of nature instead of hopping in their cars and jetting away to their destinations without a single, meaningful thought regarding the glory all around them."
"That's a nice thing to say, ma'am, but rather difficult to do these days. People have to get where they are going. If they were always loitering around "appreciating nature" or whatever instead of getting to work on time, they'll get replaced by someone else who can get the job done."
"Well, I think that is just a pity. They ought to teach kids to love what they have been given by nature, rather than wasting all that time sitting a classroom reading books and running around trying to please everybody. They have no time to appreciate what's right before their eyes!" LaVerte speculates.
"Hey, I would much rather sit around out…er, I mean, enjoy the outdoors than sit in a classroom all day, too, but try to get my professors to see things that way!" the clerk announces.
The conversation comes to an end as LaVerte gathers her purchases. She bids farewell to the clerk, recommending that he walk out to see her sometime so that they might continue their talk in more detail. She is on the way out the door when she hears the all-too-familiar voice of her neighbor, Mrs. She-ra. This woman never gives up trying to convert her neighbors to a more "productive" lifestyle. She thinks she knows everything and is not afraid to bestow her wealth of knowledge upon any unsuspecting passer-by.
"Hello, Miss LaVerte," her neighbor cheerily declares.
"Uh…yes, hello there." The reply comes out rather awkward as LaVerte attempts to sound pleasant, yet rushed.
"What have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you in a week or so," demands She-ra.
"Just got back from a camping trip," she replies, avoiding Tammy's imploring eyes by peering into the parking lot, down at her feet or at the keys she fiddled with in her hands.
"Well, I was hoping, if you are not busy, of course, that we could get together and talk sometime. I am giving a speech on campus tomorrow. It's in support of that new bill they've been arguing over in Congress these last few weeks. It's about preserving the forests of northern Michigan. Maybe you would like to attend? It will be very informative, especially if you are still undecided on the matter."
Miss LaVerte expertly dodges all of her neighbor's attempts to make eye contact, does not respond, and continues to fidget, looking as bored as possible.
In a less persuasive voice, She-ra adds, "We'll be eating dinner together afterwards…"
Irritated at this woman's unending persistence, LaVerte adamantly declines She-ra’s offers and begins to turn away. ‘Poor soul,’ she thinks. ‘Politics are such a waste of our valuable time. Not everything in life has to be given some deeper meaning. Why can't this woman just sit back and enjoy things for what they are? That is the true way to a happy, fulfilling life, not to think everything to death.’ But just as she was about to make her escape, LaVerte had a second thought. Maybe this time, she could try to include her prodding neighbor in her life. Then She-ra might she see how truly happy life could be…
"Well, now, it just so happens that I am hosting a banquet dinner tomorrow night. If you like, after your speech, you could drop by for some food and conversation. I'm sure my friends would welcome company," Miss LaVerte says, eyeing the woman warily.
The two stand, staring each other down for a moment before She-ra answers, sounding rather exasperated, "No, thank you, that is quite all right, I have a lot of work to do tomorrow night." With that, the two part ways.
Driving home, Miss LaVerte feels slightly distressed. She really ought to try harder to get to know her neighbor. It would certainly give her more influence if they became better acquainted. She might even be able to show Mrs. She-ra how to relax and enjoy life a little, instead of always running around doing other people's work for them. Maybe she would attend that conference tomorrow, then return home for the banquet. If she showed up, certainly her neighbor would feel obliged to show her gratitude by attending the dinner banquet…