Moran Taing to the Voice of Albann

I had never heard the Story of the Mamm Books told by any Voice other than my own as a sort of proxy for the Characters – until the other night …

Cynthia grins and says she thinks God has got a sense of humor which I reckon is true enough but the humor of the situation I got myself into eluded me for quite an uncomfortable time I have to say.

I was to give a reading of a part of the Story and I says to myself, ‘Self, all of these words came through you; just pick a book, open it, and read what’s there. It will be fine.’

And so I did.

Right.

Picked up Tarnos, I did, and opened it up to a scene in the Perth Family Grove.

Good – background of the Story in that scene, okay I can do this.

Being a ‘method writer’ it’s time for me to become a ‘method actor’.

So outside I go for a few minutes to tune in to the Mamm Character and run through the scene I had chosen to read.

Now Mamm’s Voice tells the majority of the Story so Mamm was the logical Character role for me to ‘assume’.

And so I did.

Reading as I walked back toward the gym, I almost turned to walk away and out of there.

This part isn’t Mamm’s Voice.

It’s Thann’s.

Uh-oh.

‘We need Thann’s Voice, not Mamm’s.'

Indeed the thought flashes through my head to just choose a different scene but I’m way past out of time and so comes the thought, ‘Okay, if you say so,’ and on the heels of that, ‘Sidhelagh you’re gonna have to do this thing.’

Thoroughly discombobulated, I sigh and know I’m about to fall flat on my face in front of God and everybody (which of course I do, sigh).

And so into the gym I go, settle myself with intense discomfort onto the stool, fight with the microphone and lose but begin reading anyhow.

Because what else could I do?

Struggling and flubbing my way along, I stop after a few minutes. I have not the Voice of Thann and am weeping inside that this introduction of the Characters is literally losing the audience.

And so I stop.

Walking toward me is a man and he’s saying something about Scotland being his land and can he read a part of this Story?

And so he does.

And so the first Voice I hear telling the Story of the Mamm Books is – amazingly – the Voice of Albann itself.

Tears well. They course. They drop.

And he reads on.

The next bit, after the Grove, is where they take LittleMamm to Iona and I realize that this angel of a Scotsman might throw the book to the floor when he gets to the ridiculous scene where the family quacks and waddles its way past the elite of Iona – but he reads through it in that same perfect ‘Thann Voice’ manner with a hint of a frown maybe but never a loss of rhythm or hesitation the entire time.

I tell you true, my friend: Cynthia’s right. God’s got a sense of humor all right.

Had I chosen any other book, any other selection, I would have been comfortable reading it – and would never have been able to hear the Voice of Albann, indeed of the very area of our Story, telling the Story so that I could hear it told as it ought to be told, with my own ears.

And into my ears comes the thought from out of my head:

She breeds true, this land.

Here is a man of compassion and of courage (and no doubt not a little irritation at the mangling of a Story of his own land) – ready, willing, and well able to step up to the plate in an hour of need. His Voice was needed and so he shared it.

I do not question, not really, the fact that things beyond our ken are often at work.

And it’s well that I do not, as Someone much better at arranging such matters will do so with or without my questions, my understanding, or my input.

If it takes embarrassing myself miserably in order for a miracle to happen, I can live with that.  *chuckling*   I may question the humor of the situation but I certainly acknowledge its effectiveness!

All of the other ‘mystic coincidences’ of the Mamm Books have been private – but this, THIS is very much public, a Gift of the Mother perhaps is what our Characters would call it and I’m not arguing, not the least little bit, believe you me.

Because I ask you:

Who else could have pulled together all of the necessary ingredients for to create the setting in which such a thing would happen?

Here is this couple, beautiful lady and handsome man, out of the clear blue sky, just happening to be exactly where they were needed exactly when they needed to be there.

Here is a woman wondering what she’s gotten herself into but going with it as led (or out of sheer stupidity perhaps; either way, she’s in trouble and knows it full well), wishing she were Mamm who could say to Alaric ‘Just get me out of this!’

Here is a set of books that is more than it seems to be, getting bludgeoned by said wondering woman.

Here is a public setting in which said bludgeoning is taking place.

Here is a Voice.

Was it Mamm who said that there will always come a Voice when needed?

Again tears rise, course, fall.

This couple is somehow here.

And I am felled to my knees.

Into the hour of weakness come these two, three, four, five, six people – bringing strength with them though they probably have no idea that they do so. Still, here is a new strength much needed and so very much appreciated.

Yes. I am on my knees.

Not that I plan to remain for long on those knees, mind you.

It seems there are yet things for me to do.

Perhaps this blessing, this so very overt Gift, will continue to provide strength and encouragement over time, as I know full well that I’ll think of it often when in need.

And so I say THANK YOU.

Moran taing.

How does such a thing HAPPEN but by the Will of the Trinity?