Comments on: In Praise of the Elephant Girls

By: Rita

Rita — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:41:05 +0000

Iv always had this strange bond and feeling when it comes to elephants and reading that…gosh has made me realize that i am just that, an elephant girl… thank you…, ….its mirrored alot its freaky!

By: Grange Lady Haig Rutan

Grange Lady Haig Rutan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:05:21 +0000

Same day, but a few hours after reading the “Belladonna Woman” I needed to connect with Jane again and read the “Elephant Woman” and found a totally different plethora of thoughts floating out of the windmills of my world weary bebop mind.

Barely four and I was having my portrait done in New York City, my aunt promised me a trip to Central Park Zoo to see the elephant or go to the bunny house. Even to this day my heart trembles at the memory of those dark legs that went up to forever and possibly being spouted at, and I chose the bunny house where I just walked up a grading and fed some carrots to precious little creatures in a wired cage.

Every year my father took me into New York to Ringling Brothers Barnam & Baily Circus at Madison Square Garden to see, you guessed it, the elephants; he even had a backstage pass and my little patent leather Mary Janes would walk over leaking hoses and into the dense heat of the smell of excrement which seemed to be smoking and wafting my way.

It wasn’t until my flight attendant sister took a trip to Africa and came back riding an elephant that I began to love her a little bit more. How could she? Rather, why couldn’t I have been brave enough to ride that mighty creature.

After all, I am a warrior and have been on both sides of causes, sticking up for my future sister-in-law when she was pregnant and her husband didn’t know what to do…’MARRY HER.”

Or when my friend Ursula had been in America and her husband was too busy to take her to become a citizen, I offered and drove into the bowels of Newark, New Jersey, three times, because she was so nervous she threw the papers away.

Or when my friend Jane and I were sunbathing up in my bedroom on the third floor with a lamp – to look tan for our senior prom – and I saw purple, and black map like circles on her back with raised scabs and welts – and she told me her mother beat her with a tv antena…and I told my mother, (long before DYFS) and she contacted the school and Jane moved in with us.

Somehow, when I read your piece Jane this morning I went into a catatonic space thinking I was an old “Belladonna” woman and began to try to figure out my feelings, I peeked into “Elephant” woman and somewhere between sunrise and sunset, 60 diamond minutes registered on my matrix, because of you…and I feel like I am all over the place; The Lone Ranger without Tonto and all of a sudden I remembered something about Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren…when I asked my husband if he would ever cheat on me.

His answer mentioned those two women and he said, ‘What could I do Grange if I was locked in a room and they both tried to take my belt off…I’d have to let them.”

And I realized that I have a bit of the elephant woman in me even though I was afraid to ever sit on one but your piece, this one, evoked such wonder down memory land that I am in awe of you…

By: Kellie

Kellie — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:54:10 +0000

I was struggling to hang on…with everyone taking their pieces of me…. until i made a stand.

Needing inspiration, i remembered the EG and had to revisit this treasure.

Little did i know…it was just another REBIRTH.
(a journey i have taken before in my 43 yrs)

PEACE & BLESSINGS to all EGs…..

By: Tobie2/Susan

Tobie2/Susan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:06:47 +0000

You know, I book marked this page because I find great strength from it.

Interestningly, I also learn something new every time by reading the newest comments.

Such powerful energy among these writings.

Thank you again and again

EG T?S

Thank you, Tobie. – Jane

By: Neda

Neda — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:05:31 +0000

In India, the elephant is a symbol of power, patience, wisdom, success, prosperity, and benevolence. Ironically, elephants are also a symbol of both chastity and great sexual energy. And, though elephants appear heavy and clumsy, their image is also symbolic of both clouds and gracefulness.
Many of these fascinating interpretations of elephant symbolism comes from the fact that elephants are fascinating creatures. They have a unique social structure in which group of females, as many as 400, band together to raise the offspring – while the males roam alone. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about elephants are their death rituals. Elephants often bury their dead with branches and dirt and, when coming upon the skeletal remains of a deceased elephant, they will pass the bones around from mouth to mouth, then return them just as they found them. No wonder Hmong legends also assume elephants lead spirits of the dead to the underworld.

By: Jan.M.M.

Jan.M.M. — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 05:05:36 +0000

I need to add initials since there is another Jan- perhaps more. I wrote the above comment-> g.grandmother.