Forbidden Yet More Alluring
Contributed by Hillary Saffran
OMG – My Book Has Been Banned! Not really. But the title got your attention, didn’t it? I probably should have written this:
Banned to increase fans! What does this really mean? It’s the age-old condition of being human: Curiosity increases dramatically when faced with the word “No!” This is exemplified in the song, “Never Say No” from the musical “The Fantasticks.”
“Dog's got to bark, a mule's got to bray.
Soldiers must fight and preachers must pray.
And children, I guess, must get their own way
The minute that you say no.
Why did the kids pour jam on the cat?
Raspberry jam all over the cat?
Why should the kids do something like that,
When all that we said was no?
My son was once afraid to swim.
The water made him wince.
Until I said he mustn't swim:
S'been swimmin' ever since!
S'been swimmin' ever since!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Dog's got to bark, a mule's got to bray.
Soldiers must fight and preachers must pray.
And children, I guess, must get their own way
The minute that you say no.
Why did the kids put beans in their ears?
No one can hear with beans in their ears.
After a while the reason appears.
They did it cause we said no.
Your daughter brings a young man in,
Says "Do you like him, Pa?"
Just say that he's a fool and then:
You've got a son-in-law!
You've got a son-in-law!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sure as the June comes right after May!
Sure as the night comes right after day!
You can be sure the devil's to pay
The minute that you say no.
Make sure you never say...
No!”
But when did this attraction have its beginnings? Some say there’s no easy answer. I have found it to be as soon as human beings were created and told the word, “No.” You might know the story. Whether it was a good tasting apple or not, Adam and Eve were told to stay away, until they met the first politician to tell them otherwise ...ooops, I meant lawyer…. ooops, I meant snake, who convinced them otherwise.
“Hey Eve – that’s not really an apple. It’s an avocado identifying as an apple.”
Eve: “What’s an avocado?”
The Snake: It’s a smooth fruit that thousands of years from now will be spread on toast for Millennials and other folks younger than 100 that otherwise would have only used it for guacamole.
Eve: What’s a guacamole?
The Snake: Don’t worry about that. Just take a bite, it’s good.
And the apple was then turned into a computer logo for a thousand years.
My newest book, “Fill Your Glass with Gold – when It’s Half-Full or Even Completely Shattered” is a unique collection of inspiring accounts of people who have overcome incredible odds. It covers a wide spectrum of topics, from domestic violence to addiction rehabilitation, to healing from cancer.
The theme of perseverance is throughout, proving that even the most challenging circumstances can ultimately lead to a brighter future. The stories reassure us that we can transform any difficulty into our own personal gold.
It's a must-read for anyone in need of inspiration and motivation, and an honest reminder that no matter how difficult the situation, we always have the opportunity to learn and grow. There will be a book signing at Fireside Books in Palmer on Saturday, November 18th from 1:00-4:00pm. I hope to see you there!
Sorry – no apples or avocadoes will be offered. Just books and even a children’s CD in time for your holiday shopping needs!