Story: While Onias Slept

Onias Slept One Hundred Years

     The Rabbi Onias was the youngest rabbi in the city of Jerusalem. Many doubted his path to righteousness, but God showed Onias great favor. As the City of Jerusalem burned Onias would be sent to save her people. His faith would be both challenged and reaffirmed along his unimaginable journey.
     Onias set out with God's words resounding in his heart. He took only what he needed to survive. Onias became very tiered and hungry along his journey, but refused to supplement himself when the people of Jerusalem were starving. After collapsing from hungry Onias fell into a deep sleep. Many a passer by tried to wake him without success. Over time Onias was no longer visible to the naked eye. The vegetation grew up around him providing him protection from the world around him. Eventually, Onias was no longer sought out, but his story became that of a legend. Some people were certain that Onias was captured by the enemy, while others assumed he had continued on his journey to distant lands. Many thought him to be dead, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
     Onias had In fact awoke after only a few moments of rest, although he felt completely refreshed. As he looked around to take in his new surroundings, he realized he was no longer in Jerusalem. He had left behind the war and despair and was in awe of the beauty before him. He could see all of God's creation in it's intended splendor. How could this be, he wondered? I must have hit my head and now I'm imagining this place, he thought out loud. In his excitement Onias ran to tell others of this new land. He wanted the people of Jerusalem to come and celebrate this beautiful land. They will be reminded of the holy land when it was flourishing. They will unit in peace and sing God's praises. But Onias soon became sad. He searched across the land for days, but he never encountered another sole. There were two of every creature, but Onias was the only man. God provided Onias with everything he needed to live comfortably, but Onias was lonely. He spent his days caring for the animals and praying. As Onias prayed all of his dreams took shape before him. He could not understand what could have happened to mankind. Had the war escalated to the desolation of man?
    After Onias had had lived in the beautiful land for almost one hundred years God appeared before him. God spoke to Onias and explained to him that he was not on earth but in the heavens. "You have not died my child your mind is living beyond what mankind is capable of conceiving, while your body rest on earth," God said. Tomorrow when you awake on earth do not be alarmed. The world you knew no longer exists. The holy city of Jerusalem has been healed along with her people. As you have dreamed and prayed for things of this land Jerusalem has become them. Sleep now for tomorrow you will understand all that for all you have sacrificed Jerusalem will have a second chance. (540 words)

Bibliography:
Gertrude Landa.1919."The Sleep of One Hundred Years."
The Sleep of One Hundred Years.
Old Man Sleeping Picture

Author's Note:
The inspiration for this story was ""The Sleep of One Hundred Years" written by Gertrude Landa in 1919. I thought it would be interesting to imagine what Rabbi Onias was experiencing during his one hundred year long sleep. In the original story Onias is on a long journey. He falls asleep and does not wake up for one hundred years. the world around him has changed and he feels that he no longer belongs there. He asks to return to the place where he slept for so long. Once he is returned to the spot he falls asleep never to wake on earth again. The story does not give much explanation as to how the lands changed or how Onias slept so long, which is what made this story so fun to write. I hope you enjoyed it.

reading Notes: "The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog,"

"The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog"

The cat and dog were originally the best of friends. Winter brought about hunger and unhappiness.

Best Friends or Worst Enemies

Being hungry seemed to bring out the worst in the both of them. Eventually they agreed to part ways. The cat traveled to Adams house and the dog ended up in a wolfs lair. They made a pact never to see one another again under the advisement of the wisest animal in the animal kingdom...the serpent.

The cat lived nicely with Adam while the dog suffered and had to move often. Eventually a kind man took pity and the dog and gave him shelter, but the dog soon realized the man was Adam. The man wanted the dog and cat to get along and continue to live with him but the cat refused. Dogs and cats continue to quarrel to this day.

My Thoughts: This is an epic tale of best friends turned enemy. This could be an interesting story to combine with another story. It would be interesting to tell a story within another story with different levels (ex: The Golden Ass).

Bibliography:

Gertrude Landa (1919)."The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog."

The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog

cats-and-dogs-wallpapers

Reading Notes: "The Sleep of One Hundred Years"

This week I am reading from the Biblical Readings.
"The Sleep of One Hundred Years" is from the

Rabbi Onias

 Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends section. I was interested in this story because I took Origins of Christianity with Professor Harper last semester and this story takes place during the destruction of the first Jewish Temple. In a time of war the land and city of Jerusalem were laid to waste. The city was unhappy and all but deserted. Rabbi Onias was traveling the barren land when he came upon a man planting carob trees. The man hoped that the land could be replenished. The Rabbi refused to eat his only source of food, although he was starving. He was saving it for someone who might need it more than he did. He was exhausted from his long journey and eventually fell asleep. As he slept the land replenished itself and grew around Onias. The trees and bushes protected him from his surrounding while he slept for a hundred years. When he woke he was amazed by the transformation. He stayed with his great grandchild for some time before he asked to be returned to the place were he had slept for so long. When he was returned to the spot Onias found peace and slept never to wake on earth again.

My Thoughts: This story reminded me of sleeping beauty in a sense. It combined a journey of despair and the realization of hope. The journey the man began ended with the journey the land had while he slept. It would be interesting to design a story around the adventures his mind underwent as he slept for one hundred years...

Bibliography:Story and Image can be found
Gertrude Landa (1919)."The Sleep of One Hundred Years."
The Sleep of One Hundred Years

Wikipedia Trail from Mythology to Deductive Reasoning

Chimera

About Mythology

Originally I was curious about the origin of mythology. Mythology is a collection of stories that people from different times, religions, and cultures was used to tell others about their way of life. It is a way to preserve their history. As I read more about mythology I became curious about renaissance mythographers. Renaissance mythographers were people who wrote mythology between the fourteenth and seventeenth century renaissance period, which is thought to have started in Florence. Renaissance

From there I found a link to inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is something that provides strong evidence that supports a specific conclusion. As a I study for the LSAT I am employing both Inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning.
Which is why my next link led me to take a closer look at deductive reasoning.
Deductive reasoning helps to link an authors premise to their conclusion. For example, on the LSAT a test taker can deduct answer choice that do not link the author's premise to the author's conclusion.

Work Cited
David_(Michelangelo)

Growth Mindset

In this Ted Talk Carol Dweck discusses a new way to teach children to succeed. I really enjoyed her ideas of how to challenge children to learn and not just reward them when something is easy for them. Dweck suggest praising children for they way they approach situations and logically reason through them. Follow the link below to learn more.

Ted Talk With Carol Dweck


             Carol Dweck says "Not Yet"
           Ted Talk With Carol Dweck



        About Barbra Oakley 

My father (a college professor) introduced me to Barbra Oakley. In her Ted Talk Oakley introduces some concepts about how to open your mind in order to make room for cognitive pathways to reach new ideas that your mind has not already establish a clear line of thinking. She references great thinkers of the world who placed their minds in a rest mood and then they were able to realize the concepts they once struggled with.

Follow this link to learn how to open your minds to new ideas.

Ted Talk With Barbara Oakley

Starting the Semster

When starting any adventure it is important to keep organized. School is the most important investment adventure you can make for your future. College like most things is not easy and you will only get out of it what you put into it. Here are some ideas for keeping organized for school.

Establish a routine-this may include several things
-go to bed at a reasonable time
-wake up at the same time
-eat at least three times a day around the same time each day
-pick a set laundry day
-pick out your clothes the night before
-have a specific place to keep your school books/supplies/HOMEWORK
-Use one notebook with enough sections and a connected folder for each course
-Place homework on the front side of the folder and the finished homework on the back side
-Carry a pencil bag w/ pens and pencils (make sure several are pre-sharpened and have erasers)
-IMPORTANT- if there is a change to your routine always write it down either on paper or make a digital reminder in your phone (or Both)

By establishing a routine your mind is less anxious and you are less likely to forget to do things or to have things that you need.  These are just a few helpful ideas to get you started for the new semester. I hope it helps and look forward to hearing how you stay organized... -H

OU Campus

Readers Choice University

Reading Options

The Biblical reading selection in the "Un-Textbook" is intriguing. The Adam and Eve story offers a alternate perspective as to why Eve ate the forbidden fruit, which lead to "The Fall of Man." To read The Fall of Man follow the link below.

Adam and Eve: The Fall of Man


Le Mans - Cathedral St Julien
Le_Mans: Cathedrale St. Julien

In the upcoming weeks I am looking forward to reading more about the Africa: "The Heart of a Monkey: The Washerman's Donkey." This story is about a intelligent monkey who recounts a fable he had been told in order to save himself from a shark. Follow the link to find out how the monkey escaped.
Africa: Heart of the Monkey

Apuleius's epic love story of Cupid and Psyche is told within "The Golden Ass." I actually own a copy of The Golden Ass. It can be somewhat challenging to read because there are several stories within the main storyline, which is told in layers. It is definitely worth reading! To read about Psyche in Psyche's Beauty and the Anger of Venus" follow the link below.
Apuleius:Psyches-beauty