Star of David

The ancient symbol

Had meanings unknown to me

As I drew it on the page.

Two of them

One atop the other

They joined in perfect balance.

Drawing number 22.

One feminine

One masculine

In color and feel.

They felt like me somehow;

A balance of the two forces

Feminine on the top

Masculine supporting below

They echoed an earlier drawing of two merkaba

That I had originally used to do my readings

I would place myself in one and

Invite the person I would read into the other.

This worked for a long time

And then, while doing a reading for my brother

The merkabas broke apart.

I thought they were ruined.

But I was just growing into something new.

The words came later

Representing my values

After I decided to tattoo them onto my arms

As a reminder of my own balance

Beauty

Trust Harmony

Love Truth

Peace

Wisdom

Love Truth

Compassion Humility

Unity

The overlap meets at love and truth.

The colors are important

The Feminine:

Gold upward triangle

Pink downward triangle

Red in the center.

Balanced through healing and unconditional love

Centered around my family and ancestors

The Masculine:

Purple upward triangle

Turquoise downward triangle

Green in the center.

Balanced through spirit and evolving.

Centered around community.

This morning I pulled my sleeve down

to hide the star on my arm

While walking my dog through my own neighborhood

As a truck drove past

Stereotypically looking like a Trump supporter

One day after another mass shooting

That had been racial.

I was remembering taking off my sweater in the city once

Driving on a hot day

Stuck in traffic

My arm out the window

The man in the car next to me greeted me with

Shalom!

I realized he must have thought I was Jewish.

Sharing a wish for Peace.

There are so many who wouldn’t be able

To hide their difference

Just by puling down their sleeve.

The symbol is older than its use by Judaism

It was considered the Seal of Solomon.

The triangles are interlaced,

Giving it a 3 dimensional appearance

Made of brass and iron

And used to seal written commands

To good and evil spirits.

And as protection against demons.

My stars are interlaced.