The Origin of Consciousness

She picked up one of the empty bullet cases from the floor, delivered by an M16 assault rifle, and discreetly slipped it in her bag. This was a significant piece of her story, a memory she wanted to keep, despite its tragedy. A memory that would crash into the consciousness of others, in years to come.

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"Was that at Mum's 40th?!" I asked my Auntie Elle pointing to an old photograph on her mantelpiece. I was briefly visiting my old town to see Nan who had been taken into hospital, and Auntie Elle always provided welcoming accommodation and a home-cooked dinner.

"Yes, that was at Sefton Road, 26 years ago!” she replied.

I sat cross legged on her carpeted floor in front of the electric fire. She'd lived alone for the last 34 years and cherished the company of close family.

"And what's that?!" I asked pointing to a small golden cylinder sat on top of a rock.

"Oh it's from Palestine, dear."

"Is it a bullet?!"

"Well, it's the shell, you know, the casing of a bullet."

My Auntie Elle, a 78 year old woman, an unassuming, kind and gentle soul, then told me her story. I sat and listened. In silence. In shock. In astonishment and in horror. A whole new existence of my Auntie Elle emerged, her energy glowed and her words radiated my core whilst shifting my entire concept of reality all the way back to the day I was born. By the end of her story, I’d evolved, a hundred thousand years. My heart raged, my spirit was ablaze and the indescribable admiration I had for this woman, soared with disorientation.

How had I not known all of this before?

It’s as though every atom that had been me, every electron, nucleus and subatomic particle, had scrambled and dispersed into infinite space; and then, regathered, but with a distinctly noticeable change in formation.

The way I’d see, feel and think would never be the same again.

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She walked through the checkpoint, and through the metal fence saw a bulldozer savagely tearing down an orange farm. She saw a Palestinian lady screaming, begging and crying with despair. The orange farm was her livelihood, her only source of income. Auntie Elle walked towards the fence and held out her hand, and the Palestinian lady responded by reaching back out towards her, their hands connecting. Through unspoken communication Auntie Elle told her she

wasn’t alone, through her eyes she reassured her there were good people around who knew, who saw, and through her touch she promised there was love.

The noise of the firing rifle tore apart the hope. The anger-filled shouts demanded immediate severance, and the momentary relief of understanding and solidarity, was gone.

After a dangerous exchange of unchecked impulsive retort, Auntie Elle was ushered by her friend to silently move on... but not before picking up one of the empty bullet cases from the floor and discreetly slipping it into her bag.

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When I first heard that dark bass line, I saw the eyes of other people's children staring out into the blackness. When the haunting words began, my skin shivered as I watched my own child crawl into that life. When the tone, laden with warning, penetrated my soul with a terror unknown; and the crash of guitar blasted missiles, rockets and grenades into the desperately helpless hell of despair... well then I knew, that our evolution would have to far surpass any physical progression.

In a time and place that normalises war, slaughter and torture, where children in certain parts of the world are left to die because their country doesn’t contribute any significance to the power and profit of the world’s elite, where the media lies and innocent cries are cast aside... it slowly dawns that this, is not human nature. This is the want of the privileged few, not the compassion of the loving many.

Developed way beyond archaic hatred, Auntie Elle dedicates her life to the cause of peace and justice, despite being shot at, threatened and intimidated, still she continues, unwavering, at 78, to spread love, support and peace.

The origin of consciousness, of universal existence... commencing an evolutionary progression exceeding this primitive bodily existence, heading towards the beginning of time, forwards to the start, where energy is united and we... are all one.