As my time in Eastern Europe is coming to a close, I have decided to pen a few proverbs that have been birthed out of my existence in Romania & Moldova. The wisdom that I hope you find in these short passages has emerged from lessons from the locals and the brutal teachings of humorous experiences.
I hope these enrich & bless your devotional time today.
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Whoever runs early in the morning,
baring ones ankles in the cold,
will be presumed by all as pregnant,
as one inflicted with kankles under the burden of a child.
The right playlist makes all things possible:
those who hear it will be able to bathe with freezing water,
heave stones from here to there, with strength to spare,
change bed sheets laden in the hairs of swarthy men,
and scrub away coagulated garlic milk from an untouched kitchen.
The power in a carefully aligned sequence of music remains unmatched.
The woman who sits on cold concrete inherits infertility:
the bitter chill, stealing the life of generations to come will be the shame of her youth.
in due time she will be scolded by a Russian babushka;
only mockery in the sight of all remains.
A test of a true friend:
when a suspicious man follows a friend to the bathroom,
the faithful friend will then follow the dubious man,
poised with pocket knife.
When unwillingly presented with a feast of sardines,
the wise will teach them to swim upsteam or downstream
to an open mouth, a willing stomach;
but as for the man who leads his sardines to the ocean floor,
may his shame shall cover him sevenfold.
Between two tongues there is great confusion,
but “moment!” spoken with a upright hand
transcends language barriers;
the wise will see and understand it.
A woman who harvests walnuts with a sickle alone will fill her pockets,
but with the friendship of tree-climbing children,
she can acquire an abundance,
more than a season’s labor.
A haughty conductor will do anything to make a dollar,
demanding your sleeper mattress be rolled away on the overnight train.
But do not succumb, resist with all diligence,
showing that you do not understand.
With this, the dollar shall remain yours,
as well as any restful sleep.
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Only you can prevent pregnancy. Wear your knee-highs, ladies.
