Samantha is an Aramaic word meaning “listener”. I have read the evolution of this meaning in all its variations – on fridge magnets, on birthday cards, on tacky posters in tobacco shops. They are all positive, and they all please me, but somewhere along the way I’ve gotten a little carried away with the idea…
Mother to Son:
“Do you remember this song sweetie? It’s the first song you ever heard. We played it while you were joining us in the world.”
Mentor to Student:
“You’re raising the vibration of the planet. You’re the real deal. You bring magic.”
Local to Traveller:
“There is probably cocaine in the saddlebags of that donkey. Of course I’m serious! That’s how they get it to the States.”
Acquaintance to Acquaintance:
“There are crazy things happening in this world. People are tapping into their consciousness. How can we even sustain this? I mean, how can it possibly get any better than this?”
Tour Guide to Group:
“Guys, if you hear a plane above us, move away from the trees. Howler monkeys hate planes and will be throwing rocks and fruit into the sky.”
Friend to Friend:
“He gave her a Fender Stratocaster Guitar, the exact one she had sold to move here. And she just looked at him, crying. Then the next week, she happened to sit next to Jimi Hendrix’s sister on a plane to Boston, and now she’s recording an album in her studio.”
(Photo of Maaloula, Syria – a town where Ancient Aramaic language is still spoken. Via Anthony Kranepuhl.)
SAVING FOR CUBA 