Dear Tersues,

First of all, you’ve picked a very cool moniker to go by. Tazer packs a great punch but Terseus is clever! I like that: a combination of Tazer and Perseus. From here on out, you shall be Terseus to me.

I am, indeed, a real Goddess. I was first a witch and still am. I worked hard to get where I am and was greatly rewarded for it. Being a Goddess isn’t always easy, for even for us, there are certain rules we must live by. For example, there are things we cannot interfere with directly, no matter how much we wish to. By doing so, the balance of the world could be thrown off, causing catastrophic damage and harming innocent people. Due to who and what I am, I am sworn to protect the innocent as best I can.

Your mother sounds like a fun lady. It isn’t always easy to poke fun at ourselves, but it sounds like you all have great fun at her inability to cook good food. We all have our talents as well as weaknesses. This is why no man (or woman) can go it totally alone. We all need help during our lives and there is no shame in asking for it.

I can’t tell you how much your letter made both my husband and me smile. As creative as your magnificent names for me are, especially “Oh Alabaster Heights, hallelujah,” you can just call me Mathilda. After all, we’re going to be pen pals and, hopefully, friends. As to pronouncing my name, people have said it both ways. This time, your brother has one up on you. 🙂 Just think of the “H” being silent, so it’s Ma-TIL-duh.

I can see that you like Greek Mythology and that Perseus seems to be your favorite hero. Ah, such a great choice! He faced many a danger and experienced more than is share of sorrow. But then, life wouldn’t be life without the bad, for we cannot fully appreciate the good without at least some bad.

It is admirable that you want to be a real life hero, and with your outlook and determination, I’m more than certain I will be reading about your heroics in the newspaper one day. Liam – that’s my husband – and I will open the paper while we have our morning coffee and there you’ll be; right there on the front page. In fact, I’d say you’re well on your way. It often doesn’t take grand gestures to be a hero, you see. Just doing what you are doing by standing up to the bullies is a great start. People will begin to look up to you and admire your courage for not lying down and taking it.

Life would be ever so much easier if we had a Medusa head as a weapon or a mental power like telekinesis as Carrie did in Stephen King’s book. But most often, it takes inner strength, a strong character, determination, and brains to conquer the beasts and demons we must face. Still, I like your style. It’s much more fun to brandish a Medusa head. 😀 Just be careful not to look at it yourself. A taser doesn’t work properly if it turns to stone.

So then, you would like to serve me forever and have me as your Goddess, eh? I don’t come easily, but then, I think you’re the type who would be sorely disappointed if things happened too easily. You like high adventure and you’re determined to show that you’re up for a challenge. That is commendable and I like that!

As you are aware, there must come three tests and I hope you will find it exciting. There are things in the world that are begging to be located, things that are useful to someone like me. I am often too busy to go hunting for them myself, so here is where I need someone of your skill and zest for adventure. Here are your three tests.

Find five different rocks, extra points if at least one is a rare one. Now, you may think a rock is a rock is a rock, but that is not true. Often, rocks or stones contain power in and of themselves. There are many legends about the standing stones in places like Stonehenge having mystical powres, like the ability to transport someone through time. People have reported that they often hear the stones singing and that there is an inexplicable force that both intrigues and scares them. If you succeed in this test, I will tell you two of the legends I know to be true.

Find five different plants. Again, extra points if you find at least one rare one. Although plants don’t talk to us, they are, indeed alive, and all life is sacred. Without plants, we would not have the oxygen we need to breathe, nor would we have healthy things to eat. If you succeed in this test, I will tell you about plants that can actually talk.

Find five different metals. Again, extra points if you find at least one rare one. Metals are an important part of Alchemy. Alchemy is a process by which witches and wizards can create special elixirs when using ingredients like metals and gems. These elixirs can either hurt or help people and must be used wisely. If you succeed in this test, I will tell you of two special elixirs that are of enormous help to me.

If you succeed in all three of these tests, I will be your special Goddess for as long as you need me and will come to you any time you need help. Just shout my name as you’ve done earlier and I will hear.

I must say, you have great insights. You are correct that heroes do have at least one fault. Everyone has faults as well as strengths, and that makes things interesting. Recognizing that you have a fault is very humbling but you’re a better person for it because you realize it’s something you need to work on. Goddesses are there to help though, as you know, and that is a comfort to most.

That’s a very interesting and practical statement about being called Smartyboots. This is true; a person is smart to wear boots in the rain, and smartyboots is a very catchy name.

Ah, I do know how annoying certain people can be. The ones who pick on you and tease you are most likely jealous of you and your talents. You sound like a fun, talented, assertive, and intelligent person, which are the kind of people I admire and respect. You know what? I have a special friend named Lenora. Well, she’s more like a daughter, really. Anyway, Lenora is very intelligent and creative, and she was called “Egghead” a lot in school. There was this one boy, Lincoln, who teased her the most. You know what she did? She rose up righteous and wailed the tar out of him, having gotten so tired of it. Now, I don’t recommend using violence in most cases, but Lenora got mad enough to try to change hings rather than crawl under the covers and cry. He didn’t tease her after that, but there was a reason he teased her. You see, Lincoln liked Lenora but had to play it cool around his friends. As misguided as it was, it was the only way he knew of to show her attention without looking like a sissy. It didn’t end there. Over time, Lenora grew to like him, even love him eventually. They got married and had a son. They were happy until Lincoln was killed. Ah, but that is another story. What I’m saying is, they may tease you and it’s mean and annoying, but time has a way of working things out and they might change toward you.

Athena did, indeed, like sandals. Back then, I think sandals were pretty much what everyone wore. There weren’t sneakers or high heels back then, and everything was made by hand from animals and other natural resources. As to what I like, well, I tend to wear a lot of dresses so I wear heels a lot. But, I have a favorite pair of sandals for those lovely warm days when I enjoy taking a long walk with either my husband, Lenora, or my daughter, Alina.

I am more than happy to write to you and I hope to be pen pals for a long time to come.

Your new friend,

Goddess Mathilda