Present Issue: Bad luck in all forms runs in the family at least since her grandparents’ generation. Her mother has had continuing ill health. Although her father is work oriented, he has always had financial difficulties. Her grandparents’ marriage is not good, and neither is her parents. She has had difficulty in personal relationships. Whenever someone in the family is passionate about something—her brother in sports, she about animals—bad luck seems to constantly interfere. In her current job, her managers don’t appear to recognize her value.
Journey: First Life—The ancestor is the captain of a steam ship which is a slave ship. He doesn’t seem to care what the ship will be carrying since he is new to the ship and crew. He is from a poor immigrant family that had to leave their home because of political/religious persecution. He is the ancestor named John and now lives in the town with his 2 daughters.
They pick up the captured slaves overseas. He helps bind their wrists in the bottom of the ship. A woman is upset at being separated from her children, screams at him in a foreign language. She curses him throwing negative, fiery, painful energy in his direction. Later they dock on a small island and offload the slaves.
When he gets home, he finds one of his daughters is sick with a high fever. He calls for a doctor The child recovers but is wheelchair bound afterward and always weak.
A year later, he has lost his home. He and the daughters are living alone in a small house farming small acreage. He loses even that much. His younger daughter dies and the older one blames him and refuses to speak to him.
He just gives up on life. He finally ends up in a forested area as a logger laborer. He is still angry and doesn’t get along with anyone. Eventually, he gets in an accident losing his left arm. He is kept on as a driver in the logging camp.
Years later when he is older, he marries for convenience. He is not particularly happy, but he was lonely. They have a house and tolerate each other. She is with him on his deathbed caring for him. He doesn’t really care for her. He says this life “Fucking sucks.”
Second Life—He goes back to the Board Room meeting where he was offered the captain’s job of the slave ship for a lot of money. This time he turns it down and goes home, not knowing what he will do. Two days later an opportunity comes to ship cargo in his own ship. He takes it and continues to ship cargo out of the hometown.
He lives in town in a nice house with his 2 daughters who remain healthy. They continue to have a good, close, loving relationship. He eventually is able to make enough money shipping without having to make the journey himself. His business is successful and not stressful. It is a good, peaceful life and he is around his eldest daughter and 2 grandchildren a lot. He is happy in his life and lives to be older with grey hair. He doesn’t even have to go into work often to keep it moving.
On his deathbed, his eldest daughter and grandchildren are with him. He says he wasn’t a failure this time. He was happy and love.
Discussion:
- Why did the curse affect relationships, family, money, and careers in the family? How were those areas in the woman’s life affected by being captured and enslaved?
- Was there any way the ancestor could have changed the effects of the curse if he had recognized it, i.e., changed his path, once events has been set in motion?
- How many decisions in your life were based on money and not on the underlying moral issues? Has this affected other areas in your life?
