Skeleton Woman

The images invoked in the story of Skeleton woman are almost amusing. I see this man rowing his boat as fast as he can in order to get away from her but because of the "bond" between them, the fishing line, she "runs" just as quickly after him...even standing up on top of the water. Then when he gets to shore and continues to run from her....still she is "bonded" and continues to chase after him. Finally when he gets home and feels safe he begins to see her in the softer light of the fire's glow and he likes her presence. Then she begins to drink from him...taking in his tears to quench her thirst. It was especially interesting to me when she took out his heart and held it in her hands feeling his heartbeat and pulse course through her...bringing her back to life. Until, finally she becomes fully fleshed and fully alive again...and she sneaks her body next to his, skin to skin, where they become one flesh...and, it seems, live happily ever after. I am conflicted with this story as it pertains to external elements. Being single and learning to embrace being a single woman, I tend to reject the image of a woman not being whole without the love and acceptance of a man. Yet, I sense truth in the story even in the external elements. It seems true that once a woman is "bonded" to a man she "runs" after him when he runs away...sensing his fear....and wanting to prove to him there is nothing to fear. However, when this story is applied to the internal elements of a woman, it has a much deeper meaning and, I believe, a more truthful message. The man embodies the Fear within us. The skeleton woman is, in essence, our true nature, yet to be embraced...but which cannot be embraced until the Fear is overcome. The skeleton woman, as an image of our true nature is not fully formed and lies at the bottom of the lake awaiting wholeness and transformation. When she is "caught" by the fishing net...a metaphor for being "caught" by a transformative, and fearful life event...she cannot escape the "chase". She is drawn, inescapably, towards the thing which will bring her Fear to the light. In the story the fear is, literally, brought to the light of the fire. In the light her fear, itself, begins to re-member her body and put the bones of her Self back together. She is remembering her true essence. The frame of her body is put back together in proper order by her fear. Eventually, her fear subsides and rests. This is when she begins to embrace it. She looks at it, it is quiet and sleeping, and she begins to drink in the feelings of sadness and life through the drinking of the tears. She drinks and drinks and begins to feel emotions, again. Love begins to replace fear. She holds the heart of fear in her hands and feels the warmth of its drumming. Although the story doesn't go this far, I would say that she spends a long time in each of the phases. I imagine her crying and feeling and understanding the depth of life and death and life, again, as she hold this heart so lovingly. In time her body becomes flesh again and her soul comes to life. She becomes the living, breathing, loving heart, mind, body and soul that she is and always has been. Then she fully embraces the fear...as it is no longer fear, but it has become her teacher and her lover...she becomes one with it...and as she merges with the thing that once despised her, (the thing she once despised in herself) she reaches full forgiveness and full wholeness. Very Beautiful! :)