If you recall, I published these letters from sister Queens from Texas, Florida, and England in the last issue: 

Dear Mama Donna.

Recent political events have pushed me to the point of despondency. I am completely crippled with feelings of helplessness and inadequacy. There is so much that I want to see improve in our country and in the world, but I don't know where or how to begin. What is a girl to do?

Depressed in Dallas

Dear Mama Donna,

I attended a candlelight ceremony for peace on the beach in Florida yesterday - only 30 people but hey, it is Bushland and I've signed two petitions today as always, and hope to be at the demo tomorrow. What more can I do?

Frustrated in Florida

Dear Mama Donna,

We here in Europe, watch the current events with horror and wonder with despair where are the States going? What can we do? Not much, watching from the sidelines. Maybe you have some ideas.

Disillusioned in London

"I would love to continue this thread of discussion. Please send your thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences in response to these queries. Your letters will be printed in the next Queen's Chronicles."

Here is the stirring reply from Queen Shiloh Sophia in California:

Dangerous Territory

Dedicated to Our Great Work in the world,

and The Cosmic Cowgirls

Painting by Linda Lanker

We are a tribe of truth tellers.

Revolution makers.

Movers and shakers

of things that need moving

and shaking. Like hips.

And old ideas that need

shaking off.

We are a gathering of women who

straddle the worlds.

We have one bare foot on the earth  

(toenails painted sparkly of course)

and one cowgirl boot in the marketplace of life.

With our heads in the stars for big dreaming

and our arms outstretched

to embrace as much aliveness as we can.

We have our hearts on our sleeves, both of them.

Whether we be sinners or saints

or wear halos or horns there is

one thing you have to admit about us....

We agree...

Be the most you that you can be.

Be your own revolution

while being a part of the collective one.

We believe this truth to be self evident:

That each woman can transform

her life into a legend.

That stories are made for telling

around the campfire,

but legends are meant to be lived.

And sisterhoods are meant to

be your bridge when you don't know

the way over the troubled water of

the lies you have been told

and tell yourself still.

To help in the great adventure

of revealing the more you that there is,

we may hand you a paintbrush

a writing pen a drum a fiddle

a magic wand a bar of chocolate

some cowgirl boots and

a jar of red glitter and a ball of

red thread. And the craft of

inquiry. That's right - the path

of questions is that path

each of us must walk and keep

on walking. Creativity, curiosity

and? inquiry into oneself is the daily

cup of tea here.

Here we know what women

are worth and we tell you what we

know of our ancient and future wisdom.

We have been gathering the stories

of our grandmothers and grandfathers

about birth and death and transformation

that have been lost. We will not

allow them to be lost again. We

are carrying scrolls of wisdom

across the planet so that thousands

of hands hold these legends

and it will not be lost from us

like it was before.

This is where women

come to gather the bones

and sing their whole self

back together again.

We believe there is medicine,

sacred and true in

community that comes with the

territory of belonging.

Of being a part of that which

is bigger then you. And me.

A place where the collective

soul can unfurl her bright

wings and together we can

fly in a future that reflects

who we are and what we

care about.

And in closing I must give you a

Warning - if you enter

Cosmic Cowgirl Territory

there is no way your wild

woman will keep herself

contained. Beware of shifting

stories and old ideas falling away.

Beware of taking up space

that might make others

uncomfortable around you.

Beware of no longer being

willing to live a life that does not reflect

who you are. This is dangerous

territory. Welcome.

Your cup of revolutionary tea

is waiting for you.

Please send YOUR questions or responses to: thequeenofmyself@aol.com

I loved your "Being Prepared" column so very much, true words they are. Staying in the present moment is all one can really do. I need to remind myself that I have been through some situations that I thought were not able to be solved, but I did, sometimes with the help of others, sometimes on my very own. Thank you so much for a great reminder to stay in the moment.

- Elayne, PA

Donna, your newsletter is always such a gift, thank you. I shared your gorgeous, wise, and powerful article on "Death Feeds Life Feeds Death" on my facebook page.

- Camille, CA

A good blog Mama Donna, on death and all that. As we say here at my place in the Beltane ritual (which we just had a couple of weeks ago), as we offer each other sweet guava juice, "taste the sweetness of life, don't miss the Moment."

Love,

- Glenys, Australia

One of the best, Donna. Many thanks for your insights.

- Sherli, CA

I just finished reading your incredible essay. I knew you had a "challenging" (ha! right?) year, but I didn't know to what extent.  Now I do, of course, and I want to say that you are, once again, a true role model for me. Your honest, compassionate, clear-eyed and beautifully written document is absolutely inspiring, and I'm so grateful that our existences on this wonderful Earth happened to intersect.

- Sharon, NY

Growing older has its scary moments and I sometimes get carried away with worry about how I will cope with this or that in the future. Thank you for bringing me back to the moment, which is just fine, thankfully!

- Lolly, LA

True words. Comforting words. Helpful words. I am so glad to have read them. They really hit home.

- Caroline, OH

Susan Corso, CA; April James, PA; and Judith Miller, NY; on their moves and new beginnings.

Arlene Blum, CA, on receiving the 2014 Benjamin Ide Wheeler Award.

Martha Wilson, NY, on receiving the 2015 Audrey Irmas Award for Curatorial Excellence.

Lily Tomlin, CA, on receiving a Kennedy Center Honor.

 The test of a democracy is not the magnificence of buildings or the speed of automobiles or the efficiency of air transportation, but rather the care given to the welfare of all the people.

- Helen Adams Keller