My Name is Maximus Decimus Martinez, commander of the Armies of the Warehouse District, General of the Houston Legions, loyal servant to all who feed me. Ooh, I meant, Need Me! Father to many murdered sons. And I will have my peace. In this life or the next!
OK. The truth is I’m just Maximus. But you can call me Max. I have seen The Gladiator movie 8 times on Netflix & so now I randomly break into Maximus-The-Gladiator-Speak. LOL. Here is Part One of my story if you are not familiar.
I was a novice gladiator here. Still a common person. I thought the Gods had a sense of humor that I was still alive.
The day Kim drove up I was really tired. Tired of feeling sorry for myself. I barked, “Dear Gods! Allow me to go home!”
Robyn documented our Kira and the cavalry meeting very carefully.
This is my foster brother Freddy. Kim bought his freedom too. (Did you catch that reference?) He stayed in his crate in my arena the entire time. He learned a lot too.
I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is cruel and brutal and dark. I was looking for the light. I found it with Kim. Kira shined it even brighter.
I’m not looking back. What’s done is done. And I have a lot of work to do here. This much I know is true. What we do in life echoes into eternity. And my life is about to change.
Houston is a colosseum of people in pain. Doing painful things to animals. It is hard to talk about. The suffering will continue for as long as we fail to solve our own problems. The guys who arrange dogs to fight are no different than the businessmen who organized gladiator fighting for money in Roman times. They were called lanistaes. The term also meant “butcher.” Interesting. You know dirt cleans off much easier than blood. But I digress…
Kira speaks with animals. Not for them. She helps us reconnect our emotions and our hearts and souls. The soul has all the answers. She has many keys.
1.2 Million of my brothers & sisters are out there in the swelter. Tens of thousands are bloodied with needles. Thousands more will never leave these places. I refuse to believe they fought and died for nothing.
I know no fear now. Kira is an amazon. A female gladiator of sorts; conquering the walls that separate so many important things. She believes that causes and effects are related. For example, a recent “effect” in my life was that my back legs stopped working. The “cause” was my inability to accept my new life in a family environment. I’ve always had to provide for myself. Knew not of love and affection. The change was a shock to my core. But now I quite like it. And I can walk!
We should know when we’re conquered. Our battle is within ourselves. I thought myself so elite. So busy trying to hide my unappealing parts, yet that is precisely what the world saw of me. Surrender now. Selfishness is not becoming. The chariot to our authentic lives await.
Strength and honor. Authenticity and heart. End to spirits of War. Isn’t that what we all pray for? I fought the good fight. My armour on the soil. Retreated. Withdrew my weapons. Home is my reward.
I think I was afraid all my life. Broken from the pack today thanks to Kira. My grip has shifted and I can march on with the swords of my soul blazing.
I know now that I have talent for survival. All for the glory of the empire! My brothers and sisters. Animal and human gladiators alike. Hear our new battle cry! VICTORY!
