Mary,

Hesperis fits no preconceived or typical description that pops into people's minds that I have ever heard of...

She is unique.

No drug habits, no piercing, no dangerous looking friends (unless someone finds my Bob Dylan/like haircut frightening). Doesn't smoke. Doesn't drink. Seldom swears (unless under great duress). Dresses nicely. Speaks intelligently on a great variety of interesting subjects.

Is umbillically connected to computer hardware and software, and very good at using them. (Is also, to my way of thinking...addicted to them...but she would not agree with that, so it's just my opinion.)

Is a voracious reader of books, interested in spiritual topics, poetry, and good adult fantasy (sword & sorcery, etc).

Is very interested in dance, particularly sacred circle dancing or dancing that has a spiritual meaning and purpose.

Has very poor eyesight (nearsighted), but claims that wearing glasses causes her terrible headaches...so, if you've got a solution to that...well...I don't.

Can play a wide variety of musical instruments, sing, compose, and create lyrics and musical pieces of quite a high quality. Also creates computer graphic art of various sorts, websites, etc...

Is bloody particular and finicky about a whole lot of things (partly because of the allergies, partly because she just is that way)...and prefers the extraordinary to the ordinary, given the choice of what to focus on in life. Tends to be very idealistic about life and somewhat impractical in certain areas of basic survival.

Is not a "partier", and is generally not interested in what most girls her age are primarly interested in...(which is to say, from my observation only, the majority of them in this town smoke, party, and are fixated on dating "cute" boys...I realize that's a gross generalization, but that's what I see going on...Hesperis is simply not in sinc with those girls.)

Likes to function between about 3pm and 3am for some reason.

Is morally just about impeccable in pretty well any area of life worth mentioning.

What spiritual world she dropped in from I don't know, but she is certainly not your typical unemployed young person...if there is such a thing.

The allergy treatments she has taken do work...but it takes one individual treatment for each particular allergen (the more severe allergens must be treated later, not sooner or it doesn't work/could even be life-threatening), and it's $60/treatment, so that's a lot of money when you're looking at maybe 100 treatments all told. She's had about 20 so far. The government did not pay for any of them, because the government does not recognize this form of treatment. That it does work is clear to me, simply from observing the results, and the changes in what she could eat or be exposed to without experiencing harmful effects.

- LH