A to Z 2026 - R - Contessina’s Collection of Human Treasures

Michelangelo sat in Contessina’s lap, and then leaped off. She watched as he sauntered off, and caught Shelby watching. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Michelangelo leaped back into her lap, and stuck his head in her hand.

She continued:

“Faith and religion aren’t always the same thing. Sometimes religion is merely a cultural distinction. I always found it fascinating that humans, in the aftermath of the Calamity, founded a whole community in the city of Abayomi, Nigeria as a home for leading figures of all their religions. Here was a breathing example of their awareness that old divisions were no longer relevant. 

“In the past they’d tried to organize various political collectives, believing that was what advanced civilizations do. No world I know of has ever done that, created a monolithic environment. When you hear about ‘The Omoxians,’ even the single most stereotyped world, there are still competing factions. Certainly not to the extent of the Hesslans, but then no one is. 

“No human is going to believe it anytime soon, but even the Puck aren’t all the same. Not all of us are obsessed with Earth culture. We have more than our share of traditionalists. My own brother would be upset to hear me characterizing it that way, even.

“This is a good thing.  But in Abayomi, humans have finally, after many centuries of horrific division, learned that their most sacred tenets can coexist. They saw what they had in common. There are Buddhist and Catholic monks sitting in the same gardens. There’s much that can be said just about that relationship alone.”

She might’ve said more, but Michelangelo sprang to the floor again, and she saw Shelby staring, once more. Then she beckoned her neighbor to visit with a brief flutter of her hand. She was hopeful.