Regret can "Rue the Day...."

My post for the second "R" word is for the herb, RUE.

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "You'll rue the day when...." ( insert actions...)

It is because Rue is an herb which is very bitter. It is used for many things medicinally, such as eyestrain, insect repellent , curing earaches, nervous nightmares, and also an anti-spasmodic and a cure for sciatica.

  Gerard says:

'If a man be anointed with the juice of rue, the poison of wolf's bane, mushrooms, or toadstools, the biting of serpents, stinging of scorpions, spiders, bees, hornets and wasps will not hurt him.'

Rue-water sprinkled in the house 'kills all the fleas,' says an old book

It is one of the ingredients of the "Vinegar of four thieves"

HOWEVER....

Rue, in all it's amazing healing qualities, is also symbolic for REGRET.

And in fact, if you tangle with it topically in the sun, it can cause severe blistering.

It may look like this:

OUCH!

There are mentions of Rue in many folk songs, like in this old one that I sing in my duo, Merry Mischief.

It's called "A Bunch of Thyme"

Come all ye fair and tender girls
who flourish in your prime
Beware, beware....
keep your garden fair
let no man steal your thyme, time....
let no man steal your thyme.

For woman is the branch of tree
and man the clinging lying wind
and everywhere your gardens' fair
he'll take what he may find, find...
he will take what he may find.

And when your best is past and gone
he'll care no more for you, you, you.
And everywhere your gardens' bare
he'll sow it o'er with Rue, rue
he'll sow it o'er with Rue.

This song is very interesting. It is a "lullaby" that women used to sing to their wee girl babes to warn them about the perils of being with certain men. Some men are nice....some men will use you.

Thyme is well known for being the herb for FERTILITY.

Rue was given to induce miscarriage. Thus the songs' poignant reminder that you may reap what he has sown.

Yes, REGRET may come in all forms.

Sometimes Rue is the herb for healing....
and sometimes it is the herb for regret of previous actions.

Prescribe as needed....with CARE.

And remember this for it is what RUE is all about:

Regret is best LET GO of!

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If you want to do your own research....on more interesting ways to use this amazing herb....

Surf here:

http://www.sisterzeus.com/rue.htm

http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/r/rue---20.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Effet_de_la_rue_officinale.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue