Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Light relief
Dulwich Park, 28.10.2005 (click on photo to enlarge)
Rather obvious, but perhaps it bears repeating: as long as there's the utter joy in an ordinary moment of light, welling from the stomach or the heart or wherever it wells from, things will probably be ok. Maybe the greatest gulf is not between success and failure, good and ill fortune, or even strength and weakness. Maybe it's a matter of whether you have the ability to lose yourself in beauty, pleasure, empathy - something outside yourself.
I have a strong memory, from when I was 9 or 10, of watching my aunt (the 'sister' in the previous post) sink with a sigh into an armchair, put her feet up and slowly, lasciviously, unselfconsciously, drink a hot cup of tea. In that moment she gave herself up totally to pleasure. "I've never seen my Mum do that", I thought. It really struck me. I knew which of them I wanted to be like.
Dulwich Park, 28.10.2005 (click on photo to enlarge)
Rather obvious, but perhaps it bears repeating: as long as there's the utter joy in an ordinary moment of light, welling from the stomach or the heart or wherever it wells from, things will probably be ok. Maybe the greatest gulf is not between success and failure, good and ill fortune, or even strength and weakness. Maybe it's a matter of whether you have the ability to lose yourself in beauty, pleasure, empathy - something outside yourself.
I have a strong memory, from when I was 9 or 10, of watching my aunt (the 'sister' in the previous post) sink with a sigh into an armchair, put her feet up and slowly, lasciviously, unselfconsciously, drink a hot cup of tea. In that moment she gave herself up totally to pleasure. "I've never seen my Mum do that", I thought. It really struck me. I knew which of them I wanted to be like.
¶ 1:55 pm
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Really glad your last post wasn't the end of your blog. And I bet I know which of them you are like.
This post moved me to tears, Jean.
It always bears repeating. The simplest things in life are not necessarily easy. It's entirely too easy for me to get stuck in the vortex of my "self," and I'm always having to consciously reach out, to connect to others, to the light.
It's moments like the one you remember, thoughts like that, that help children --people-- survive. A moment that allows the claim to a life to be staked. A life of one's own choosing, more than a mere echo. A life that can bloom.
It always bears repeating. The simplest things in life are not necessarily easy. It's entirely too easy for me to get stuck in the vortex of my "self," and I'm always having to consciously reach out, to connect to others, to the light.
It's moments like the one you remember, thoughts like that, that help children --people-- survive. A moment that allows the claim to a life to be staked. A life of one's own choosing, more than a mere echo. A life that can bloom.
Exactly. It's the losing of one's self that paradoxically lets us regain our self.
Again the Force out there is allowing me to click on your comments again. It had forbidden me for about a week.
See you on Saturday at St Mart-in-Fields? It seems I've got a ticket though I haven't received it yet.
Again the Force out there is allowing me to click on your comments again. It had forbidden me for about a week.
See you on Saturday at St Mart-in-Fields? It seems I've got a ticket though I haven't received it yet.
# posted by 
: 3:17 am
: 3:17 am
"Maybe it's a matter of whether you have the ability to lose yourself in beauty, pleasure, empathy - something outside yourself." or perhaps, conversely..."Maybe it's a matter of whether you have the ability to find yourself in beauty, pleasure, empathy - something inside yourself." Love to you, beautiful Jean :)
And isn't there something about a cup of tea that hits that particular spot? As opposed to coffee, cola-cola, whatever. It's indefinable, but it's there.
A good reminder, Jean. It was lovely to read this.
A good reminder, Jean. It was lovely to read this.
I love to read this post! Maybe the path, the way will be the pleasure! As you said "lose yourself in beauty, pleasure, empathy - something outside yourself."
I love this! What a wonderful image - putting one's feet up and giving in totally to a cuppa tea! The very thought soothes me. I, too, know which one (your aunt or your mum) I'd rather be.
My first visit here, I linked over from Tamar's place. The first paragraph in this post is so well said, so moving, so powerful. I will be back...
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