A Thousand Words
When I watched someone I love eat an ice cream cone recently, my heart broke into a thousand shards. The way he relished his cone which I bought (I wanted to treat him to his first one of the season), did not trouble me in the way you may think. But while I saw him bite off his cone in big inelegant clumps, eyes closed with pleasure, and chocolate on his chin, I witnessed his humanity in a way I had never seen it before. And it broke my heart…
I think when we see someone we care about being human, vulnerable and utterly themselves, our soul reaches out to theirs in communion. We want to touch them on the deepest level and hold on for dear life. Yet at the same time, we are dowsed with sense of loss and longing too. We know as beings on this dangerous tilting earth we could be torn from those we love at a moment’s notice or they from us, and it could all be gone – ice cream cones and friendships…love and hunger.
Moments like this are not to be dreaded however, they are to be embraced. When we are lucky enough to see a beloved friend’s humanity, we have been given a gift of the divine. It is a reminder that our experiences and our relationships are ephemeral – they will not last. I was reminded of that last July when my younger brother died. It seemed like just yesterday afternoon when he and I trawled an old bookshop together where he found an ancient atlas that he sheepishly carried out in his arms like a big lit birthday cake. My memory of him that day formed a picture through the windshield of my car as I watched his grin over the dusty old book. It only lasted a moment and but when I think of it now, my “picture” had a thousand words…
How many pictures can we paint this summer with those we love so much? How many ice cream cones can we bear?
~
If a picture paints a thousand words,
Then why can’t I paint you?
The words will never show the you I’ve come to know.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I’d spend the end with you.
And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away
~Bread
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10 Comments
Margaret Powling
A truly lovely post, Donna, thank you for that.
Lori
A beautiful reminder to live and love every moment that we are gifted.
A Lovely Inconsequence
Thank you Lori.
LA CONTESSA
BLISS that it BLISS!
I have a new puppy………same BLISS for me with an OUCH HERE AND THERE!
SHE is teething!!!
XXX
Ann
Beautiful memory….having lost a brother and sister I know the feeling. For me…the other rainy day made me think of my brother taking me for a ride in his car in the rain. And, though my sister is gone for over 25 years, I can still feel her when a song comes on the radio and feel her near me. Memories are such a blessing. Going to make some next week with my remaining sister…we cherish the time we have together.
A Lovely Inconsequence
I love the way you think Ann…
Cherre
I loved this post. I don’t have much to add except I absolutely know what you mean about witnessing the humanity of a loved one. I treasure those moments.
Karen
I love this song beyond words. I was with my twin 4-year-old granddaughters yesterday at a spray park. The gleeful grins on their faces as they walked slowly towards me carefully balancing over-filled paper cups to pour ice cold water on my feet and legs will forever stay with me until I “simply fly away”. All the feelings of exquisite love, loss and the glorious now. Thank you so much for this piece today. My heart is resonating just a little painfully, but equally gleeful. xo The other Karen
A Lovely Inconsequence
Thank you Other Karen. I knew you would understand.
Karen
What a gift! I love this and think you’ve really hit on something lovely and soooo true! Bless you for sharing this! XO