Monday, December 15, 2014

On this day



"Some days I felt an urgent responsibility to each change of light outside the sunporch windows. Who would remember any of it, any of this our time, and the wind thrashing the buckeye limbs outside? Somebody had to do it, somebody had to hang on to the days with teeth and fists, or the whole show had been in vain."
An American Childhood, Annie Dillard



Or you can let the days run through your fingers like sweet water, like golden coins, the currency of your time on this earth. It would seem miserly to hoard them, even if we could, when they are given to us so generously, again and again. 

But remembering, yes. Let us remember. When I think of the thousands upon thousands of days I've been given, I feel grateful and almost a little ashamed. Grateful now for all the days I didn't have the grace to appreciate so much then, when I was so young and took for granted a lifetime of golden days in front of me. 

That is a beautiful thing about gaining these years, I think. I begin to see the many, many gifts I've been given, and at last begin to fully recognize their preciousness. I am grown larger, so my gratitude can be larger, too. 

And in recognizing the generosity extended to me, I am moved to offer gifts in reciprocity. To finally see the way of it...a circle.

The earth is so patient, waiting for us to recognize what's been here all along, if only we'd have the eyes (or the years) to see. 

That's how it feels to me today.  

4 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful quotation and thoughts. <3 And greenery!

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    1. photos from October...the days I secretly still want to hang onto with teeth and fists.

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  2. For me Carmine the days have only a few glimmers of gold, and so I've had to keep these as remembrances, and when there are enough to fill a cup, I'll drink a Glass of Supreme Moments. I'm glad there are some of us who even acknowledge the presence of the world we're so inextricably a part of.
    'The universe if full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper' so Eden Philpotts said. Best always, -R

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    1. A cup of memory, a cup of forgetfulness...wishing you magical elixirs and more supreme moments and golden glimmers.

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