Yesterday I had a beautiful letter from Eugénie about old age (she is in her seventies).
Ici la vie continue égale et monotone en surface, pleine d’éclairs, de sommets et de désepérance, dans les profondeurs. Nous sommes arrivés maintenant á un stade de vie si riche en apprehensions nouvelles intransmissibles aux autres âges de la vie – on se sent rempli á la fois de tant de douceur et de tant de désespoir – l’énigme de cette vie grandit, grandit, vous submerge et vous écrase, puis tout á coup en une lueur suprême on prend conscience due “sacré.”
“Here life goes on, even and monotonous on the surface, full of lightning, of summits and of despair, in its depths. We have now arrived at a stage in life so rich in new perceptions that cannot be transmitted to those at another stage – one feels at the same time full of so much gentleness and so much despair – the enigma of this life grows, grows, drowns one and crushes one, then all of a sudden in a supreme moment of light one becomes aware of the “sacred.”
~ May Sarton, March 3rd, Journal of Solitude
Notes:
- Photograph: Michelina Wozniak via eikadan
- Related posts: May Sarton
This is very thought-provoking!
Let me get from here to there. Gorgeous
Exquisite. I have random moments when I am struck by the realization that this time, this moment, is precious, but then the press of the everyday intrudes once more. So important to strive to hang onto that knowledge. On January 1, I committed to writing down three things that I am grateful for each day, and even in this short time, it’s been illuminating. I’m quickly realizing that it’s often the most quotidian things that bring joy–an early morning snowfall, a kind word or gesture from someone, a goofy act by one of my dogs. I. Am. Learning….
Smiling. I’m pondering your gratitude exercise, I need to get on the bus…now.
I heartily encourage you to give it a try, DK. It only takes a couple of minutes each morning to jot down three things, and I find that it sets the tone for the entire day. With this little exercise, my mind is turned to a ‘Damn, but I’m blessed’ outlook that has an impact in the hours that follow….
On it Lori. Do you Journal and save your days or do you jot, ponder and discard?
Save definitely. Very enlightening to go back and review earlier entries as well…
I understand and can relate to those moments of the ‘sacred’. Thank you.
Hi Pam. Me too. Thanks.
“…one feels at the same time full of so much gentleness and so much despair…” Exactly.
Beautiful. <3
Diana xo
epiphany.
We are reminded again, and again, and again, that crushing, drowning, and despair render gentleness. This kind of gentleness can’t be won by trying, it is infused upon surrender. In the end, there is no grand prize in the lottery for happiness, even if fabulous memories pile up in giant heaps our storehouses. We must allow pain, loss and longing to do their work of refinement. We learn to tread with pale, bare feet in the thorny places of the heart and discover that it’s nothing more than broken gentleness that allows us to experience sacred light. Thank you for sharing so that I can remember that.
Beautifully stated Catherine. Thank you.