"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." ~Richard Bach

Those of us who are lucky experience the complete unraveling of our lives. A life turned upside down creates the opportunity for radical change. Whether it's a divorce, death of a loved one, sudden poverty, or life changing illness, we may find ourselves forced to reevaluate identity, meaning, reality.

Corneal dystrophy has been the empowering experience of my life. I lost access to visual beauty, but discovered that we swim in a sea of unnoticed yet exquisitely beautiful sounds, textures, smells, and motion. The disease was crushingly cruel and my organ donor gave me the purest form of unconditional kindness. I lost the illusion of control, and tasted serenity and freedom. I gave up the future I had planned, and experienced the richness of the present moment.

Life became an infinite playground- with a little help from Lao Tsu.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Fresh Snow


May my life never be so sadly arranged that I can’t enjoy a fresh snow.


When I am able may I have a child to chase me around the trees making great pathways and snow angels.


When I have no child may I hike up the hill sweating and panting against the gentle resistance of persistent snow drifts.


When I am deaf and feeble may I set my chair before the window and marvel at the lace and crystal covered trees.


When I am blind and too frail to venture out,

may I rise up just once in the night,

open the door, and stand for a moment

to feel winter’s vast silence on my skin.

1 comment:

  1. Hurray for your blog !
    You do write beautifuly.
    This particular text is very reminiscent of one of Robert Frost's poems to me, the one called "Stopping by woods on a snowy evening". Have you heard of it?


    "Whose woods these are I think I know.
    His house is in the village though;
    He will not see me stopping here
    To watch his woods fill up with snow.

    My little horse must think it queer
    To stop without a farmhouse near
    Between the woods and frozen lake
    The darkest evening of the year.

    He gives his harness bells a shake
    To ask if there is some mistake.
    The only other sound's the sweep
    Of easy wind and downy flake.

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."


    I like writing poems myself, but usually in French though. The poetical thought is a hard state to reach outside of your native language.

    Be sure I am going to check your blog very regularly.
    With much love,

    Caroline

    ReplyDelete