
A word of advice for the Sunday whirl
Chloe is a little sad that I’m leaving for England and we won’t see each other till September. It’s hard now with her being an adult. I can’t really drag her around Europe for the summer any more. So I used these words to write something for my little girl.
Yes, we’ll be brave and we’ll both cry a little. ๐
voices, impossible, scare, climb, risk, listen,
where, smoke, happens, pressure, might, orders
Listen,
allow yourself hit-or-miss days.
It happens.
Let the days pass by normally as air does in your lungs, expanding like pink balloons. Donโt let it scare you.
Itโs impossible to have known the days already, each risk, each sluggish start, each heavy heart, each buttered breakfast toast and expiration date.
Donโt try to climb above it. Donโt try to come bend fate and bring destiny to your will and shed light on your path and borrow more life.
Stay grounded, close to the fire for warmth and donโt climb into the smoke where you are blind.
Just like life is an arcs of orbits, day and night, growing out from and setting into all things, so too is feeling, filling up all things until our shoots can no longer stay straight and our yellowed stems bow back to the ground.
Feel the pressure and think how remarkable it all might be.
Remarkable, because it isnโt one of those moments when your insides turn and your heart beats double time.
Remarkable, because then the only voices you will listen to are yours, the only orders from your heart.
So stare out at the puddles and rainโs soft strike on the windows in drop after drop, and donโt wonder when the weather will let sadness go.
But if it does then dance this time, maybe unbutton your pants a little.
Pretty much just like that, except maybe a little more.
brenda w
Fantastic advice! My daughter and I are drawing close to our first real big parting, so this speaks dearly to my heart. I love it, and will share it with TL. Thank you.
Veronica
Are you really Brenda? It’s a tough one. My children and I used to live in Europe for months at a time, but now they’re all grown. ๐ But at least they love me and miss me. ๐ I hope your separation is an easy one. ๐
1sojournal
Wonderful use of the words, perhaps the best I’ve seen all day. Your letter is filled with love, caring and wisdom. Could serve as a prototype for all parents letting go of their children for the first time.
Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/evening-of-the-4th/
Veronica
Wow Elizabeth, thank you so much. ๐
Misky
Made my eyes well-up. My youngest son is moving with his wife to Bogotรก at the end of this month, and now all my sons will be thousands of miles away from me. I know how this feels; it knots my stomach just to think about it. However, back to exquisite poem, this “each buttered breakfast toast and expiration date” is wonderful.
Veronica
Oh Misky, now I’m getting teary. I’ll be there tomorrow if you are somewhere close and need a hug. ๐
Robyn Greenhouse
How lucky your daughter is to have you! Such a sweet poem for her to read everyday while you are away! My kids are still home, but can’t imagine what it will be like if/when they lives take them far away. I hope I’ll be able to express myself in a poem like this when the time comes.
Veronica
Hi Robyn, I remember the days when they were little guys and transportable. That was much easier then leaving them now because so much more can go wrong with them and I can’t get to them as fast as I might want to. ๐
Irene
I like that the only orders are from the heart. A special poem letter indeed, Veronica.
Veronica
Thank you Irene. ๐
daryledelstein
hey, if you’d told me, given me some notice you could have dragged me around Europe!
Veronica
Oh dam, Daryl, that would have been so much fun! Lol, can you imagine the trouble we would get up to? How’s your Italian? I can cover the French, German, Russian and Slavic countries. ๐
Pamela
I can’t really say more than has already been said, Veronica. My daughter (only child) lives in the US and I miss her more than anything in the world. Exquisite poem on parting.
Pamela
Veronica
Oh gosh Pamela, that’s hard. I’m also an only child and my mother misses me something crazy now that dad and her sisters are all gone. Thank goodness that I have three and the kids are more or less around Vancouver. ๐
Carol Early Cooney
Lovely. Again a terrific use of simple words to mean so much.
Veronica
Thank you Carol ๐
michellepond
This post needs to come with a warning to have tissues ready before reading. I love the line “Stay grounded, close to the fire for warmth and don’t climb into the smoke where you are blind.” Beautiful work, as always.
Veronica
Aw Michelle, thank you so much. ๐
Walt Wojtanik
Veronica, Chloe’s “adventure” will be as fulfilling and exhilarating as yours will be. Your love is her road map to success. Bon Voyage to the two of you! (And GREAT advice, BTW!)
Veronica
Thank you Walt. Chloe calls me every day so we can talk and make sure we are both ok, but I do miss her terribly. ๐
Sara v
Veronica, you really know how to give great advice-and poetically too! Love the plant analogies; dancing and unbuttoning your pants–wonderful ๐
Veronica
Thank you Sara. I’m glad you liked it. These little Sunday whilrs are getting easier now. Practice I think. ๐