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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. ๐Ÿ™‚

clover

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. Donโ€™t let it scare you.

Itโ€™s impossible to have known the days already, each risk, each sluggish start, each heavy heart, each buttered breakfast toast and expiration date.

Donโ€™t try to climb above it. Donโ€™t 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 donโ€™t 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 isnโ€™t 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 rainโ€™s soft strike on the windows in drop after drop, and donโ€™t 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.

Comments: 22

  • July 7, 2013
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    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.

  • July 7, 2013
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    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/

  • July 7, 2013
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    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.

  • July 8, 2013
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    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.

  • July 8, 2013
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    I like that the only orders are from the heart. A special poem letter indeed, Veronica.

  • daryledelstein

    July 8, 2013
    reply

    hey, if you’d told me, given me some notice you could have dragged me around Europe!

  • July 8, 2013
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    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

  • July 9, 2013
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    Lovely. Again a terrific use of simple words to mean so much.

  • July 9, 2013
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    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.

  • July 10, 2013
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    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!)

  • July 10, 2013
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    Veronica, you really know how to give great advice-and poetically too! Love the plant analogies; dancing and unbuttoning your pants–wonderful ๐Ÿ™‚

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