one
year since my sweet cousin Michael left...one year closer to seeing him again
these are words that have kept coming back to mind, as I thought of my sweet cousin over this last year, and the unimaginable loss that my aunt, uncle and cousins have faced...they are still just words...words, words, words...and no words, no matter how carefully crafted, can change the fact that they are in this valley...time does not heal all wounds and there are no "right" words...but i share them, because they make me think of them...and of that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy...Michael
Sonnet 43 When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, For all the day they view things unrespected; But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, And, darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright— How would thy shadow’s form form happy show To the clear day with thy much clearer light, When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so? How would, I say, mine eyes be blessèd made By looking on thee in the living day, When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay? All days are nights to see till I see thee, And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. ~William Shakespeare
and, from The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
“What moves me so deeply about this sleeping little prince is his loyalty to a flower–the image of a rose shining within him like a flame within a lamp, even when he’s asleep… And I realized he was even more fragile than I thought. Lamps must be protected. A gust of wind can blow them out.”
“You - you alone will have the stars as no one else has them...In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night...You - only you - will have stars that can laugh.”
“I did not know how to reach him, how to catch up with him... The land of tears is so mysterious.” “Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes...The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
“Where are the people?” resumed the little prince at last. “It’s a little lonely in the desert…" "It is lonely when you’re among people, too,” said the snake.” “I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams...'What makes the desert beautiful,' said the little prince, 'is that somewhere it hides a well.'”
"Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " ~Hosea 6:1-3
i know that sleep is hard to come by these days but i pray that the love of friends and family and the memories will sing you into restful sleep...and dreams of your little prince...forever young...that amidst the parched desert you will feel the comfort of the promised gentle rains of spring...and, when most your eyes do wink, i pray that those dreams are filled with the sweet light of Michael's presence, healed and whole, and lighting up all the darkness
these are words that have kept coming back to mind, as I thought of my sweet cousin over this last year, and the unimaginable loss that my aunt, uncle and cousins have faced...they are still just words...words, words, words...and no words, no matter how carefully crafted, can change the fact that they are in this valley...time does not heal all wounds and there are no "right" words...but i share them, because they make me think of them...and of that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy...Michael
Sonnet 43 When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, For all the day they view things unrespected; But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, And, darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright— How would thy shadow’s form form happy show To the clear day with thy much clearer light, When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so? How would, I say, mine eyes be blessèd made By looking on thee in the living day, When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay? All days are nights to see till I see thee, And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. ~William Shakespeare
and, from The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
“What moves me so deeply about this sleeping little prince is his loyalty to a flower–the image of a rose shining within him like a flame within a lamp, even when he’s asleep… And I realized he was even more fragile than I thought. Lamps must be protected. A gust of wind can blow them out.”
“You - you alone will have the stars as no one else has them...In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night...You - only you - will have stars that can laugh.”
“I did not know how to reach him, how to catch up with him... The land of tears is so mysterious.” “Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes...The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
“Where are the people?” resumed the little prince at last. “It’s a little lonely in the desert…" "It is lonely when you’re among people, too,” said the snake.” “I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams...'What makes the desert beautiful,' said the little prince, 'is that somewhere it hides a well.'”
"Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " ~Hosea 6:1-3
i know that sleep is hard to come by these days but i pray that the love of friends and family and the memories will sing you into restful sleep...and dreams of your little prince...forever young...that amidst the parched desert you will feel the comfort of the promised gentle rains of spring...and, when most your eyes do wink, i pray that those dreams are filled with the sweet light of Michael's presence, healed and whole, and lighting up all the darkness
