Just east of certainty. A little south of courage.
A hair’s
width from ease. Clicks away from ready.
A turn
or two from acceptance. A shuffle from faith.
A set of stairs
from achievement. A riverbed from happiness.
A handspan from
peace. A wink away from freedom.
A few lines until the poem’s
done.
A highway, a night’s sleep, a phone call, a touch, a rotation
of gears away from that certain yes that tells you where you are is
exactly where you need to be.
I know, the signs can look as if they’re missing, and the map so distant and unclear.
But I’m telling you, you aren’t lost.
You’re never lost. You’re always here.”
Maya Stein
As I ponder life for this Thursday Thoughts, I ended up choosing this quote. I think I chose it because I think it is just lovely, rather than because I thought it might teach me about life, but maybe it does...
As I read and re-read it, the rhythm of it is gentle and the words selected work to make me feel as if this is exactly how I might describe my location or orientation. To be just east of certainty; or a turn or two from acceptance.
These ways with words suggest that we find ourselves on the edges of certainty, that we are close but not quite at ease or certain or courageous or ready or happy or free.
I like this subtle ambiguity and I like the tension of being close, but not quite.
I must admit that I fear folk who are certain, absolute, unwavering in their positions. I fear folk who aren't open to questioning, considering, or investigating.
The older I get, the less I know for sure and I am comforted to think that doesn't mean I am lost; that in fact I am here.
Forsinard Flow, 2019.
oh my goodness ... all of this!
ReplyDeletehow frustrating it can be to get so so close, but not quite ... how these lines so gently point out, "so what? ... be where you are"
how grateful I am to simply be ... and be here
They are a bunch of special words aren't they Liz? I somehow like their tentativeness, their sense of proximity, but not quite; and then their response, that where you are is enough. Sigh.
Deletebeautiful poetry and photograph for these uncertain times but then again looking back, when has life not been uncertain and a little strange... reminds me of these lines from an old Grateful Dead song 'High Time'
ReplyDelete"Nothing's for certain, it could always go wrong,
Come in when it's raining, go on out when it's gone."
Yes Mo, uncertain times have always been with us and I love the practicality of those lyrics! I think somehow these uncertain times seem bigger in some ways because of the world-wide sharing of them; yet all we can do is work within our own bits of uncertainty and try to make things real and whole as best we can? Go well.
Delete