Yesterday, I received very sad news of the passing of a dear colleague at the very young age of 53. I was shocked, in disbelief. But, I had said to a friend that everything happens for a reason, and life sends us lessons...this lesson? Cherish LIFE, and ALL that it gives you.
So, here I am, sitting at my computer, in the wee hours of the morning of February 1st - a brand new day, a whole new month. LIFE is giving me the opportunity of TIME. Time for what? It's not often that I am fully awake at 4am, with several hours to go before I have to leave for work. There are so many things I COULD be doing with this time -
I could read one of the many books that I'm partially through;
I could go through the months of paperwork I have sitting on my desk;
I could work, or make some new jewellery;
I could do some yoga, take the dog for a walk, do the dishes, do some laundry.....
or, I could go back to sleep.
I could do any of those things, or all of those things. I've already checked my mail, caught up with my family and friends on FaceBook (easy to do...no much has happened in the last 6 hours), read the just-released Feb/Mar issue of Sibella (which is a welcomed delight at 4am - it lifted my spirits to read all the beautiful poems by so many talented women - including my own, entitled "Today").
I think I'll use this gift of time, right now, to remember, to reflect, to love, and to write.
What has LIFE given you? How do you cherish IT?
.jpg "(© Linda Spencer, 2013)") |
| Took the opportunity to capture the brilliant sunrise over the city as I approached work yesterday morning. |
"... All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,for they quickly pass, and we fly away.If only we knew the power of your anger!
ReplyDeleteYour wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.Teach us to number our days,that we may gain a heart of wisdom ... may the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands."
Thank you, W. The workds are true.
Delete“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
ReplyDelete“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north;
round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come
will not be remembered by those who follow them. But it is not all meaningless - Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.
...and thank you for introducing me to Tang Poetry.
Delete"Cherish Life"
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words to live by.
They certainly are. Thanks L.
Delete