"I have walked through many lives,
some of them my own,
and I am not who I was,
though some principle of being
abides, from which I struggle
not to stray."
--Stanley Kunitz, The Layers
While working on our cabin last weekend, my younger son and I had a lot of time to talk, and he reminded me of more trips to the ER and gifts of experiences I gave him than I could have recalled on my own. I treasure this time together. It changed the way I remember myself: overwhelmed by so much teenage testosterone. What a lovely gift it is to look at myself through this lens.
I'm feeling quite mellow about myself most of the time these days. There are enough current challenges and more ahead, and the way is clearer without the litter from the past being raked up. I was stronger then than I remember, and knowing that, I know I have the strength to deal with the present too.
Baruch ata adonai my adult children are gifts that keep on giving. I am so grateful. Amen
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteIt's true you are strong and remember that your muscles have memory too. They remember all that you have lived through and know how to hold you.
Myriam