Side note: This is not my originally planned post for the day, but one of those poignant moments of clarity I decided to share.
Picture taken while camping in Sept. '08
Message: Throughout my short life I try to listen to life's rhythms and allow myself to grow at my pace, while always remaining conscious of what is ahead. Today, while checking my mail, I decided to click on my Daily Inspiration quote(though I generally neglect this) when I saw it was one by H.D. Thoreau because the truth is, Thoreau has been with me and guided me for many years. One can see his influence in my teenage poetry and art, my college days' writings and creations, even during my graduation speech I made sure to start and end with Thoreau. Why Thoreau you may ask? Well, I will tell you a story:Story: When I was about 12 I discovered Walt Whitman and Thoreau. I really don't know how I came to possess their works at such an age, but I do remember 'getting it' even then. I would eat up every one of their words like succulent treats, slowly digesting and embracing the sensations. I clearly remember the feeling of connectedness I had and how I felt understood-- even though I was a tweenage girl alive nearly a century after these men, somewhere in my consciousness I saw how one can tap into a source of literature or expression and know you see the world that way too-- and for some reason that is such a satisfying feeling to know you are not alone. I guess that is such an important realization to have as a kid going through changes and not feeling like he/she is understood. I found that fortification through reading, and often dreamed of my whole life as a proverbial "Walden"-- even though when I was young I thought that to find peace I needed to escape, my life lesson has been to "be here now" at all times!
And in doing that it is important to remain receptive to inspiration and messages everywhere around you. I see it as God's way of letting you know you are doing alright, like little pats on the shoulder assuring you that you are on the right path....or at least treading on it honestly.
Picture taken while camping in Sept. '08
The Mantric Message:
"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success."
– Henry David Thoreau
The Reason: Every day the gears inside are turning and I know I am preparing for so much more--but I am patient, because every masterpiece has a long time of thought put into it and experience behind it. In the words of Michelangelo, "Genius is eternal patience".
Really insightful. I've always felt the same way towards literature. Only recently did I realize that means I also have to be careful with what/how I read (ex.-Poe is a mastermind at the groteque, but I sometimes feel just as dark as his stories after reading)."Being here now" becomes increasingly difficult when you'd really rather not be there. tisk, tisk, avoidance, avoidance.Your note has been a good checkpoint-Thank you;D
ReplyDelete"Language is fossil poetry." -- Emerson
ReplyDeleteThat's a famous quote from the first page or two of "The Poet"; it triggered the popular philology (popular 'study of language' movement) of the 1850s ff. Emerson actually got it from Thoreau; similar thinking is found earlier in an entry in Thoreau's huge journals. Themthere Yankee Transcendentalists were purdy damn tight.
But everybody's interesting. I'm always slapping myself to keep from having "writing heros." If I'm not open to the whole culture, I'm sure I'll miss interesting stuff I could benefit from and use.
Basta for my unwisdom; gotta get outside and read while it's *finally* nice in Shaolin Land...