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Sunday, November 21, 2010

THIS IS THE MOMENT


This is the moment.

What moment?

The only one we have. And it speeds by so quickly it is gone before we can reach out and grasp it.


See? It is already gone : that moment when your eyes first spied that sunset over Corsica.

And that is why my half-Lakota mother murmured to me as we looked out over Lake Michigan and that frosty sunset of so long ago :

"Breathe each breath, little one. No two are the same.

Remember the colors that paint this sky. Remember me, little one. Remember, and neither the sunset nor I will ever leave you. Ever."


On this day in 1864, Emily Dickinson's "Blazing in Gold" was first published. Here is a snippet :

"Blazing in gold and quenching in purple,
Leaping like leopards to the sky,
Then at the feet of the old horizon
Laying her spotted face to die…."

And from Christina Georgina Rossetti comes this bit from "From Sunset To Star Rise" :

"I live alone, I look to die alone:
Yet sometimes, when a wind sighs through the sedge,
Ghosts of my buried years and friends come back,
My heart goes sighing after swallows flown
On sometime summer's unreturning track."

{For a beautiful picture of an astounding dragon lamp, fun posts, and very kind words about yours truly, visit Carol Riggs' blog ARTZICAROL RAMBLINGS :
http://carolriggs.blogspot.com/ }

My mother once told me that I could do no better than to live the prayer of St. Francis. And I've always loved this version :

22 comments:

  1. Beautiful, as always. It would have been a blessing to have been able to meet your mother. Hmmm, wondering if you should write down some of her sayings and wisdom and put them into a book....? I'd buy it; she was awesomely wise...

    just sayin'...

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  2. Thanks, Words Crafter. Yes, she was wise and funny. I wrote my Native American/Celtic fable, THE BEAR WITH 2 SHADOWS, based on her tales to me of Hibbs the cub with no clue and of his grown self, the bear with two shadows.

    All my mother's teaching tales are in that book -- which I cannot seem to get an agent interested in. It's not TWILIGHT or a HARRY POTTER clone.

    Thanks for always having my back. It means a lot. Roland

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  3. Hi Roland - Lovely post. I have never read "From Sunset to Star Rise" and am now compelled to seek it out for a full reading. Thank you!

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  4. As always, Roland, your posts are refreshing and new. Your mother seemed to be a very wise woman, and I am so sorry to hear no agent is finding an interest in the book you including many of her stories and such in. Keep on trying; surely others besides us will find an interest in it.

    Moments in life do pass by all too quickly. I think we must take them as they come and enjoy them while they last because it does no one any good if you think about how you loved the moment after it has already passed.

    And just because one significant moment is over does not mean the next must be. There are always more moments that can be just as much --or even more--breathtaking as the last.

    --Lindsey

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  5. Lovely picture and very wise words.

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  6. Danette : Yes, the photo is from Corsica. And looking at it, I think if Napoleon ever looked out at a similar sunset, thinking his thoughts of empire and chance.

    Lindsey : As ever, your comments are mini-posts, insightful and thoughtful. My book is a bit like THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS for young adults and THE LAST UNICORN for young and old alike. Hibbs, the bear with two shadows, never gives up though. One day, I will find a publisher for his wanderings through ancient Avalon, searching for a way home to a time where love was not a haunted memory.

    Lisa : I think you will the entire poem quite lovely. At least I hope so. I used a portion of Rossetti's poetry in my latest YA urban fantasy, THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH. The Victorian ghoul, Alice Wentworth, recites it in a whisper in the ear of Victor, whom she so fears she will be the death of.

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  7. I just arrived twenty miles south of Atlanta.... had a very late start and drove for eleven hours straight. Needless to say I am exhausted. I turn on my computer and visit your blog... one of the highlights of my day, I might add, and see this exquisite sunset of Corsica. Then I read you moving post.... As I mentioned before you know how to captivate emotions into words and make the reader FEEL... As tired as I am, you still made me FEEL!

    Your mother was very special; she had to be to raise a son who can write with such subtlety and sincerity. The book you wrote about her sounds amazing! Unfortunately, those agents are fools! WE ... your friends appreciate your beautiful writing,

    Michael

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  8. Get some rest, Michael. You've earned it. Me? I'm still on call with one more day to work before I get a day off. I think my supervisor hates me. Or he is smitten with my beautiful blonde co-worker who would have to actually work if I didn't pull these hours!

    My book is a fable, think WIND IN THE WILLOWS or THE LAST UNICORN. I cast my mother's personality, wisdom, and humor into the character of the TURQUOISE WOMAN, Lakota myths version of Gaia. The bumbling but good-hearted bear with two shadows is mostly me -- except when he is brave.

    Thanks for caring enough to stay up to write when you were so exhausted. I'm off to sleep myself if the on calls will let me. Roland

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  9. Hi Roland .. I love the poem and the video - & the quotes given .. very evocative and invoking. Your talk about your mother and her tales on life - does sound really interesting ..& I do hope you can get it out and published somehow at some stage ..

    Thank you .. loved the read .. Hilary

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  10. "Breathe each breath, little one. No two are the same."

    Your mother sounds a beautiful woman. Kind and wise. It appears she has left a lot of herself inside you my friend.

    May time pass slowly and your hopes and goals come true.

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  11. Hi,

    Ah, but that moment as seen - unlike a whispering breeze or heat of blazing sun - remains forever: captured in mind's log! ;)

    best
    F

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  12. Your mother must have been an amazing person.

    I love the poems!

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  13. Ah, lovely poems, and ya can't beat Sarah's gorgeous voice for that song.
    By the way, your link on my blog is up, as well as the DRAGON:
    Artzicarol Ramblings

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  14. Beautiful post and beautiful video! Thank you so much for sharing both.

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  15. Beatutiful thoughts:) I also believe remembering people keeps them with you, always.

    What a wonderful mother. I love your stories about her.

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  16. What a brilliant reminder to enjoy each moment. Thanks, Roland.

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  17. ..."mother is the name of God in the eyes of her children"

    Stole that one but it seemed fitting for this memorable post. And the perfect video to accompany it...wonderful Sarah.

    I envy your relationship with your mother. Cherish her:)
    EL

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  18. Beautiful post, Roland. I also love that prayer of St. Francis and posted about it a few months ago because I think it's such a powerful and tender way to look at life.

    Your mother is very wise. I love that thought that no two breaths are the same.

    Jai

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  19. Jai Joshi : I'm glad you liked my post. My mother has gone to that land that knows no shadows. But as you can see, her spirit still speaks to me on the winds.

    Elliot : Good to see you again. My relationship with my mother is now one of memory -- but they are good memories. Come back, hear?

    Tali : Your moment is almost here, isn't it? I'll be one of your blogging friends who will buy your book opening day, Roland

    Terry : I'm very happy you like my posts where my mother's spirits wanders by to be wiser than I shall ever be.

    Heather : Thanks for dropping by and commenting. And thanks for your own insightful, thoughtful post.

    Carol : Loved your dragon lamp and your post about me and Elena. Yours is a lovely blog.

    Golden Eagle : Yes, Mother was an example on how to live life fully. And weren't those amazing poems?

    Francine : As always your comments are lyrical and poetic -- as are your posts.

    Wendy : So good to see you here. I've missed you! I pray that your dreams sparkle and come true for you.

    Hilary : I hope I can get my fable published one day, too. Sort of my tribute to my mother's teaching stories. Your comments are always so spot-on.

    Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!

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  20. Roland, lovely post, as always. Hope your supervisor lets you get some much needed rest after this long stint.

    J

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  21. Jodi : Alas he is smitten with my beautiful blonde co-worker who has developed an allergy to work. Thanks for the nice words about my post. Everyone, I was using a company computer that kidnapped my profile for a time. It's fixed now.

    ke11iteeter11's comments was mine earlier.

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  22. I really loved the poem excerpts and the music. Sarah is one of my favorites!

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