"How much longer are we going to keep deceiving ourselves? Why are we going to let go of true love because even though it feels right in the heart, it just doesn't seem logical. How much longer are we going to keep fearing what we cannot see or hear but only feel. How long is it going to take us to figure out that the most purest and the best feelings in life are only felt from the heart, never understood from the mind. It's like believing in God; we can't see him or make logic out of His existence but He is always there in our heart.”
Unknown
“How bold one gets when one is sure of being loved.”
Sigmund Freud
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
sweetness
"Last night I looked up at the stars and matched each one with a reason why I love you. I was doing great until I ran out of stars."
They were separated by a time zone and circumstance. They knew they would see other again, they had to believe that; but where or when, only time would reveal. He visited their favorite park and thought of her and their shared memories. He picked up a smooth, cream-colored stone and held it in his palm. “I will send this to her, it will make her smile… no, I will have it cut in half; half for me and half for her, it will keep us connected, in a way. That will make her smile, and bring a tear to her eye.” And it did!
"Just when I think that it is impossible to love you any more, you prove me wrong."
"I could idle a day away slipping into memories of you, and I still would consider it one of the most productive days I've ever had."
They were separated by a time zone and circumstance. They knew they would see other again, they had to believe that; but where or when, only time would reveal. He visited their favorite park and thought of her and their shared memories. He picked up a smooth, cream-colored stone and held it in his palm. “I will send this to her, it will make her smile… no, I will have it cut in half; half for me and half for her, it will keep us connected, in a way. That will make her smile, and bring a tear to her eye.” And it did!
"Just when I think that it is impossible to love you any more, you prove me wrong."
"I could idle a day away slipping into memories of you, and I still would consider it one of the most productive days I've ever had."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
devotion
devotion 1. deep, steady affection. 2. being given up to some person, purpose, or service. 3. worship.
“You’re not ‘in love with her,’ but ‘in love with life by way of her.’”
Stewart Emery
“When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music… And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth…
Kahlil Gibran
"I've loved you all my life. Even before there was you there was the promise of you, and now that we've met, I'll never be the same!"
“You’re not ‘in love with her,’ but ‘in love with life by way of her.’”
Stewart Emery
“When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music… And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth…
Kahlil Gibran
"I've loved you all my life. Even before there was you there was the promise of you, and now that we've met, I'll never be the same!"
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
freedom
“Love is an active power in mankind; a power which breaks through walls which separate man from his fellow men, which unites him with others; love makes him overcome the sense of isolation and separateness, yet it permits him to be himself, to retain his integrity. Envy, jealousy, ambition, any kind of greed are passions; love is an action, the practice of human power, which can be practiced only in freedom and never as a result of a compulsion.”
Erich Fromm
"Love isn't love until you give it away, so give it wings and let it go, if it's meant to be it will fly right back to you!"
Erich Fromm
"Love isn't love until you give it away, so give it wings and let it go, if it's meant to be it will fly right back to you!"
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
honor
For the ancient Greeks, something of honor called to mind something “heavy or weighty.” Gold was something of honor because it was heavy and valuable. If we honor someone, that person carries weight with us, like the “heavyweight champion of the world.” When we honor someone we give that person a highly respected position in our lives. There cannot be love without honor, for it is by honoring someone that we feel a desire to love. Love is honor put into action. Honor provides the energy to love. The feeling of love is a reflection of the level of honor one has for another.
Monday, February 23, 2009
strength and power
The movie “Rocky” gave us several good life lessons: the benefits of hard work, the rewards of perseverance, the importance of believing in yourself, and the strength and power that comes from true love. We all knew that Rocky endured his ordeal because of his love for, and the love from, Adrian. There is a great power in love, a feeling that all things are possible…
“One word frees us from all the weight and pain of life; that word is love.” Sophocles
"Never underestimate the power of love, because love can do miracles which you never thought possible."
"No matter how hard things seem, true love will aid you through it."
“One word frees us from all the weight and pain of life; that word is love.” Sophocles
"Never underestimate the power of love, because love can do miracles which you never thought possible."
"No matter how hard things seem, true love will aid you through it."
Sunday, February 22, 2009
needing each other
“The trouble with the world and the trouble with you and me is that we don’t love each other enough. And if we do, we don’t bother to show it, or we don’t bother to say it. If the world is to know love, it has to be in your heart and in mine. And the Lord can fill our hearts with love if we will just go to Him.”
Marjorie Pay Hinckley
“I know that we came to this life with a purpose and that the greatest joy we will receive will be those acts of love and service that we do for others… There is none too great to need the help of others. There is none so great that he can ‘do it alone’.”
Robert D. Hales
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” George Eliot
Marjorie Pay Hinckley
“I know that we came to this life with a purpose and that the greatest joy we will receive will be those acts of love and service that we do for others… There is none too great to need the help of others. There is none so great that he can ‘do it alone’.”
Robert D. Hales
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” George Eliot
Saturday, February 21, 2009
little things
[She] landed a job as a tollbooth collector on the Newport Bridge… Her hair looked even blonder set against her khaki uniform…Within a week she had her first date. “He seems like a sweetheart,” she said. “Hands me a Hershey’s kiss with his money every morning. Take a chance, I told myself.”
Wally Lamb, She’s Come Undone
Never underestimate the power of little gestures of kindness. They speak volumes about how you regard those around you. They say, “I am thinking about you,” “You are important to me,” “I care about you,” “I understand what you feel,” “I value you,” “I think you are wonderful,” “You bring me joy,” “You are loved.”
Mother Teresa said it this way,
“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own home. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”
Wally Lamb, She’s Come Undone
Never underestimate the power of little gestures of kindness. They speak volumes about how you regard those around you. They say, “I am thinking about you,” “You are important to me,” “I care about you,” “I understand what you feel,” “I value you,” “I think you are wonderful,” “You bring me joy,” “You are loved.”
Mother Teresa said it this way,
“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own home. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
kismet
During the summer of 1964, a professor from Drake University came into Logan, Utah on a quick trip to visit his mother. On his way into town he stopped at his cousin, Josie’s house and, finding no one home, left a note on the door, “I’m in town looking for a wife.” Josie’s husband, Sam, a professor at Utah State University, knew just the match for him, one of his star students, a single mother of three. They had a whirlwind courtship and were married and back in Iowa in time for classes that fall. My mother has that framed note hanging on her bedroom wall.
Some would say it is a miracle that their paths ever crossed. Some would call it fate, others coincidence. But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of stories just like that, stories of brief, chance encounters that change two lives forever. I like to think that it isn’t chance at all, but that God has a hand in it, that those who seem destined to find each other eventually will, with divine help. I like to think of it as a tender mercy.
“This is why I’m here on this planet, at this time, Francesca. Not to travel or make pictures, but to love you. I know that now. I have been falling from the rim of a great, high place, somewhere back in time, for many more years than I have lived in this life. And through all of those years, I have been falling toward you.”
Robert James Waller The Bridges of Madison County
Some would say it is a miracle that their paths ever crossed. Some would call it fate, others coincidence. But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of stories just like that, stories of brief, chance encounters that change two lives forever. I like to think that it isn’t chance at all, but that God has a hand in it, that those who seem destined to find each other eventually will, with divine help. I like to think of it as a tender mercy.
“This is why I’m here on this planet, at this time, Francesca. Not to travel or make pictures, but to love you. I know that now. I have been falling from the rim of a great, high place, somewhere back in time, for many more years than I have lived in this life. And through all of those years, I have been falling toward you.”
Robert James Waller The Bridges of Madison County
Thursday, February 19, 2009
friend
LOVE
I love you,
Not only for what you are
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what you have made of yourself
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you,
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good,
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.
Roy Croft
I love you,
Not only for what you are
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what you have made of yourself
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you,
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good,
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.
Roy Croft
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
waiting and trusting
My grandmother was a very beautiful woman. When she was of marriageable age she declared, “I wouldn’t marry George Kirby if he were the last man on earth!” She lived to eat those words, and that story has been told by their children and grandchildren ever since. Sometimes love comes when you aren’t looking for it and from unlikely places.
“Dear Beast, you shall not die,” said Beauty. “You will live in order to become my husband. From this moment on, I give you my hand and I swear that I shall be yours alone. Alas! I thought that I felt only friendship for you, but the sorrow that I feel now makes me see that I cannot live without you!”
Madame LePrince de Beaumont
Beauty and the Beast
"Love comes to those who wait for it, trust it and don't question it when it does finally come."
“Dear Beast, you shall not die,” said Beauty. “You will live in order to become my husband. From this moment on, I give you my hand and I swear that I shall be yours alone. Alas! I thought that I felt only friendship for you, but the sorrow that I feel now makes me see that I cannot live without you!”
Madame LePrince de Beaumont
Beauty and the Beast
"Love comes to those who wait for it, trust it and don't question it when it does finally come."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
soul mates
“A soul mate is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communicating and communing that take place between us were not the product of intentional efforts, but rather a divine grace. It is a rare form of intimacy.” Thomas Moore
“Sometimes, inexplicably, we’ll meet someone who is a kindred spirit, whether platonic or passionate. And in their company we don’t feel alone, we don’t feel like a stranger. This person seems to know us so well—our interests, concerns, values. He or she shares our passions. There’s a simpatico there, and easy familiarity, an intimacy in an hour that takes years with others, if it’s ever achieved at all. We’ve met one of our people, and he or she is a friend to our soul.” Sarah Ban Breathnach
A soul mate, or kindred spirit, offers a mirror into who we really are. He or she validates our identity, and our value as a person. A soul mate gives us understanding of ourselves through their understanding; compassion for ourselves through their compassion, and faith in ourselves through their faith in us. It is a beautiful thing indeed.
“Sometimes, inexplicably, we’ll meet someone who is a kindred spirit, whether platonic or passionate. And in their company we don’t feel alone, we don’t feel like a stranger. This person seems to know us so well—our interests, concerns, values. He or she shares our passions. There’s a simpatico there, and easy familiarity, an intimacy in an hour that takes years with others, if it’s ever achieved at all. We’ve met one of our people, and he or she is a friend to our soul.” Sarah Ban Breathnach
A soul mate, or kindred spirit, offers a mirror into who we really are. He or she validates our identity, and our value as a person. A soul mate gives us understanding of ourselves through their understanding; compassion for ourselves through their compassion, and faith in ourselves through their faith in us. It is a beautiful thing indeed.
Monday, February 16, 2009
fire
The day will come when,
after harnessing space,
the winds,
the tides,
and gravitation,
we shall harness for God the energies of love.
And on that day, for the second time
In the history of the world,
We shall have discovered fire.
Teilhard de Chardin
after harnessing space,
the winds,
the tides,
and gravitation,
we shall harness for God the energies of love.
And on that day, for the second time
In the history of the world,
We shall have discovered fire.
Teilhard de Chardin
Sunday, February 15, 2009
pay it forward
My daughter-in-law is doing this pay it forward activity. This is how it works..... The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. BUT, in order for you to leave a comment on my blog, you have to post this on your blog first. (That means that sometime during this year you will send a gift to 3 people as well.) Get it? So, the first 3 people to comment on this post will be the lucky ones! Good Luck!
angels
Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “We are born to love certain souls into full being, unconditionally. Certain souls are born to love us the same way. Some we give birth to, others we meet on the playground, at a workshop, in the office, on a blind date. We turn toward some, we turn away from others. Our choice—to walk toward or turn away from—becomes our destiny, our deeply personal love story.”
I believe that walking toward those who love us elevates us. For if God is love, then loving and being loved is a Godly thing and only draws us closer to that ultimate source of light and love. Love is a gift, a gift of the very best kind; those who come into our lives for us to love, or to love us, are gifts from God.
"When during sad times an angel should come to you, open your eyes and see who that angel is, for that is your one true love."
I believe that walking toward those who love us elevates us. For if God is love, then loving and being loved is a Godly thing and only draws us closer to that ultimate source of light and love. Love is a gift, a gift of the very best kind; those who come into our lives for us to love, or to love us, are gifts from God.
"When during sad times an angel should come to you, open your eyes and see who that angel is, for that is your one true love."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
never let go
Love is a hand
you hold in the dark
and smile
and tease
and want to kiss,
but only when you’re there,
it’s harder when you’re gone.
When talking,
we compare our experiences
and measure our maturity
by how long we can go
without saying goodbye.
For a moment
all is smooth,
then fortune creeps
her silky head
and modifies
our best-laid plans.
What memory savors
distance dims,
but constantly
we spend our moments
reaching out
always vowing to ourselves
this is the hand
we’ll never let go.
by Harold Maddocks
you hold in the dark
and smile
and tease
and want to kiss,
but only when you’re there,
it’s harder when you’re gone.
When talking,
we compare our experiences
and measure our maturity
by how long we can go
without saying goodbye.
For a moment
all is smooth,
then fortune creeps
her silky head
and modifies
our best-laid plans.
What memory savors
distance dims,
but constantly
we spend our moments
reaching out
always vowing to ourselves
this is the hand
we’ll never let go.
by Harold Maddocks
Friday, February 13, 2009
the same path
I have told my sons that a necessary ingredient to a successful marriage is that the couple are on the same path to the same destination. I've discovered that "happily ever after" isn't a simple thing to achieve. These other thoughts also apply:
"If it is not mutual it isn't love."Bruce Kravetz
“The value of marriage is to be gauged by the joy it affords, not by its longevity.”
Nathaniel Branden
"If it is not mutual it isn't love."Bruce Kravetz
“The value of marriage is to be gauged by the joy it affords, not by its longevity.”
Nathaniel Branden
Thursday, February 12, 2009
nurturing
Nathaniel Branden describes nurturing this way:
“To nurture another human being is to accept him or her unreservedly; to respect his or her sovereignty and integrity; to support his or her growth and self-actualization needs; and to CARE, on the deepest and most intimate level, about his or her thoughts, feelings, and wants. It is to create a context and environment in which a person can live and flourish. To nurture another human being means to accept that person as he or she is, and yet to believe in possibilities within that person still unrealized. It is to be honest with that person about our own needs and wants, always to remember that the other person does not exist merely to satisfy our needs and wants. It means to express confidence in the person’s strengths and internal resources, and yet be available to offer help when it is asked for (and sometimes to recognize that it might be needed even when it is not being asked for). It is to create a context in which the person can experience that he or she MATTERS, that the expression of thoughts and feelings will be welcomed, and yet to understand that there are times when what our partner needs is silence and aloneness. To nurture is to caress and stroke, without making demands; to hold and protect; to allow tears and to offer comfort. To nurture someone we love is to nurture the child within that adult person, and to accept the child a valid part of who that person is. To nurture is to love not only our partner’s strength but also his or her fragility, not only that within our partner which is powerful but also that which is delicate.”
“To nurture another human being is to accept him or her unreservedly; to respect his or her sovereignty and integrity; to support his or her growth and self-actualization needs; and to CARE, on the deepest and most intimate level, about his or her thoughts, feelings, and wants. It is to create a context and environment in which a person can live and flourish. To nurture another human being means to accept that person as he or she is, and yet to believe in possibilities within that person still unrealized. It is to be honest with that person about our own needs and wants, always to remember that the other person does not exist merely to satisfy our needs and wants. It means to express confidence in the person’s strengths and internal resources, and yet be available to offer help when it is asked for (and sometimes to recognize that it might be needed even when it is not being asked for). It is to create a context in which the person can experience that he or she MATTERS, that the expression of thoughts and feelings will be welcomed, and yet to understand that there are times when what our partner needs is silence and aloneness. To nurture is to caress and stroke, without making demands; to hold and protect; to allow tears and to offer comfort. To nurture someone we love is to nurture the child within that adult person, and to accept the child a valid part of who that person is. To nurture is to love not only our partner’s strength but also his or her fragility, not only that within our partner which is powerful but also that which is delicate.”
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
it can't be denied...
"True love cannot be found where it does not exist, nor can it be denied where it does."
Valentine's Day cries out for chocolate. A Valentine tradition in our home is Chocolate Soufflé. It is easier than you may think, so surprise someone you love!
*Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish (we use 8 individual ramekin dishes, instead) and coat with 1 Tbsp sugar.
*In a medium bowl combine:
½ C cocoa
¼ C flour.
*Add:
¼ C butter, softened
*blend well. Set aside.
*In a medium saucepan heat until very hot:
1 C milk
*Reduce heat and add cocoa mixture, beating with a wire whisk until smooth and thick.
Remove from heat and add:
½ C sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
*Add:
4 egg yolks, beating well after each
*Cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 2 tsp. sugar and continue beating until stiff. Stir a small amount of the whites into the chocolate mixture then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites. Carefully pour into the prepared dish(es). Bake at 350 degrees 40-45 minutes until puffed (30-35 minutes for individual soufflés). Serve immediately with ice cream.
Valentine's Day cries out for chocolate. A Valentine tradition in our home is Chocolate Soufflé. It is easier than you may think, so surprise someone you love!
*Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish (we use 8 individual ramekin dishes, instead) and coat with 1 Tbsp sugar.
*In a medium bowl combine:
½ C cocoa
¼ C flour.
*Add:
¼ C butter, softened
*blend well. Set aside.
*In a medium saucepan heat until very hot:
1 C milk
*Reduce heat and add cocoa mixture, beating with a wire whisk until smooth and thick.
Remove from heat and add:
½ C sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
*Add:
4 egg yolks, beating well after each
*Cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 2 tsp. sugar and continue beating until stiff. Stir a small amount of the whites into the chocolate mixture then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites. Carefully pour into the prepared dish(es). Bake at 350 degrees 40-45 minutes until puffed (30-35 minutes for individual soufflés). Serve immediately with ice cream.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A White Rose
The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
Oh, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.
But I send you a cream-white rosebud,
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.
John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1890)
And the white rose breathes of love;
Oh, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.
But I send you a cream-white rosebud,
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.
John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1890)
Monday, February 9, 2009
please forgive me
Many of you probably remember the movie, “Love Story”, released in 1970. It created a storm with a most profound declaration, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” To my mind, that is quite an idiotic statement, for every relationship, especially loving relationships, have times for tender and heartfelt apologies. To assume that if love is true there won’t ever be a need to apologize is to assume that the people involved are perfect and won’t make any mistakes, which of course, is impossible. Bernard Poduska, a marriage and family therapist, suggests nine areas in which couples may need to ask forgiveness:
1- Forgive me for not always being your friend.
2- Forgive me for the times I didn’t place you as my number one priority.
3- Forgive me for the times I have taken your gifts of time, effort, and concern for granted.
4- Forgive me for not being there when you needed me.
5- Forgive me for not accepting a less-than-perfect you.
6- Forgive me for the times I have been selfish.
7- Forgive me for the promises, implied or explicit, that I have broken.
8- Forgive me for not helping you progress to your full potential.
9- Forgive me for not forgiving you>
“I’m sorry”, sincerely extended and genuinely felt, is an accepting of responsibility for those inevitable mistakes. It is an invitation to the other to extend forgiveness. It is compassion for a regrettable situation. Love isn’t never having to say you’re sorry, rather, love means being willing to say you’re sorry, and meaning it.
1- Forgive me for not always being your friend.
2- Forgive me for the times I didn’t place you as my number one priority.
3- Forgive me for the times I have taken your gifts of time, effort, and concern for granted.
4- Forgive me for not being there when you needed me.
5- Forgive me for not accepting a less-than-perfect you.
6- Forgive me for the times I have been selfish.
7- Forgive me for the promises, implied or explicit, that I have broken.
8- Forgive me for not helping you progress to your full potential.
9- Forgive me for not forgiving you>
“I’m sorry”, sincerely extended and genuinely felt, is an accepting of responsibility for those inevitable mistakes. It is an invitation to the other to extend forgiveness. It is compassion for a regrettable situation. Love isn’t never having to say you’re sorry, rather, love means being willing to say you’re sorry, and meaning it.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
empathy
Daphne Kingma says “Empathy is truly one of love’s miracles. In empathy we not only feel sorrow for, but we feel with another person. In empathy we ask ourselves to enter into the experience of others, to feel their sorrow, to know their pain, to experience their fear. Empathy connects us very deeply to others. For in a sense we go inside their feeling selves, that most private of places, and there give them company. Empathy is a spiritual undertaking, for in its capacity to connect us so deeply to one another, it is truly the end of divisiveness, the beginning of peace.”
Soon after he was married, Thomas Moore, the famous 19th century Irish poet, was called away on a business trip. Upon his return, he was met at the door, not by his beautiful bride, but by the family doctor. “Your wife is upstairs,” said the doctor, “but she has asked that you do not come up.” And then Moore learned the terrible truth, his wife had contracted small pox. The disease had left her once flawless skin pocked and terribly scarred. She had taken one look at her reflection in the mirror and commanded that the shutters be drawn and that her husband never see her again. Moore would not listen. He ran upstairs and threw open the door of his wife’s room. It was black as night inside. Not a sound came from the darkness. Groping along the wall, Moore felt for the gas check to light the lamps. A startled cry came from a black corner of the room. “No! No, don’t light the lamps.” More hesitated, swayed by the pleading in the voice. “Go!” she begged, “Please go, this is the greatest gift I can give to you now.” Moore did go. He went down to his study where he sat up most of the night prayerfully writing. Not a poem this time, but a song. He had never written a song before, but now he found it more natural to his mood than simple poetry. He not only wrote the words, he wrote the music, too. And the next morning, as soon as the sun was up, he returned to his wife’s room. He felt his way to a chair and sat down. “Are you awake?” he asked. “I am,” came a voice from the far side of the room, “But you must not ask to see me. You must not press me, Thomas.” “I will sing to you then,” he answered. And so, for the first time, Thomas Moore sang to his wife the song that still lives today:
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear;
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets,
The same look which she turned when he rose.
The song ended. As his voice trailed off on the last note, Moore heard his bride rise. She crossed the room to the window, reached up and slowly drew open the shutters.
Soon after he was married, Thomas Moore, the famous 19th century Irish poet, was called away on a business trip. Upon his return, he was met at the door, not by his beautiful bride, but by the family doctor. “Your wife is upstairs,” said the doctor, “but she has asked that you do not come up.” And then Moore learned the terrible truth, his wife had contracted small pox. The disease had left her once flawless skin pocked and terribly scarred. She had taken one look at her reflection in the mirror and commanded that the shutters be drawn and that her husband never see her again. Moore would not listen. He ran upstairs and threw open the door of his wife’s room. It was black as night inside. Not a sound came from the darkness. Groping along the wall, Moore felt for the gas check to light the lamps. A startled cry came from a black corner of the room. “No! No, don’t light the lamps.” More hesitated, swayed by the pleading in the voice. “Go!” she begged, “Please go, this is the greatest gift I can give to you now.” Moore did go. He went down to his study where he sat up most of the night prayerfully writing. Not a poem this time, but a song. He had never written a song before, but now he found it more natural to his mood than simple poetry. He not only wrote the words, he wrote the music, too. And the next morning, as soon as the sun was up, he returned to his wife’s room. He felt his way to a chair and sat down. “Are you awake?” he asked. “I am,” came a voice from the far side of the room, “But you must not ask to see me. You must not press me, Thomas.” “I will sing to you then,” he answered. And so, for the first time, Thomas Moore sang to his wife the song that still lives today:
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear;
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets,
The same look which she turned when he rose.
The song ended. As his voice trailed off on the last note, Moore heard his bride rise. She crossed the room to the window, reached up and slowly drew open the shutters.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
she was beautiful to him...
He Thought He Knew What Love Was
Their first touch at seventeen was in the park
And the moon was full
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was long and her eyes were blue
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Another touch at twenty-two on their wedding night
And the stars were bright
She was beautiful to him
And her hair smelled sweet and her lips were full
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
And then again at twenty-five when the baby came
And the sun was high
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was damp and her fingers shook
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Later on at fifty-four sitting on the porch
All the children gone
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was gray and her forehead lined
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Their last touch at eighty-five was by her bed
And the moon was full
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was thin and her eyes were closed
And her skin was cold
And she turned to him
And he knew that he knew what love was.
After sixty eight years of laughter and tears
He knew that he knew what love was.
Their first touch at seventeen was in the park
And the moon was full
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was long and her eyes were blue
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Another touch at twenty-two on their wedding night
And the stars were bright
She was beautiful to him
And her hair smelled sweet and her lips were full
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
And then again at twenty-five when the baby came
And the sun was high
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was damp and her fingers shook
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Later on at fifty-four sitting on the porch
All the children gone
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was gray and her forehead lined
And her skin was warm
And she turned to him
And he thought he knew what love was.
Their last touch at eighty-five was by her bed
And the moon was full
She was beautiful to him
And her hair was thin and her eyes were closed
And her skin was cold
And she turned to him
And he knew that he knew what love was.
After sixty eight years of laughter and tears
He knew that he knew what love was.
Friday, February 6, 2009
forever
Another line from “The Princess Bride”:
"Death can not stop true love, it can only delay it for a little while."
For those whose love runs deep and true, there is that sure conviction that it surely must last forever, eternally. In other words:
"Forever is not a word...rather a place where two lovers go when true love takes them there."
"True love doesn't have a happy ending because true love doesn't end."
Truly, being with the one who fills, not just your heart, but your whole body and soul with joy, forever, would be heaven. On the other hand, being in a less-than-desirable relationship, forever, well, that would be… let’s just not go there…
"Death can not stop true love, it can only delay it for a little while."
For those whose love runs deep and true, there is that sure conviction that it surely must last forever, eternally. In other words:
"Forever is not a word...rather a place where two lovers go when true love takes them there."
"True love doesn't have a happy ending because true love doesn't end."
Truly, being with the one who fills, not just your heart, but your whole body and soul with joy, forever, would be heaven. On the other hand, being in a less-than-desirable relationship, forever, well, that would be… let’s just not go there…
Thursday, February 5, 2009
"As you wish..."
uxorious
It is doubtful any of us ever had that word on a vocabulary list in school; if we heard it in a spelling bee we wouldn’t rush out to look it up. Quite frankly, the word doesn’t roll off the tongue like other words such as Philadelphia and melancholy. But its meaning is likely to make most wives sigh a wistful sigh and most husbands snicker and roll their eyes.
uxorious adj. Excessively or dotingly fond of, or submissive to, a wife.
OK, maybe not “excessively”. Wesley (of The Princess Bride) had the right idea. He won the heart of fair Buttercup with his endearing phrase, “As you wish…” No request was too small, no desire too great. That simple phrase, always spoken with the most tender sincerity was the hallmark of his devotion to her. As he pointed out, "This is true love. Do you think this happens everyday?"
“As you wish…”
It is doubtful any of us ever had that word on a vocabulary list in school; if we heard it in a spelling bee we wouldn’t rush out to look it up. Quite frankly, the word doesn’t roll off the tongue like other words such as Philadelphia and melancholy. But its meaning is likely to make most wives sigh a wistful sigh and most husbands snicker and roll their eyes.
uxorious adj. Excessively or dotingly fond of, or submissive to, a wife.
OK, maybe not “excessively”. Wesley (of The Princess Bride) had the right idea. He won the heart of fair Buttercup with his endearing phrase, “As you wish…” No request was too small, no desire too great. That simple phrase, always spoken with the most tender sincerity was the hallmark of his devotion to her. As he pointed out, "This is true love. Do you think this happens everyday?"
“As you wish…”
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
...I will come again...
A RED, RED ROSE
Author: Robert Burns
O my luve's like a red, red rose.
That's newly sprung in June;
O my luve's like a melodie
That's sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my Dear,
Till a'the seas gang dry.
Till a'the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o'life shall run.
And fare thee weel my only Luve!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!
Author: Robert Burns
O my luve's like a red, red rose.
That's newly sprung in June;
O my luve's like a melodie
That's sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my Dear,
Till a'the seas gang dry.
Till a'the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o'life shall run.
And fare thee weel my only Luve!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
knowing
We've all heard it said that "love is blind". I suppose that means that when one is in love, he is blind to the flaws of the other. That is quite true of a blossoming romance, that time when we put our best foot forward, hoping not to reveal those things about ourselves that we consider to be less than desireable. But being a "blind" lover really is just setting oneself up for a very rude awakening. I rather prefer this perspective of Tom Stoppard: "Love is knowing and being known." It implies completeness, openness and honesty which lend themselves well to a phrase that should be reserved for love that runs deep and true: "I love everything about you!"
Monday, February 2, 2009
real love
Myra Kirshenbaum, a psychotherapist, suggests this definition of real love:
Real love is how your partner makes you feel about yourself; about how your partner helps you love yourself. It is becoming true to yourself with your partner; how great you can become alongside your partner. It’s about you and your partner finding room in your lives for each other’s energy, drive, ambition, passions, interests, and needs. Real love is based on how much you actually experience your partner’s goodness as you live your life together. It is how much you feel “at home” when you are together; it is the life you really share, fully, equally, deeply. Real love truly brings us close, makes us feel good about ourselves and brings out the best in us. It is based on truly liking and respecting the other person. Love that’s not real can never be satisfying.
Real love is how your partner makes you feel about yourself; about how your partner helps you love yourself. It is becoming true to yourself with your partner; how great you can become alongside your partner. It’s about you and your partner finding room in your lives for each other’s energy, drive, ambition, passions, interests, and needs. Real love is based on how much you actually experience your partner’s goodness as you live your life together. It is how much you feel “at home” when you are together; it is the life you really share, fully, equally, deeply. Real love truly brings us close, makes us feel good about ourselves and brings out the best in us. It is based on truly liking and respecting the other person. Love that’s not real can never be satisfying.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
sanctuary
True love, above all, is a place of safety. It is the safe place to share our tender feelings, a place to reveal our innermost thoughts, our hopes and passions, and our wildest dreams. It is a sanctuary in which we can reveal what is deepest in our soul. Love is that place where we can honestly and always be exactly who we really are. It is that very safety that allows us to develop an exquisite closeness to others, for only in allowing each other that safe place, do we grant each other the freedom to be real. And only when we reveal our true selves can we be honestly and truly loved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
