Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Wednesday Wish (28)

As I sit here in the dark of night with the humming insects and the cooing birds and the distant crashing of the sea, I watch as a moment transforms from a mere moment into eternity. Like a spec of dust seen through a water droplet, that moment expands, its pulse begging to be seen. All these years later a moment in time stands still, its essence still living and growing inside of me…as fresh…as eternity.
Water droplet
photo via Flickr by mrkgrd
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Not far from Venice, Italy is a little town that once welcomed me. Its sits like a quiet grandfather, drink in hand, permanent half smile, eyes lost out at sea. His warm and well-worn hand is open and inviting, tender and kind. So I slip my hand in his once again and remind myself a second time, to never, ever let go.

The scent of the sea, the leather in the shops, the belts and the jackets swaying in the breeze, the cigars from the men who play chess and bocce ball in the sand under the grand and beautiful old trees….the scents and feels of this kind and gentle town begin to come back to me.

I walk along the old road that lines the sea, the one with the grand and beautiful old trees. My sandals clap the stones, my dress it sways in the breeze, and my dreams…they grow. I am young and alive and my world is stretched out before me. What do I wish for? What will I be? Where will I go and whom will I see? I breathe in the scent of possibilities and feel them expand my heart. I breathe out my fears and watch them scramble out to sea.

And when I walk beyond the shops, beyond the men mumbling, beyond the women garbling, beyond the lonely dog and the suspicious cat, and beyond each and every normal expectation, I find myself alone. Just me and my sea and the gentle billowing of the grand and beautiful trees. I stop. I close my eyes. And I raise my face up to the sky.

And suddenly, I feel something tickle my face. A tuft of cloud? A curious bee? A fairy on its way to the sea? I giggle as I open my eyes and find more than I ever expect to see…

White puffs of flowers falling like snow, dancing and twirling beneath the grand and beautiful trees. They swoop up and loop over and down. Like unattached clouds. Like tutu-ed fairies. Like butterflies flit floating to the ground. And maybe just maybe, like unclaimed dreams left behind by those who had come before me, still as beautiful as the very day they were born. No…still more. Yes, still more.

I turn to look from whence I came and all along the entire road there is more of the same. The air is filled with magic puffs of white.

            “Its beautiful,” I say to the old man.
            “It happens just once a year,” he says to me, “and its not just beautiful, dear youngin', its magic.”

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My Wednesday Wish for You?

To let a special, magical moment in your life, live on for eternity. To hold up the droplet of water when you need it the most, to let it magnify, to let that forgotten moment feed your heart as it once did, again. They say we are better off if we don’t live in the past. But what if we just bring our favorite magic moments with us to the present? What then? I don’t think that’s unhealthy. I think it is honoring the magic in our lives, not letting it get away, inviting it to live on like our dreams...as fresh...as eternity.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. I agree about bringing those magic moments with us, Brynne, for the remembering of the magic causes a resurgence; a marvelous ripple effect that sets the magic in motion all over again. :-) xo

Brynne said...

I am soOo glad you agree, Ellen:) Thank you! And I love 'resurgence'! What a beautiful gift you are....thank you.

RoughWaterJohn said...

If it was anyone else, I would be surprised they wrote this, but it is you, and you know me. I have dwelt on memories a lot of late, sifting through times past, reviewing, renewing, reflecting. On times that were, things that can no longer be, and who I am because of it.

I don't dwell in the past, but I don't see the past as a bad thing, and don't fear to revisit, the good and the bad, for though the memories at times make my heart hurt, they also bring me joy. Regardless, they are my memories. No one else ever had or ever will have the memories that are mine. I am their keeper.

They don't paint the broad stokes of my life, but they are there in every subtle tint and shade. They make a two dimensional life into a beautiful, if poignant, life in vivid three dimensions. Though there has been great loss, and the world no longer sees me as who I truly am, there has been such heart stopping joy and love, that I would be remiss were I not to clutch them all to my breast as children, loving them for what they are, not what I wanted them to be.

There are times I think back on events past, and fresh tears spill from my eyes as if decades had not past, they are still fresh in my heart. There are times I think back, and I smile so hard my head hurts. Times I am filled with such joy that I think I'm the only person in the world and all the sunshine, bright flowers and beautiful creatures are mine to enjoy, then I find someone standing next to me and realize how much more beautiful the world is because someone could be sharing it with me. Yeah... that kind of joy.

The good memories and the painful ones are all my children. They are dew drops on the rain forest that is my life, filled with beauty and wonder, and not a little danger. How could I fail to embrace these memories, for they are mine to love and cherish. They don't blind me to the future nor do they pave the roads ahead. They are the souvenirs shoved into the glove box to rediscover later, the maps ill-folded and crumpled on the floor behind me, they are the wrappers, cups and detritus of this road trip called life. When this road trip is over, when I exit this vehicle and open all the doors, look at the contents and sift through the novelties that were important enough to keep, I will be satisfied. Without them I would have only driven. With them, for all the soiled wrappers and stains on the upholstery, I have traveled.

Thank you dear, for sharing, for remembering, for shining light into our lives.

Michael Ann said...

Your blog is magical! I love this. But what it really made me want to do was find that little Italian town!

Brynne said...

my dear friend, John...I LOVE what you share above. I want to sit on your boat with a glass of wine and have you tell me everything you feel and sense and wonder and dream. You teach me sooO much and give soOo much and feel as few ever have the courage to feel. I am sOO very blessed to know you, to have you here, to be able to read little bits of how you see the world. What a treasure you are, sweet soul. Thank you.

Brynne said...

Thank you, dear Michael Ann! It makes me soO happy whenever you come visit! I wish I could take your hand and bring you back to that moment...I just know you would love it even more if you saw it with your own heart. Sending you love and wishing you a beautiful weekend:)

RoughWaterJohn said...

Let me know when you're going to cross the border, and I'll make sure weather is warm, the seas are calm, and there is wine aboard. :-)

Brynne said...

Does your boat have sails that fly? July 3 I will be in the air, flying from here to LA to Seattle...meet me in the sky before we land in LA? If I give the whole plane sleeping dust maybe we can talk for hours!!! :)

Michael J. Fitzgerald said...

The past sometimes haunts me... I think this great piece offers some other ways to be haunted but allow growth too....

Thank you Brynne...

Chronicles of Illusions said...

But what if we just bring our favorite magic moments with us to the present? What then? I don’t think that’s unhealthy. I think it is honoring the magic in our lives, not letting it get away, inviting it to live on like our dreams...as fresh...as eternity.
Absolutely perfectly right...

Brynne said...

Thank you, beautiful Michael. What a nice way to see it...:)

Brynne said...

I am soo glad you think so, too, dear Jo. You give me smiles...as usual:)

tris said...

Brynne - your writing is beautiful. It leaves me feeling warm inside, like I've just swallowed a hot concoction brewed for my soul. I love it.

kario said...

Gorgeous. Glorious writing, glorious moment. It has been far too long since I visited. Glad to know you're still here weaving your magic. Thank you for this peaceful moment today.

Brynne said...

But of course, dear Tris...for that's exactly it. You sipped the love i had to share with your ever so open heart. Thank you...thank you for brightening my day:) i am soo happy you came to play.

Brynne said...

Aww, Kario...thank you so very much for coming back to share your heart with mine. I missed you. I hope all is well, dear soul.