Very much enjoyed your article, especially since it touched on the Greeks. (People need perspective.) I also had not see Munch's The Sun. A real revelation.... Finally, I much prefer your fine 'tender poem' to the more polemical one, if you don't mind me saying.
I don't mind at all, Marcus. I have to admit that I was worried about placing my little poem adjacent to work of the great Anna Swir, so that is a great compliment indeed. Thank you!
Beautiful essay, I like very much how you are examine layers of yourself for us to go on that journey with you. I always used to want to resolve my poems. Later I would see how the ending though beautiful felt a bit tagged on that I hadn’t quite managed to be completely honest somehow. Now I am writing what’s there and it feels more true and close to home.
Thank you, Jai Michelle. I know exactly what you mean. I used to try to figure things out to conclusion in my poems, but now it's more about letting the chaos be. It's more honest that way. I'm so glad you can relate.
Conny, I always think of “Chiaroscuro” like in a beautiful old painting— the way the darkness and light are lovely together. More so, one with the other.
Even though there is the wind swirling around eddying or storming doesn't mean to me that life is the occasional sun, but rather it is the strong lasting sunlight that shines within an occasional storm, parting clouds illuminating and renewing and continual. We are the eternal sun now creating ever growth, lessons learned. Much rejoicing ahead as far as the eye can see!
Beautifully written. I can definitely relate to that expectation that life should be smooth sailing, that any disturbance meant that there was something wrong. Growing up evangelical, conservative Christian, there was also a layer of shame. Things not going right in your life meant God was testing you or that you were doing something wrong. I think that balance of light and darkness is so human, so raw, so needed so that we know that we are not alone. My poems are the same way. Sometimes I'm writing these happy, encouraging pieces. Other times I feel angry and confused and use my writing to process things. Sometimes, it's somewhere in between. Our emotions are part of us. And we as humans are mysterious and beautiful in so many ways. Thank you for sharing your work.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Susannah. Yes, I think that I also process a lot through my writing, the good and the bad. The bad to lessen its effect on me and the good to integrate it into my being.
I thought the article was well written, thought provoking and I was full of compassion and empathy as I think people who are sensitive, are often overwhelmed because, of course, there is no good life, as in calm and peaceful. Just life.
Very much enjoyed your article, especially since it touched on the Greeks. (People need perspective.) I also had not see Munch's The Sun. A real revelation.... Finally, I much prefer your fine 'tender poem' to the more polemical one, if you don't mind me saying.
I don't mind at all, Marcus. I have to admit that I was worried about placing my little poem adjacent to work of the great Anna Swir, so that is a great compliment indeed. Thank you!
Beautiful essay, I like very much how you are examine layers of yourself for us to go on that journey with you. I always used to want to resolve my poems. Later I would see how the ending though beautiful felt a bit tagged on that I hadn’t quite managed to be completely honest somehow. Now I am writing what’s there and it feels more true and close to home.
Thank you, Jai Michelle. I know exactly what you mean. I used to try to figure things out to conclusion in my poems, but now it's more about letting the chaos be. It's more honest that way. I'm so glad you can relate.
I dance between light and dark every single day.
Thanks Jessie Raye, and welcome to my little corner of Substack. I love your piece on the restricted section of your library!
happy to be here, conny. :)
The river banks analogy really is gold. Thank you for this, Conny! I look forward to your thoughts on Epicureanism in the future too :)
Thank you, Sun. I hope you're well and I'll keep an eye out for the next incarnation of your newsletter!
Conny, I always think of “Chiaroscuro” like in a beautiful old painting— the way the darkness and light are lovely together. More so, one with the other.
Everything exists in opposition to something else. That's how meaning is created. Thank you, Ann :)
Thanks, Conny. I love the two poems at the end.
Thanks so much, Diana!
Even though there is the wind swirling around eddying or storming doesn't mean to me that life is the occasional sun, but rather it is the strong lasting sunlight that shines within an occasional storm, parting clouds illuminating and renewing and continual. We are the eternal sun now creating ever growth, lessons learned. Much rejoicing ahead as far as the eye can see!
Thank you for your sunny perspective, Barbara. We need more glass-half-full people to help us navigate those storms!
Wonderful writing Conny! How well I can identify with this!
Thank you, Dominic :)
Beautifully written. I can definitely relate to that expectation that life should be smooth sailing, that any disturbance meant that there was something wrong. Growing up evangelical, conservative Christian, there was also a layer of shame. Things not going right in your life meant God was testing you or that you were doing something wrong. I think that balance of light and darkness is so human, so raw, so needed so that we know that we are not alone. My poems are the same way. Sometimes I'm writing these happy, encouraging pieces. Other times I feel angry and confused and use my writing to process things. Sometimes, it's somewhere in between. Our emotions are part of us. And we as humans are mysterious and beautiful in so many ways. Thank you for sharing your work.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Susannah. Yes, I think that I also process a lot through my writing, the good and the bad. The bad to lessen its effect on me and the good to integrate it into my being.
Equanimity ❤️
Thank you, Paolo!
I thought the article was well written, thought provoking and I was full of compassion and empathy as I think people who are sensitive, are often overwhelmed because, of course, there is no good life, as in calm and peaceful. Just life.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Wendy.