This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Patti Smith's book, Just Kids - "I was never going to become anything but myself, that I was of the clan of Peter Pan and we did not grow up". Life indeed is a journey. Surrounding ourselves with people who make it not only bearable, but enjoyable as well, turns it into one crazy adventure. Losing them might feel like a kick in the heart, but reminiscing those moments with them makes it all worth it.
Once again I love this! I wonder if that is why some things come back into style or "vogue" if everyone is trying to grasp at some part of their past selves and bring it into the present. Why people listen to the music they listened to in high school still. 🤔 I think our past comes into our present in ways we don't consciously realize. I find that can be beautiful or terrible.
So often the Signal Fire corresponds with my life. I dreamed of my grandmother's impending funeral last night. This morning I felt compelled to sit quietly and read whatever topic was covered today. The idea of a place where all the memories go has soothed my heart. Maybe nothing truly ends or is lost, but is merely swept to its next destination. I needed that, so thank you.
This is weird, surreal weird… I have long thought a hill in a meadow, drenched in the long shadows of evenings afterglow, and the only souls around are you and the one you invite along, is one of the most sacred places on earth. I think have always had a reverence for dusk and twilight, a sense that the world corporate is shedding off the day, and all that’s is left is the truly important, the real, the raw, the tender, … pretenses are tired and drift off, duties are done all that remains is what one wants, what soothes, what heals…
Thank you for all the writing, all the soul-sharing, meditative, and healing words you share with us daily and weekly. In case you need a reminder, you make a difference. You help this little community in our personal muddles through this life, and it matters probably more than any one of us knows.
I love your take on the "youth is wasted on the young" quote - puts things into a different perspective, and allows me to feel even more gratitude for my childhood :)
"As we age, as we grow into an adulthood built on demands we never made for ourselves, but feel as though they were made for us, I think we settle into the understanding that life will never, not ever again, feel as BIG as it did back then."
The not-great part of my childhood was that it never felt big, it just felt dangerous (because it was dangerous). So there's a whole lot of 'do you want to see those people again?' at which point I am like NO. Thank you.
elm
although it would be nice to start all over again... in very different circumstances
Wasn't trying to harsh you mellow, dude. ;) 'Would you like to return to the Satanic Panic, and the S&L Crisis and worrying about Soviet collapse? Or the thing with all the rich kid druggies in high school?' 'No, thank you, I only liked the bits with Skinny Puppy.'
This is so so so good. Reminds me of a piece I wrote a few years back:
"The burden of adulthood is knowing what you've lost. Knowing the things you'll never get back. It's the secret no one tells you. Childhood is the greatest thing you lose in life. It comes and goes before you have a chance to truly understand and appreciate it. The mystery, the joy, the simplicity. You spend your whole childhood wishing for more, only to grow up and discover the things you really wanted were the things you already had."
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Patti Smith's book, Just Kids - "I was never going to become anything but myself, that I was of the clan of Peter Pan and we did not grow up". Life indeed is a journey. Surrounding ourselves with people who make it not only bearable, but enjoyable as well, turns it into one crazy adventure. Losing them might feel like a kick in the heart, but reminiscing those moments with them makes it all worth it.
I love Just Kids! It was so beautiful and sad and raw and real.
What a beautiful bit of writing, thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Once again I love this! I wonder if that is why some things come back into style or "vogue" if everyone is trying to grasp at some part of their past selves and bring it into the present. Why people listen to the music they listened to in high school still. 🤔 I think our past comes into our present in ways we don't consciously realize. I find that can be beautiful or terrible.
I think you're absolutely onto something with this, I really do. Thank you for chiming into this one, I love this.
So often the Signal Fire corresponds with my life. I dreamed of my grandmother's impending funeral last night. This morning I felt compelled to sit quietly and read whatever topic was covered today. The idea of a place where all the memories go has soothed my heart. Maybe nothing truly ends or is lost, but is merely swept to its next destination. I needed that, so thank you.
You're so very welcome, and I am so sorry for your loss. I do believe it a temporary one, I do believe we find it all again, we must, we simply must.
Beautiful words, and if you haven’t read the book this movie is based on, you need to. It’s one of my all time favorites.
I have, it's absolutely stunning. Thank you so much.
This is weird, surreal weird… I have long thought a hill in a meadow, drenched in the long shadows of evenings afterglow, and the only souls around are you and the one you invite along, is one of the most sacred places on earth. I think have always had a reverence for dusk and twilight, a sense that the world corporate is shedding off the day, and all that’s is left is the truly important, the real, the raw, the tender, … pretenses are tired and drift off, duties are done all that remains is what one wants, what soothes, what heals…
Robyn I love this so very, very much. Thank you for this piece of writing.
You’re welcome Tyler!
Thank you for all the writing, all the soul-sharing, meditative, and healing words you share with us daily and weekly. In case you need a reminder, you make a difference. You help this little community in our personal muddles through this life, and it matters probably more than any one of us knows.
I love your take on the "youth is wasted on the young" quote - puts things into a different perspective, and allows me to feel even more gratitude for my childhood :)
Couldn't agree more. Childhood is such a double edged sword for so many, and I love this community for highlighting that.
"As we age, as we grow into an adulthood built on demands we never made for ourselves, but feel as though they were made for us, I think we settle into the understanding that life will never, not ever again, feel as BIG as it did back then."
The not-great part of my childhood was that it never felt big, it just felt dangerous (because it was dangerous). So there's a whole lot of 'do you want to see those people again?' at which point I am like NO. Thank you.
elm
although it would be nice to start all over again... in very different circumstances
Makes very much sense Elm. Thank you for this perspective, wow.
Wasn't trying to harsh you mellow, dude. ;) 'Would you like to return to the Satanic Panic, and the S&L Crisis and worrying about Soviet collapse? Or the thing with all the rich kid druggies in high school?' 'No, thank you, I only liked the bits with Skinny Puppy.'
elm
the 90's were ok though, mostly
This is so so so good. Reminds me of a piece I wrote a few years back:
"The burden of adulthood is knowing what you've lost. Knowing the things you'll never get back. It's the secret no one tells you. Childhood is the greatest thing you lose in life. It comes and goes before you have a chance to truly understand and appreciate it. The mystery, the joy, the simplicity. You spend your whole childhood wishing for more, only to grow up and discover the things you really wanted were the things you already had."
Ahh Taylor, so dead on the money, what a stunning piece of writing. Feels like dialogue from The Wonder Years!
Thank you!