Farewell letter
She wrote me a letter
after her death
and I remember
a kind of happy light
falling on the envelope
as I sat by the rose tree
on her old bench
at the back door,
so surprised by its arrival
wondering what she would say,
looking up before I could open it
and laughing to myself
in silent expectation.
Dear son, it is time
for me to leave you.
I am afraid that the words
you are used to hearing
are no longer mine to give,
they are gone and mingled
back in the world
where it is no longer
in my power
to be their first
original author
not their last loving bearer.
You can hear
motherly
words of affection now
only from your own mouth
and only
when you speak them
to those
who stand
motherless
before you.
As for me I must forsake
adulthood
and be bound gladly
to a new childhood.
You must understand
this apprenticeship
demands of me
an elemental innocence
from everything
I ever held in my hands.
I know your generous soul
is well able to let me go
you will in the end
be happy to know
my God was true
and I find myself
after loving you all so long,
in the wide,
infinite mercy
of being mothered myself.
P.S. All your intuitions are true.
~ David Whyte
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I find this beautiful and sad, because I have no way to relate with such words x
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Thank you for your beautiful comment Loosing a mother makes us go through so many different stages from that deep sense of loss… and at times we found ourselves “speaking” the words our mothers would use… I realize that not everyone goes through this experience in life. I truly appreciate your perspective. ❤
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It has taken three years, but I’ve finally been approved for grief counselling. Now I feel unsure about that… The poem was posted on the right day for me. I nearly rejected the offer, instead I’m going to go through with it. Sometimes the right words find the right person at the right time to help them make the right decision at the time x
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Oh wow! You have no idea how deeply your comment has touched me! If there was ever any purpose for my blog, you have just gave me the gift of knowing that it has inspired you to make that decision! That to me makes it all worth it! I totally agree with you, many times life gives us “lamp posts” along the way, that inspire us and guide us to our true purpose. The important thing is to pay attention to those synchronicities, and trust our hearts, and you did! So, you know that you have found your path, and I am delighted for you! Congratulations!!! I am so glad that in a very small way, this poem was the messenger for you! ❤ ❤ ❤
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You have no idea how grateful I am 💕
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Oh! I am so happy for you!!!! It melts my heart!!! ❤
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So beautiful! ❤️😊
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Thank you Anita! ❤
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Beautiful words!
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Thank you Linda! ❤
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