Thank you so much for all the kind comments you left on my lastrather tremulous post. I’m still guarding my own words rather carefully, although I will try to respond, eventually, in the comments stream. It seemed really important to me to make public what has been private, if not quite secret, for so long. But there are other people involved and this is a sensitive issue, and I need to keep some of the processing private, for now at least.
So pictures, instead of words, today. Here, an opening in the forton a San Sebastian hilltop
and a phalanx of doors lining a Bordeaux street.
You notice a theme here. . . the openings and closings
the public and the private. . . .
thresholds . . .
possibilities . . .
intimations and limitations . . . .
I hope you understand why I will keep mine closed for now, having let so much light flood my life. It’s a joyous light, welcome, but my eyes need to adjust . . .
I, too, have a thing for doors and openings of all kinds. When everyone was here for the wedding we looked through old albums and I was struck by the number of photos I'd shot through chinks in mortar, key holes, Viking burial mound entrances, gun slits – you name it and I seemed to have been fascinated by the opening.
Adjusting to the light that you've shone on a previously private part of your life will take some time. For so long, the story of how our family came together was my story. At some point, as my children got older, I realised that it was now their story and I had to step back and stop telling it, as happy as story as it is. When our first grandchild was born, our son wanted to hear our version of our shared story again as we all marveled at family-by-birth.
Aren't we lucky to be living stories that are such happy ones in the 'now'?
This response is so very apt. Distinguishing whose story is whose has been one of my challenges recently.
I'd love to compare photo albums and stories — life is so very rich, no?!
And so we see the value of metaphor to human experience.
I love the photos of the doors and windows. The second one is especially appealing to me for some reason.
I wish you joy in the processing.
🙂 (again)
Of course your eyes need to adjust. Take care of yourself Mater.
An apt metaphor. I noticed the openings all lead to so much light.
Like Duchesse I was struck by the light in all of your openings. Looking through to the light, not into darkness.
Thanks so much to all of you — to pursue the metaphor, this virtual window of our blog friendships brings me so much light. Truly appreciated!
Beautiful. And so aptly and poetically stated.