Welcome back to SunnyRoomStudio, glad you could drop by.
There are mysteries and then there are Mysteries. Some show up in books or tucked within television programs, but some are as fundamental (and as powerful) as our very next breath. Certainly, most of us try to sort and sift through the big questions–deep and profound–and this is good. Dwelling on something besides the most common topics can take us down a humble path of searching for the real reason we are here … on this lovely planet in outer space.
My grandmother played this violin by ear. We are probably going to have it restored, but I sort of like it in its real-life condition. This way I can imagine the lasts notes she ever played on it, can feel her lovely presence once more. Something doesn’t have to look perfect to be perfect. Nor does it need to look new to be a treasure beyond all measure. The casual observer may think, “oh, it’s just an old violin.” Yes, but when I look at it, I don’t even see “old” … I just see the quietly joyful woman who played it.
This isn’t that mysterious, is it? I knew Anna — her life story, her role in my life, her contentment and her peace. Most of all, how she gave so much with so little. But I was open to it for some reason. Eager to learn the wisdom of her heart, even as a young girl. I wonder what would have it happened if I hadn’t see her obvious grace and contentment? If I had looked for something that seemed more “interesting,” more “exciting” or even more “important.”
My loss would have been almost too great for words. So this December as I remember her Christmas Eve birthday (one that we share), I am simply grateful her light was so bright that I couldn’t miss it: not even as a four-year old.
And I’ve never forgotten it either. Her light was that bright, that true and convincing.
In including her picture in my book dedication for Always Returning: The Wisdom of Place, I was again reminded of the many things she taught so eloquently. So silently. One thing that comes to mind: Happiness is a state of mind that has little to do with the external world. While Anna never uttered those words, everything about her communicated this to me. We can travel all over the world, endlessly looking for “something” bright and shiny, but it will never really work until we know our own depth. And once we know that, everything else falls into place. No matter where we are or what we do.
She knew her own depth — that nothing anywhere could add to that timeless, eternal dimension. It was already and forever complete. So there was no “wanting” where Anna was concerned, no sense of dissatisfaction or hint of a malcontent personality. Luckily, I was able to spend a great deal of time with her as a child and as a young girl, and in working on my memoir about my son’s loss, I again see her wonderful spirit coming to life on the pages. No mystery there, either.
Love captures it all. Her memory, Matthew’s memory. Even the Mysteries of the Universe.
The only way to be connected with existence is to go inwards,
because there at the center you are still connected. ~ Osho
In noticing the mystery of my grandmother’s peaceful nature, I learned to look within. And there I found even greater mysteries, such as life and death, time and timelessness. One led to the other, and what a gift. We may never know how much we give to another person. I’m sure Anna had no idea how much she had given me, for instance, but the wisdom of sharing her true depth with me is something we can all learn from. It’s not what we buy or do for others. That can be nice, of course, but what really counts is being strong enough to share the truth of our hearts. That’s what we will always remember.
Let the mysteries of life connect you to something timeless, and then you will have something to give others that is also timeless. In the end, it’s probably the only gift that really matters. ~ dh
- What mysteries are YOU exploring? And … would you restore the violin or leave it, as is?
- You also might enjoy my recent guest post for Shirley Showalter: What is a good day, anyway?
- And here’s a lovely 5-star book review from Sherrey Meyer, enjoy!
Thanks so much for visiting, see you again Friday, December 19th.
- Remember: If you haven’t looked within, you haven’t looked.
- To find my book, click here Always Returning: The Wisdom of Place … and if you should read it one day, please let me know if it touched your soul. Thank you so much!
