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Amanda Sites's avatar

Thank you - these words are beautiful and ring with hope and challenge me to love and sing. I’m getting ready to take my father with advanced dementia to visit “the lady he loves and likes to visit”. “The lady” is in advanced stage of Alzheimer’s if she’s having a “good” day will slowly come around and light up and they lean towards each other smiling talking even laughing. He is so gentle and kind toward her. The staff thinks they are married - even though they met in memory care for a few months his psychiatry background was in full swing as he talked with her helped her eat gained her trust. She let him help her eat- he brings her chocolates every visit. Through all the changes in his brain what is there is love - love in action even when she doesn’t respond to him. He is tenacious. Today I’m bringing my drawing satchel and will draw the 2 of them together.

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ars poetica's avatar

I teared up reading this. I hope I can be as tenacious as your father. what a beautiful story. I would love to see the picture you have drawn… would you consider sharing it?

thank you. thank you. 💗

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Amanda Sites's avatar

I sketched and painted while witnessing an awakening from eyes closed head turned away to “his friend” laugh out loud at a joke my dad tells about a big red truck. I took photos and video and actually captured that laughter. I would be happy to share them and the sketches but don’t see how or where.

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sophia schweitzer's avatar

This is beautiful. It brought tears of fullness. Thank you! And the title alone a meditation: "keep no safe distance from alive." Sigh.. And we truly are like the finch, singing in dreams, intimate in this unfathomable love in aliveness - in life - now and now and now. Love was always love. Yes. Perhaps at times we just pretend to keep a distance, pretend to be smaller than such unspeakable beauty. Really, how can we move away from love, from reality's music, when intuitively we know we are that? Thank you for this beautiful writing.

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ars poetica's avatar

how can we move away from love? because it's easy.it takes real strength and courage to move toward it. thank you <3

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Georgia Pearl Mills's avatar

stars in my eyes jarringly beautiful. chills chills chills, thank you for this hot burst of white light

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you… please keep hold of the stars <3

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Lune's avatar

So well written, so beautiful

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ars poetica's avatar

oh thank you. truly. I’m happy it found you.

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Loki Excelsior Smith's avatar

Holy shit this was good. Been thinking a lot lately about this insane impulse to impose order upon chaos and how it never ends well, lol. You nailed it, but within the embrace of love. Have my fucking follow! Or subscription, whatever. I’m new here.

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ars poetica's avatar

it is a human temptation! i am happy this landed with you.

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Sawyer's avatar

I have needed something like this to resonate with me like this just did. Thank you, truly

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ars poetica's avatar

i am so glad it found you, then. thank you. <3

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Erin Horn's avatar

What a touching read! Thank you 🧡

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you for your words <3

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Melanie Bettinelli's avatar

I am enchanted by the image of the finches singing in their dreams. Thank you.

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you for your enchantment <3

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StarWaves's avatar

Wonderful post, thank you. The bird consciousness and their songs hold messages to those who listen. A beautiful essay, it is much appreciated.

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you for singing!

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Clau Quintero's avatar

These words resonated deeply in my soul thank you!!

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you for being here ! 💗

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rena's avatar

Magnificence

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you. happy new year 💗

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Richard's avatar

The finch knows its time is brief. Ever the musician.

Superb, thank-you.

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ars poetica's avatar

💗🕊️

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Elizabeth Grace Martinez's avatar

let the more loving one be me is the best mantra I can think of

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ars poetica's avatar

I agree. I’m keeping the words in my pocket. is there a poem you’re bringing into this new year?

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Paul Wittenberger's avatar

happy new year! with gratitude for your work and for being in this space.

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ars poetica's avatar

happy new year. 💗 thank you for being here, and for so long. 💗

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majena mafe's avatar

such a beautiful piece like a bird song coming and going in the nite, but repeating the refrain with variations, on and on it goes ... thank you . you share a lot a lot xx

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ars poetica's avatar

thank you for listening to the music. happy new year 💗

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Elena Brower's avatar

thank you for these reminders... and the birds...

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ars poetica's avatar

I hope they’re singing for you this year. 💗

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