Today's post is simple.... One of my all-time favorite passages, a final scene from the Thornton Wilder play, Our Town. These words come to my mind nearly every day of my life~~and I am grateful...
Emily: (softly, more in wonder than in grief)
But, just for a moment now we're all together. Mama, just for a moment we're happy. Let's look at one another. (Pause, looking desperate because she has received no answer. She speaks in a loud voice, forcing herself to not look at her mother)
I can't. I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another (she breaks down sobbing, she looks around). I didn't realize. All that was going on in life and we never noticed. Take me back - up the hill - to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-by, Good-by, world. Good-by, Grover's Corners. Mama and Papa. Good-bye to clocks ticking. And Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths. And sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
(She asks abruptly through her tears) Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? - every, every minute?
Emily: (softly, more in wonder than in grief)
But, just for a moment now we're all together. Mama, just for a moment we're happy. Let's look at one another. (Pause, looking desperate because she has received no answer. She speaks in a loud voice, forcing herself to not look at her mother)
I can't. I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another (she breaks down sobbing, she looks around). I didn't realize. All that was going on in life and we never noticed. Take me back - up the hill - to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-by, Good-by, world. Good-by, Grover's Corners. Mama and Papa. Good-bye to clocks ticking. And Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths. And sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
(She asks abruptly through her tears) Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? - every, every minute?
"Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you."
ReplyDeleteDo we realize life, every, every minute? I doubt it. But we can try harder, to do so. To pay attention to more of those fleeting minutes...
Thank you for this reminder, to do so.
And thank you for this reminder, that life does have it's beauty. And we should notice it. While here. A very true and sweet message, which I think we forget, too often...
Aunt Amelia
"A Snowflake is Winter's Butterfly."
And so, I linked to this. :-)
ReplyDeleteAunt Amelia
"A Snowflake is Winter's Butterfly."
Our Town is one of my most favorite reads! I so wanted to see the play when it was in town this year *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI wrote a post refering to it last year actually - it certainly gives one pause to think doesn't it?
http://lessofme-lora.blogspot.com/2008/04/life-is-what-happens-when-youre-busy.html
yes, that is a good question? I am so glad that papa hubby and I lived our life as one and beheld our joy in each other- not sure if beheld is really a word or not but it is now-- hugs from Meme
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the perspective...