Monday, April 11, 2011

Rowing for Your Life



"West Wind #2"

You are young. So you know everything. You leap into the boat and begin rowing. But listen to me. Without fanfare, without embarrassment, without any doubt, I talk directly to your soul. Listen to me. Lift the oars from the water, let your arms rest, and your heart, and heart's little intelligence, and listen to me:

There is life without love. It is not worth a bent penny, or a scuffed shoe. It is not worth the body of a dead dog nine days unburied. When you hear, a mile away and still out of sight, the churn of the water as it begins to swirl and roil, fretting around the sharp rocks - when you hear that unmistakable pounding - when you feel the mist on your mouth and sense ahead the embattlement, the long falls plunging and steaming - then row, row for your life toward it.

~ Mary Oliver


Painting: Winslow Homer, "Rowing at Prouts Neck"

11 comments:

  1. Oh, how I loved this! So deep, so wise! I'm actually saving it so I can re-read it. Thanks so much for posting, Teresa!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the colors! ...and the position of the boat. Makes the eye look to see where she's rowing from.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks like she's struggling with all her might to get the boat ashore...do you think she'll make it? This is what comes to my mind...maybe I see a bit of myself there.
    The colors are muted, soft, dreamy, and easy on the eyes. This is what makes me wish I had a copy of this beautiful piece of art. A reminder that our struggles can be Muted...soft...dreamy...and easy on the eyes if we choose for them to be.

    ReplyDelete
  4. a good reminder Teresa, a very good reminder

    ReplyDelete
  5. I feel myself rowing for my life; sometimes the choices aren't ours for soft and dreamy struggles, I do try to keep as many of those I can.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've been in that boat several times in my life but faith and patience have made the waters smooth again. God's enabled me to feel a peace surround me and listen to the wind.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rowing for one's life is something that happens more often than we are aware of in many instances...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Some like it steamy hot and others like the calm flow of the gentle ripples.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I really appreciate reading everyone's thoughts around this painting and the poem. I think the poem is a very powerful call to not be afraid to keep moving through life despite the turbulent waters. Embrace change, don't look back or get caught in what Was. Move on to all life offers.

    Thank you for responding to this. I'm grateful for your contributions.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jennifer, A special thank you for stopping by and responding. I'm very glad you did and am thankful for your comments. Very much so.

    ReplyDelete