A series of essays.....
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| SUN RISING OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ALONG THE FLORIDA COAST |
.....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E. Hughes
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
~Robert Frost
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| CITYSCAPE |
Just when you think the sun will never rise again from the depths of a shimmering ocean horizon, the shadowy tree line surrounding a meadow of purple wildflowers, or a cement skyline while standing in the center of a towering cityscape.....it miraculously does. You ask yourself.....why?
Undoubtedly, it is the most difficult situation we humans will ever find ourselves experiencing. In the written words of Mr. Jim Harrison, in his novel The River Swimmer, the answer may be as simple as, "Humans are ill-prepared for the miraculous." Following heartbreak, "It's too much of a jolt and the human soul is not spacious enough to deal with it."
When deep despair shatters your world with its unjust cruelty, you feel that Hope has abandoned your life forever and the darkness that surrounds you is as complete and cold as a moonless Winter's night. The heaviness upon the heart is matched by the colossal weight of the tragedy or adversity that pushes down from above and offers to take your breath away.......releasing you from the horrors of life itself.
We take time-out from constant memory and pray that we can forget, even for a little while, and nap to rest our brain, our souls, for the moment. I pray you dream of peace and forgiveness. Eventually, they must come. However, tonight nightmares enfold you with reminders of hate and fear. This process is continuous and, seemingly, never ending.
You awaken perspiring yet chilled to the bone with no apparent recourse in sight. Do you remember that your own story is certainly not eternal as is the earth and any creature, human or otherwise? It is difficult for you to accept anything as it is presented to you. You understand that you must question the nature of everything as you know you must pull yourself back into the light and emerge from the darkness.
As an individual it is difficult to proceed and the general cruelty of life is too often overwhelming. Within a community you take solace in the strength of those around you. Those who often share the same fears but shed the burden of hate by coming together, holding hands, lighting candles, and by shear numbers alone know that the productiveness of life is miraculous, a gift granted to all who believe in life and all of its many miracles....
There are absolutely no excuses when it comes to taking an innocent life through a violent action whether it be in peacetime or war, through outright feelings of hatred or clinical depression, mild through severe, that requires immediate intervention. The possibility of stopping people from doing what they do to each other seems out of the question. We do not exist in a bubble, after all.
If we become a witness to your grief and our brains seem a little bruised by everything that has transpired and it becomes a burden of emotions, take our hand and walk us through your pain. I warn you....even a bystander should not suffer all alone. It will not go well. We are in this thing called life together and together we will make it through to the end.
And one day, as they lay you down to rest, others will see the urgency in getting on with their own lives. This desperation of mortality is always present when someone we know passes on.
"Life goes on. So, appreciate what you got. Life will hit you when you're not prepared. And one day, when you're gone.......Life will still go on."
~From the 1977 album entitled Sleepwalker by The Kinks.
This story is dedicated to the Beautiful People of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the surrounding area who have recently suffered the tragic and unconscionable loss of members of its community. I want you to know that we are holding your hands through the questions and the pain. JEH
Tomorrow is another day....
Kalamazoo Strong!
Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
