Grief astronomer
Brave enough to peer into the dark
It all started with an Instagram post by poet Andrea Gibson. The words are an excerpt from some of her onstage recitation. The lack of a title is because it does indeed lack a title.
Friend, you are who taught me
that a difficult life is not less
worth living than a gentle one.
Joy is just easier to carry than sorrow,
and you could lift a city
from how long you’ve spent holding
what’s been nearly impossible to hold
but this world needs those who know
how to do that. Those who can find
a tunnel with no light at the end
of it and hold it up like a telescope
to show that the darkness contains
many truths that can bring the light
to its knees.
Grief astronomer, adjust the lens,
look close, tell the world
what you see.
I was captivated by this collection of words, drawn in by the phrases “Grief astronomer, adjust the lens, look close, tell the world what you see.” In my quest for a year of “-scopic” themes, I felt these words deeply.
I’ve always seen life as being lived on the edges, pushing away from comfort rather than seeking it. I feel that when I get comfortable, I cease to learn and grow. I stagnate. Living is in the learning, stretching, and growing. Stagnation is death, even if I still breathe and my heart still beats.
Even though at times it can feel counter cultural, I’m at peace in and with the darkness. My life has been difficult. I’m sure yours has been too. There are also beautiful things in my life. One does not cancel out the other. Just as Spring happens to Mother Earth at the same time as Fall, light and darkness, life and death, joy and sadness coexist.
My April guide words are Grief astronomer and my mantra is:
Grief astronomer
Brave enough to hold
The lens to the darkness
Curious enough to know
That the telescope clarifies and blurs
Depending on the user
You are curious and brave
Peer into the darkness
Observe the truth within
My song this month was difficult to find. I finally chose a song that I first heard at an event called “Choir! Choir! Choir!” A full audience at Mt. Baker Theater in Bellingham learned parts and sang the song “I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie. (This band was formed in Bellingham, Washington, by the way, which made it special).
I’m not afraid to peer into the “tunnel with no light”. I’ll “tell the world what I see”.