That Point

21 Replies

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That Point

It was at that age
of worrying about others
of feeling not enough
of looking for a pattern that was myself
that I put words down
fearing them
or if not them, fearing those who read them.

At that age when I didn’t know what I thought,
I was astonished that the hand that wrote
knew more than I did
and taught that I must be brave,
fearless on the page in a way I had not yet learned to be in life
so that I became a writer to teach myself.
To have someone I trusted as a guide.

It was at that age when I wanted to be admired––
that age when I sought to be loved––
that age when I yearned to be thought a thinker,
important, listened to––
that I somehow was led to listening to myself.

There are these times we are led to by life
that become turning points
so long as we continue.
That sentence. That first sentence stretching
into the future, into now.


I found this poem on my desktop, and although I vaguely remember writing it, I can’t find any evidence of having posted it on my blog.  For some reason I feel it ties in with today’s prompt and so I’m going to post a second response to the prompt today.  Happy 2016 to all.  I hope we all come closer to discovering our best selves in the year to come!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/a-brand-new-you-effective-tomorrow/

 

21 thoughts on “That Point”

  2. Anton Wills-Eve's avatarAnton Wills-Eve

    A wonderful reflection on what was yet to come and actually did, but not by the path you expected. As always, Judy, you manage to put into words those really deep moments of self-understanding that most people find so impossible to achieve. Do have a great 2016. Ciao. Anton

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  5. judyreeveswriter's avatarjudyreeveswriter

    Hi Judy, That poem, I believe, got its start at the beach retreat after we read Pablo Neruda’s “Poetry,” which begins “And it was at that age . . . Poetry arrived…” Thanks for posting it. It’s a lovely poem.

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      I love it when someone says they’ve had the same experience or found the same understandings that I have. I guess that is the reason a lot of us are here, Calen. Thanks for always making what I write a dialogue. Most satisfying!!

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  10. Pingback: “The Point” reblogged | lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown

  13. slmret's avatarslmret

    This is a wonderful reprise. How true that last sentence. “That first sentence stretching into the future, into now.” That first sentence is just part of a long continuum that stretches as long as we continue to grow!

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