Saturday, November 8, 2008

Time, Flying

Remember how the Matron does this with Scarlett? From yesterday's post?


Night times, when you're finally sleeping---with the soft mouth open and warm breath, the cheek pale and vulnerable against the night, your arms limp over a stuffed animal and even though you are right in front of her, you are so so somewhere else, sort of like life, for all of us--in those still moments, your mama comes in and kisses you good-night, one more time.


Sssssh! Don't tell Stryker, but she does the same with him--and the baby, Merrick. She peeks in for that last look and considers the men they will become, the great psychological and physical distance that will someday separate. That expanse both humbles and grounds.

How does the expanse appear, even now?

Just yesterday --

Matron: "Stryker, what are you thinking?"

Stryker: "Those are my private thoughts and at the moment, I am unwilling to share them."

Yes, on this busy Saturday, the Matron is a wee bit philosophical, thinking how alone we each are in our own minds, what entire universes we create and for what a short, amazing time.

When we die, as Brecht reminds us, it's not as if an actor leaves the stage.

The stage disappears.

The Matron is happy to be allowed onto a corner of three stages, one for each of her children, for awhile.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I woke up #1 son for school one day when he was about 11. The first words out of his mouth were something to the effect that Columbus has initiated the destruction of the authentic pre-Columbian culture in North America. My chin dropped.

Becky said...

Beautifully said. This is a tough area for me--my oldest is 7, and my baby is two-and-a-half, and I am working on a way to freeze them both in amber. Or a way to make them grow up at half-speed.

But time, she does march on.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I'm willing to bet those thoughts would've been very interesting to hear.

Nora said...

Beautiful. I can't say it better. But yes. Yes.

shrink on the couch said...

Yep, they're only ours to borrow, thoughts included.

Jason, as himself said...

"Those are my private thoughts and at the moment, I am unwilling to share them."

This coming from a pre-adolescent boy? I love it!

Most boys this age would just say, "Hmmmmmphgggnnnnnnn."

Daisy said...

Well said. I love your son's way of expressing himself! Has he inherited some of his mother's talent with words?

JCK said...

Oh, I love your thoughts on this. And Stryker killed me with that comment. So glad you have it down on "paper." It will be so fun to bring out when he's older.