I was watching the film Jojo Rabbit the other night and at the ending, there was that quote which somehow struck me:
“Let everything happen to you: Beauty and Terror.
Just keep going; no feeling is final.”
This was an excerpt from the poem, Go To The Limits of Your Longing originally written by an Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke during the time of war. It is an inspiring and comforting quote, (so as the entirety of the poem) I thought it was timely both personally and collectively as we are all experiencing different battles.
My friend Joe and I were talking about feelings the other day. I mentioned, “sometimes I wish…” and he stopped me talking and told me, “Jun, don’t wish. it will hurt you when you wish.” As I heard many times the saying “wishing only wounds the heart”, I didn’t understand what exactly Joe meant during our conversation until I was walking to my car that I started reflecting about past experiences. While most of what I am today are based on dreams, hopes and wishes, there were many times that these also caused me disappointments and heartaches when the outcomes didn’t meet the expectations. While what Joe said was most likely true, isn’t it good (or bad) that sometimes we experience these kinds of feelings? Something I learn early in life is to wallow with my feelings-good or bad. And while absorbing each and every experience, I remember each lessons these experiences brought my life and carry on. This is why the quote made an impact on me because I let everything happen to me.
It’s now running to six months since we all first dealt with our new normal with the Covid-19 Pandemic. Hearing the news every day, the virus remains winning with no end in sight as of yet. My feelings about Covid has evolved. This is our war-a different kind. We face it every day- as a nurse and as an ordinary man- fighting to go back and live the normal life as we used to. We haven’t found the cure yet, and the horizon may seems to be far at this point; but it isn’t over ‘til it’s over.
I searched for the entirety of the poem and pondered upon it before I went to bed that night. The poem basically speaks about the poet’s faith- relying on a higher being while at the same time experiencing life in all its forms- the war in particular during his period. Suitable in this time of our own fights- personally and generally speaking.
Note to the Reader: The title is not my original, but its from poet’s original poem- Go to the Limits of Your Longing.
Photography has been my safe haven when my mind is troubled… brings me into the right perspective back again. taken during sunrise at Saint Augustine Beach Pier.
Photo Credit: RLabiste