Friendship

There are two categories of friendship:
those in which people are enlivened by each other
and those in which people must be enlivened to be with each other.
In the first category one clears the decks to be together.
In the second one looks for an empty space in the schedule.

                 Vivian Gornick, Approaching Eye Level

 

 

 

Ready to get it

You can be standing right in front of the truth
and not necessarily see it,
and people only get it when they’re ready to get it.

                George Harrison, The Beatles Anthology  

 

 

 

 

Change

Not everything that is faced can be changed.
But nothing can be changed until it is faced. …
Most of us are about as eager to change as we were to be born,
and go through our changes in a similar state of shock.

       James Baldwin, As Much Truth As One Can Bear

 

 

 

Where to look

And always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the right side of life...
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the bright side of life...
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life...
(I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing –
you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life...”

                     Eric Idle 

 

 

 

 

Knowing

I know what "nothing" means, and keep on playing. 

                     Joan Didion, Play It As It Lays

 

 

 

 

Do not disturb

If you’ve been through the big wave of the ocean,
The quiet water of the river cannot disturb you anymore.

                                Chinese poem

 

 

 

 

Poem: The Art of Disappearing

When they say Don’t I know you?
say no.
When they invite you to the party
remember what parties are like
before answering.
Someone telling you in a loud voice
they once wrote a poem.
Greasy sausage balls on a paper plate.
Then reply.
If they say we should get together.
say why?
It’s not that you don’t love them any more.
You’re trying to remember something
too important to forget.
Trees. The monastery bell at twilight.
Tell them you have a new project.
It will never be finished.
When someone recognizes you in a grocery store
nod briefly and become a cabbage.
When someone you haven’t seen in ten years
appears at the door,
don’t start singing him all your new songs.
You will never catch up.
Walk around feeling like a leaf.
Know you could tumble any second.
Then decide what to do with your time.

                      Naomi Shihab Nye