When Love Speaks
Beginnings. It’s what my brain is telling my fingers to shape this week. The series starts HERE with one of my all-time favorite pieces. Today’s piece is a love letter. Thank you for visiting, for reading, and for sharing my words.
My Dear MTM:
Did love speak you into being? Everyone exists because of the same gyrations, sometimes loving, sometimes clinical, identical mergings of this particle with that one to create a diaspora of color, individualism, and uniqueness.
It seems a trite story to explain you.
I wasn’t there on that frozen January morning when you made your grand entrance. Your mother was practiced, having delivered three siblings before you. Your father was wherever he was, doing whatever he wanted to do. It doesn’t take two loving parents to speak a child to life. You had one, and she was there with you at 3:30 on a snowy Saturday morning. The 18th of January. 1964.
She can tell me otherwise. But, here’s what I know.
You entered the world knowing. How to sear the human skin and be a seer of the soul. The precise instructions for giving to others before thinking of yourself. When to cry, and when to crinkle your eyes to make the gorgeous laugh lines you now bear. What to say to make other people feel accomplished. Gifted. Promising. Where to encourage a student to see themselves far beyond the world they drew in a sketchbook.
Every day with you is another package to be unwrapped. Savored. You are my favorite person, the one who takes the raw edges and colors them, untangles them, unites them in a way I could never envision on my own.
Your beginning enriches the existence of so many. That I am fortunate enough to experience beginning with you every day is the gift of my life, doled out in pieces, one voracious moment at a time.
Thank you for choosing one moment to say hello to me, for being the stalwart rock of my life, for shining light on the lives of everyone you meet.
**********************************
A lover’s eyes will gaze an eagle blind.
A lover’s ear will hear the lowest sound,
When the suspicious head of theft is stopped.
Love’s feeling is more soft and sensible
Than are the tender horns of cockled snails.
Love’s tongue proves dainty Bacchus gross in taste.
For valor, is not Love a Hercules,
Still climbing trees in the Hesperides?
Subtle as Sphinx; as sweet and musical
As bright Apollo’s lute, strung with his hair.
And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods
Make heaven drowsy with the harmony.
Love’s Labours Lost Act 4 Scene 3 (Click on the link to see Kenneth Branagh’s version of my favorite Shakespeare passage of all time.)
Beautiful
Thanks, Howard. And – YOU BEAT LOU!!
You know what’s funny about beating Lou, I posted and it didn’t show up so I posted again a little later. I thought you might have had it “riggged” that Lou always comes first.
Actually, I could probably beat Lou on many mornings but I’m not as clever or creative as he is.
3:30 am cake is still the best way to celebrate. So today, being the caring person that Quen A describes, we will see the Shadow Ninja personally thank the 34 million folks that wished him a Very Merry Happy Birthday yesterday.
It wasn’t quite 34 million, Lou, but he does owe some thank you’s.
So I don’t want to publicly gush over YOUR husband, but I’ve gotten glimpses of why you love him and how you’ve described him here. I love how you celebrate life together and that your journeys led one another to each other.
He isn’t easy to get to know, so your seeing those things means he likes you.
Blushing.
And flattered.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Vera.
Bah! Humbug!
You are such a delight, Carnell. I am going to give you a big, sloppy hug the next time I see you.
I’ll give him a big sloppy hug too
Carnell with LOVE that.
Ewww. Ewww. and double EWWWW!
Everyone needs an Andra and MTM in their life as a reminder that there is love.
I hope you got your package by now. Did you?
<3
Some of the things you say to Krista on Facebook are inspiring me, Kenneth.
wow, I am very honored! I see you two as an inspiration to me
Well, I’m glad we play some role in your obvious happiness with Krista.
This is so sweet! I’m beyond lucky to have met Kenneth…
I’m very happy with her indeed Andra!
And Krista, I also feel lucky to have met you and to have you to share life with.
Sweet.
Damn! That was lovely!
Thank you. Enjoyed seeing you this morning.
And what a wonderful love letter!
Kim, thanks for reading and enjoying.
Simply beautiful
Cheers! Thank you for sharing your love letter with us, too. The part about taking the raw edges and coloring them absolutely crackled.
I’m still really mad that I didn’t get to post this yesterday, on his actual birthday………..
Would that everyone could be so fortunate to have someone in his/her life to lovingly proclaim their worthiness to them . . . and to the world. I am never sure which of you is the more fortunate, but fortune surely had a hand in that first smile cast your way.
Karen, I know I am fortunate to have MTM. I often wonder how in the world he puts up with me, but he does it.
It would take a thousand Sherlock Holmes’ to solve that little mystery.
Very funny.
What a dear tribute to a dear Michael.
He thinks the world of you, Marie.
And I of the two of you, my Charleston children!
Beautiful, Andra. Especially enjoyed:
Every day with you is another package to be unwrapped. Savored. You are my favorite person, the one who takes the raw edges and colors them, untangles them, unites them in a way I could never envision on my own.
Your beginning enriches the existence of so many. That I am fortunate enough to experience beginning with you every day is the gift of my life, doled out in pieces, one voracious moment at a time.
Thank you, Nancy. I am always happy when other writers cite passages that speak to them. It teaches me.
Well said! And exactly how I feel about my dear Cheryl.
And how I know she feels about you. Glad you’re back. I hope your parents are both okay.
<3
This is so adorable that I am going to have to go and eat chocolate now.
There goes my diet.
Now, I’m going to have to go eat chocolate, too, Kameko. Solidarity.
All right, I confess. I shed a tear. Beautiful. What a blessing it is to find the person who lights up life. Not everyone does, and I pray there are incredible compensations for having to pass through life without one’s second self.
Having passed through so much of life without my second self, I guess it is easier to appreciate having him now. My hope for everyone is that they find that person and hold them tightly.
Very sweet!
But hey … didn’t you already unwrap the package the night before so it wouldn’t be a surprise?
His official birthday present is STILL not here. I ordered it from your lovely state in plenty of time to get from West to East Coasts, but still no dice. So, I guess his birthday will go on and on.
Beautiful.
Thank you.
Lovely. Dear. Kind. Passionate. Words to describe your post and your attitudes towards each other.
And yes, I do feel exactly this way about Bill. Upon his return yesterday evening, we enjoyed a lovely dinner together and LOTS of bottled up conversation.
I am delighted that both of you were born!
I’m like you, Cheryl. I always walk around bereft when MTM goes on a work trip. I can’t stand days when we’re too busy to have coffee together. I know you understand.
I think my heart just burst open and melted in a happy, sighing puddle! This was a gorgeous love letter to your soul mate, Andra.
I fear it doesn’t make up for his gift STILL delayed in transit.
But, I tried.
Oh Andra, I love this! Everyone should have this kind of love in their life! I was crying as I read it and all the comments. Such a blessing to read today! Thank you.
Your post today was awesome, Megan. I’m glad this one spoke to you.
This is beautiful. “the one who takes the raw edges and colors them, untangles them, unites them in a way I could never envision on my own” is my favorite part. First time visitor, but I will definitely be back
Glad to have you. That seems to be the winning line of the day.
Sweet! Happy BD MTM!
Dinnnnnnnnnnner. We need to have it.
Oh, Wow. That is beautiful, Andra. MTM must be so touched. That should be published. Love it so much-
I can’t figure out how to get anything published, Tricia. Except my blog.
Thanks for liking it.
Lovely, Andra. You and MTM are lucky to have found each other, and found yourselves in each other.
Thank you. Not a day passes that I don’t pinch myself multiple times.
How wonderful….Love is a time-old theme, but it is just amazing how enduring it is. I felt you definitely captured the timelessness of love in your writing, and the beauty it is of being utterly in love with someone. I adore this piece!!!
Thanks, Daphne. It’s always hard to write something public with a feeling of intimacy.