It was the smallest of moments.
Yesterday morning.
The rain had stopped – it was only pattering anyway – and the sun was reaching through like a loud yawn, the kind that makes your head snap around with surprise. Especially when it belongs to you.
Up ahead a bob of movement, a daughter and mother turning the corner. I followed, drawn.
For the girl was so tiny that I wasn’t sure how she could keep herself upright. And yet, she did and was walking. Balanced on her toes, heels aloft, arms raised like wings for balance and head towards the sky, she propelled herself forward. And forward. As if she were flying, barely touching the ground.
And because she was so surprised to have actually not fallen, that she was arriving with each step in this new movement, she laughed.
Delighted.
With life.
Such a small creature can shine such great joy. An everyday miracle.
“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own
insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the
vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places.
To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or
complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all,
to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to
forget.”
— Arundhati Roy
I am listening to this today after watching the blazing courage of Emmanuel Macron last night in the final French presidential debate before the elections. It gives me great Hope to have seen him call out so fearlessly someone whose only wish is to separate and destroy. And I was especially delighted that former President Barack Obama gave his unequivocal support today.. “L’espoir est en marche…”
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This post is the fourth in the series of “Little and Big.” It is a subject that I love to return to – the importance that the smallest of things can provide in our daily lives.
I think that some of you are missing Provence, so if you would like to visit or revisit the rest of the series, please click the following links:
And have a wonderful weekend!
I never get tired of photos of Venice. Ever.
Beautiful.
Definitely have not hit my stride yet. But in Venice, it was perfect to stroll. 😉
They do. Everything.
Hope won, Leslie. At least for now. Election night was beautiful here.
Then I could not be more pleased, Maria. 🙂