Life.
Death.
A thin line.
I’ve walked for years,
Straddling,
One leg firmly planted on the side of life.
The other in the air,
crossing the center,
balanced like a gymnast on the beam.
Life.
Death.
One is here,
where my foot is planted firmly,
and there are times that it feels darker,
than being closed in a casket lowered,
six feet under.
My ballerina toe gets closer
and almost touches that side,
and in one moment I have a thought
that there might be some life in there,
there might just be a rainbow.
But then I lean on my left leg.
The one that is sturdy and holds me up straight.
And I remember that there is a whole lot
more life left to be lived on this side.
So I walk on the wire,
one foot in front of the other,
and I make a promise
to continue to explore this side of the line
with as much gusto as I can.
My right leg obeys,
and my soul decides to continue its work,
and my mind is free,
because I know that death is not something to fear.
When the time is right,
I will lace up both ballerina shoes
and
Dance Into Eternity!
Blessitude
Lorrie <3
11/29/15
Sorry for the morose feeling behind this post. I had written it a while ago and did not post it when it was raw. But I just found out that a couple I know were found dead in their condo, a suspected murder/suicide.
I am in shock!
I saw them just a few weeks ago. They were the kind of people you just knew were meant to be together…soul mates. I can’t begin to guess what enticed them to cross over that line, but I suppose I am not surprised that, as they were in life, they decided to be in death…together.
I will miss them.
<3 Lorrie
I am so sorry for your loss. It surely seems mysterious!
Thank you for your compassion, Carol. It is so very mysterious…a perfect word to describe it. Some things we will never know.
Hope you are well, friend <3
Powerful. Thank you for sharing this.
I didn’t set out to post this today, John…but once I saw my old poem it seemed like a tribute. Thank you my friend, I hope you are super!! <3
So very tragic, and I can only imagine some dreadful news befell them, so impelling the two into this monumental decision. May they rest in peace, together in love. H <3
Ah! Hariod…I am sure you are correct, though I am not sure we will ever know. That is how I feel it happened…I believe it was a conscious choice between the two…not just the decision of one of them. Thank you my friend…I hope you are well! <3
that is so tragic and I am so sorry to hear about your loss…may their souls rest in peace…sometimes I do not know what to say when these things happen in the world…so sad…much love and hugs to you <3
Thank you dear Neha. I agree with you…I don’t know what to say either. And I am a little surprised I posted this at all…but I always post what “feels” right to my soul. I think when I don’t know what to “say” I usually know what to “write.”
I am grateful for you. Blessitude! <3
and I you my friend <3
🌬💖🕯💖🕯💖🕊💖🕊
Oh, Lorrie, I am so sorry about your friends, and your loss of them. So sad. Like Romeo and Juliet. I love you poem. It didn’t seem “morose” at all to me. We all walk that line. I think it is a beautiful journey, and the way you described it even more so. Thank you for this beautiful image of walking that line with toe shoes and dancing into eternity!
Blessings,
Mary
Oh, Mary…thank you so much for your wonderfully kind words! It is nice to hear you say that we all walk that line…sometimes I have felt all alone in that journey. I think the visual I had when writing the poem was a juxtaposition between thinking about the certain allure at times of ‘that side’ and what is socially accepted. Somehow the toe shoes and dancing sparked a lighter side of what the mind can imagine when it is surrounded by darkness. Thank you for your kind compassion during a time that makes little sense to me….but apparently much sense to them. We are all connected! <3 <3
Hi Lorrie,
Your poem traverses the realms and is quite beautiful. I feel very sorry upon hearing of the loss of your friends. I also know that many things are beyond comprehension or being privy to what goes on in the hearts and minds of others. Thank you for being with us. I think am sad that I know your friends will be surely missed. I also imagine that the news is still shocking for you. Please do take care ❤️
We are all connected,
Much Love,
ka
Thank you beautiful Ka!! I can feel your authentic compassion, loud and clear and I am grateful for our connection! I send you much love and Blessitude!! <3
I’m so sorry for your loss. It is very hard to understand such an occurrence. I guess we never know what goes on with others.
So, so true! We think we can know or even possibly see something like this happening…but it was such a shock. Thank you for taking the time to comment…I appreciate it very much!
This seems like a perfect tribute to your friends and the delicate balance many of us have with ife and death. May we find more reasons to dance with gusto while we are here. blessings Lorrie…
Hello dear Brad!! Yes…balancing on that tight rope…it is a finely tuned dance.
Hope that you are settled…and somewhat adjusting to life anew!! I have thought of you often this past week, my friend. Sending you lots of love and a giant hug!! Thank you <3
Thanks Lorrie! I’m starting to settle. I love the peace and quiet out here and am adjusting to the driving.
Dear Lorrie,
I am sorry for your sadness Lorrie.. Sometimes we do not get to see inside the minds that make these choices..
The Wire we walk often takes great strength to balance one foot in front of the next one.. Often it can seem such a long walk…
Sometimes, people exit this realm, seeking peace from its experience.. I have found it is our experiences which helps us discover that which is not of this realm.. But has always been within, just waiting for us to take that one step further to find it.. As we balance ourselves from within..
I still have many steps to go.. but each step brings me closer.. And the Love and Caring of such souls as your good self Lorrie, shows me no matter how hard our journey may become.. We continue to hold that strength as we walk that tight rope.. With love to you and thank you for all you teach us to be.. xxx <3
Thank you dear Sue. It is hard to see this page through the tears that your beautiful words have caused to well and fall! It is indeed a balance…walking on that wire and I agree with you, Sue…that Something that exists deep inside us…that Divine spark of life that wells up and surrounds us in such beauty and creates the balance that allows us to walk the wire in the first place…has and will…always be within!!! And for that I am most grateful…always nd to share this feeling…this love…with you…we’ll all I can say is I AM BLESSITUDE!!!! ♡♡♡♡ Thank you beautiful soul!
Likewise my dearest Lorrie xxx <3
I’m sorry for your loss Lorrie! You’ve found the perfect words in your poem to express the proximity of hope to despair, of life to death… and the word “ballerina” is beautiful… our “true Self” knows “when the time is right” as you said. A deep and touching post as always my dear friend. And by the way, I just love the new design of your blog 🙂 ♥ ♥ ♥
Oh…my dear, dear SoulMate!!! Thank you, Fre’de’ric, for always being such a light, such a pillar of truth and strength for me!!
Ah! ‘The proximity of hope to despair’…Fre’de’ric! It can be a very, very thin line…can it not? And i,too, love the word ballerina!! And I love the song, ‘Ballerina Girl.’
P.S. Thanks for the ‘like’ of the new look 😉 It felt like time for a change…as my world changes so rapidly lately. Much love my friend ♡♡♡
I found this post touching Lorrie. Death is always close on the tight rope of life…. and just one breath away.
I feel sad when people choose death over living… yet we rarely see the despair and hopelessness that people face within themselves.
xo
Thank you, Val…your words are very dear to me. ‘One breath away’….so very true. And we can not know the depths of the despair that would make a soul choose this kind of end…or beginning…I don’t know. Thanks so much for leaving your footprint here, Val. I hope you have a beautiful week♡
Sorry for your loss, Lorrie..may their soul rest in peace….
I don’t find it morose, it is a powerful and profound reminder to the truth that we all are mere guests here and have to leave the room according to the Creator’s will…
Hi Maniparna …Thank you dear soul for your beautiful support. I pray for them also. Hope you have a wonderful week ahead. ♡
I am sorry for your lost.
Thank you so much Ms. Vee…I appreciate your compassionate heart! ♡
You’re welcome Lorrie. God bless you.
You have my deepest condolences for the loss of your friends. I was compelled to read this first out of almost 1000 posts I have waiting to read. Your poem is a little dark, but so is life. We all have a little dark to deal with and like you so eloquently shared, we try to keep our balance. Sometimes life can be so fatiguing, that we just want to rest. Some choose a permanent rest. I’m surprised sometimes that it doesn’t happen more often. When I get that tired, I pray, hard. And then comes the light. Your poem had a purpose. Giant hugs.
Oh…Marlene. Isn’t it funny how things can work out like that? I wrote this poem over the summer…obviously during a bit of a dark phase. I thought I knew what I was going to post today…and yet something was urging me to go back in my journal. As soon as I saw this I knew what I must do. It certainly felt like my poem was meant for this.
I get what you said…that you are surprised it doesn’t happen more often. I think my area has had enough…this is the 3rd couple…murder/suicide in the last couple weeks. I know the holidays can be really tough for some…and so many people are suffering.
I send much love to you…and I am honored you felt so compelled to read my post…I really appreciate your kind heart!! ♡♡
Thank you for your kind words. That’s a lot for one area. I have a close friend who has been married for 55 years to a man that is mentally ill. We prayed she would finally come to the conclusion that she could no longer help before he got to that point. He had bought a number of guns, threatened her life and yet, the psychiatrists let him go home. She finally, finally divorced him and moved out after placing him in assisted living. Hopefully, now he won’t be able to hurt anyone including himself. Life is hard sometimes but I always say, if I’m still here, my work isn’t done. Do something kind for yourself and anyone else. It will help with the grief. Hugs.
Thanks Marlene! I love “If I’m still here, my work isn’t done!” 🙂 I’m happy your friend got away…I was a little worried where the story was going….happy she is free. You know, it just reminds me of so many people who are lost and don’t know where to go…and people don’t know how to help them…they fall through the cracks until they end up doing something that makes national news. Very sad.
I hope your week is bright and shiny!! ♡♡
Every day is a choice. I choose to be happy. I can’t tell you how much I’ve let go of to make that easier. And I pray a lot. 🙂
I understand Marlene…and I think you have succinctly phrased the process of enlightenment! ♡
Lorrie, I’m sorry this terrible thing has happened. But I do also want to mention your poem is just incredible! I’m glad you’re still here writing!
Oh…Thank you so much! My heart is warmed by your kind words and I am grateful…I am Blessitude 😉 Have a beautiful week!
Be blessed Lorrie! Today and every day.
♡♡
I’m sorry about the loss of your friends. I’m glad you were able to know them, and to follow your urge to post this now. I feel like your friends appreciate it. We never really know when we might leave this existence, but you have decided to live with gusto until the time when you dance into eternity. I love that image. Very comforting. Hugs <3
Thank you, JoAnna! I am very happy that I knew them…they were quite the characters…usually so full of love and laughter 🙂 It felt right to honor them without encroaching on their privacy…just a poem in memoriam to two souls who danced through life!! I appreciate your compassion, JoAnna…and I too, wish to dance through life until such time I dance into eternity! 😉 ♡♡♡
How sad… I am so sorry for the loss of your friends…Your words are poignant and meaningful. Thank you for always pouring your heart out through your writing- it always moves me 🙂
And that moves me, Julie!! Thank you for your beautiful compassionate heart!! ♡
Lorrie,your words were powerful in and of themselves and then that last bit added even more strength and awareness to your words.
Thanks Kim. How apropo…I saw the play “Billy Elliot” last night…and couldn’t stop thinking about ‘dancing into eternity,’ and how it is all related. Have a great week!!
OH! I love when that type of connection happens!
🙂
A truly sad time for You, Lorrie but i like how your attitude is balanced and tempered,
a rightful nod to reality without compromising hope or spirituality.
Big Hugs
john
Dear, dear John!! That is such a wonderfully beautiful sentiment…I appreciate your kind heart…and the insight you have offered. Many blessings to you, friend! ♡
How awful….so sad…my heart goes out to you for the loss of your friends!!
Thank you, Kirt. I appreciate your kind compassion. They will be missed. Blessings to you!
Dearest Lorrie, morose, sad, tragic or even dark or disturbing postings are hard to write and even harder to publish – I admire your courage, this experience sounds heartbreaking and I am glad you shared it, by telling the stories of people we care for, their lives live on in memories and in other stories. I know you have the courage, the inner and outer beauty and strength to get through all of this, and I wholeheartedly embrace your compassionate and caring nature which you wear so elegantly on your sleeve. Much love and support and a steady shoulder here for you. xo Harlon
Thank you my dear friend, Harlon! Your words are very important to me, and I so appreciate that you take the time to make sure I can feel your dear heart!! The news is just starting to really spread through our community….and I got an invitation to a party to celebrate their lives…very happy about that! Much love to you. Hope all is running smoothly!! 🙂 ♡
Awwwww…dear Lorrie …can there be beauty in sadness ? I often ponder this . Your poem is filled with compassion for the life we all live …sending you extra love , megxxx
You know, Meg…I have pondered this myself…and I go to music that can be so sad and yest beautiful…or the art from an artist who is so sad. I think yes…that perhaps there can be beauty in EVERYTHING…it just depends on the eyes we view life with! ♡♡♡ Thank you!!
<3
So sorry for your loss. Sending you heartfelt hugs xoxo
Thank you my friend! I send you warm wishes during this blessed holiday season♡♡
Your poem is like a tribute to your friends. They chose not to dance any longer, not on this side. I can’t even imagine the shock you must have experienced learning about their departure. There are so many things we don’t know…and will never understand. Blessings to you Lorrie & hugs <3
It is so true, Tiny. I didn’t know this couple on a deeply personal level…but they always appeared so joyous…so vibrant and full of life! We truly never know what lurks in the darkness.
Thank you for your kind words…it looks like you are having a wonderful time ♡
My condolences, Lorrie.
Thank you Cynthia…I appreciate your comfort. There will be a memorial this weekend for them where friends will get together and remember and honor their lives. Many blessings to you <3