“The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys and hours badly spent.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.”
– One Art by poet Elizabeth Bishop.
Lost inspiration, sleep, blog posts, money. I’m sure there are more things that I’ve lost recently that I’ve already forgotten. I like this idea of practicing loss. Of taking life’s failures and dead ends as gracefully and as efficiently as possible, only to turn back to the table for more. It’s a true skill indeed.
What have you lost lately?
What an intriguing thought, Margot. Thanks for sharing.
You are right that it is our attitude toward the loss-event that makes the loss so painful sometimes. So change the mindset.
Grace will take some doing but maybe I can at least lose (sic) the whining!
<3 this Mary. Thank you for the kind words!
That is a lovely thought – some days I feel like I’ve lost focus completely, not sure what pursuit would actually produce some fruit (that rhymed) that by the end of the day I ask myself, what was I trying to accomplish exactly?
I have a mediation CD where the speaker says “This is the new moment. This is the new now, where anything can be.” Remembering this mantra helps me move forward, no matter how much I feel like the past hours or day have been spent in vain.
Isn’t it so funny how quiet, mundane things like a meditation cd or a snippet from an old poem actually are more of a jolt back into focus, back into perspective. Whatever gets us over our hangups I suppose! Glad you have found ways to keep going, Lillian!
Subtle, overwhelming idea… visceral reaction- attempted personal loss of painful self consciousness (said longingly with fear of witty ridicule).
Crap, it’s back. Who am I to assert my opinion publicly?
Once we have something, tangible or not, can it be completely lost to us?
I believe we always have what we need to create what we want. (Often informed/inspired by our losses.)
P.S.- I live as though there are no failures, or mistakes. There’s only research. Embrace loss for the freeing power it holds to allow room for the next, possibly better thing?
on December 17th, 2011 at 5:22 am
Exactly, Shawnee! Love this.