half-gods
Thinking of letting go, letting go of sickness, self-hate... what do i need it for?
Not being able to let go takes up so much of my energy, so much of my time, which i could use much better. Found this poem by Emerson, the last stanza really caught me: "when half-gods go, the gods arrive." It is about love and lovers, that's true, but also in other aspects of life: how can i expect anything good to come into my life, if i don't make space for it by giving up my half-gods, giving up things that are taking my time so there is no space to find and do the things i really want?
My sickness is not what i want from life. But as long as i'm holding on to it, i'm also blocking away other things, that could enter my life, good things. My sickness is a half-god, but i keep holding on to it, because so often it feels that without it i am nothing. but how can i ever find out who i really am behind it all, if i keep being too scared to look?
Ralph Waldo Emerson - Give All To Love
Give all to love;
Obey thy heart;
Friends, kindred, days,
Estate, good fame,
Plans, credit, and the muse;
Nothing refuse.
'Tis a brave master,
Let it have scope,
Follow it utterly,
Hope beyond hope;
High and more high,
It dives into noon,
With wing unspent,
Untold intent;
But 'tis a god,
Knows its own path,
And the outlets of the sky.
'Tis not for the mean,
It requireth courage stout,
Souls above doubt,
Valor unbending;
Such 'twill reward,
They shall return
More than they were,
And ever ascending.
Leave all for love;-
Yet, hear me, yet,
One word more thy heart behoved,
One pulse more of firm endeavor,
Keep thee to-day,
To-morrow, for ever,
Free as an Arab
Of thy beloved.
Cling with life to the maid;
But when the surprise,
Vague shadow of surmise,
Flits across her bosom young
Of a joy apart from thee,
Free be she, fancy-free,
Do not thou detain a hem,
Nor the palest rose she flung
From her summer diadem.
Though thou loved her as thyself,
As a self of purer clay,
Tho' her parting dims the day,
Stealing grace from all alive,
Heartily know,
When half-gods go,
The gods arrive.
Not being able to let go takes up so much of my energy, so much of my time, which i could use much better. Found this poem by Emerson, the last stanza really caught me: "when half-gods go, the gods arrive." It is about love and lovers, that's true, but also in other aspects of life: how can i expect anything good to come into my life, if i don't make space for it by giving up my half-gods, giving up things that are taking my time so there is no space to find and do the things i really want?
My sickness is not what i want from life. But as long as i'm holding on to it, i'm also blocking away other things, that could enter my life, good things. My sickness is a half-god, but i keep holding on to it, because so often it feels that without it i am nothing. but how can i ever find out who i really am behind it all, if i keep being too scared to look?
Ralph Waldo Emerson - Give All To Love
Give all to love;
Obey thy heart;
Friends, kindred, days,
Estate, good fame,
Plans, credit, and the muse;
Nothing refuse.
'Tis a brave master,
Let it have scope,
Follow it utterly,
Hope beyond hope;
High and more high,
It dives into noon,
With wing unspent,
Untold intent;
But 'tis a god,
Knows its own path,
And the outlets of the sky.
'Tis not for the mean,
It requireth courage stout,
Souls above doubt,
Valor unbending;
Such 'twill reward,
They shall return
More than they were,
And ever ascending.
Leave all for love;-
Yet, hear me, yet,
One word more thy heart behoved,
One pulse more of firm endeavor,
Keep thee to-day,
To-morrow, for ever,
Free as an Arab
Of thy beloved.
Cling with life to the maid;
But when the surprise,
Vague shadow of surmise,
Flits across her bosom young
Of a joy apart from thee,
Free be she, fancy-free,
Do not thou detain a hem,
Nor the palest rose she flung
From her summer diadem.
Though thou loved her as thyself,
As a self of purer clay,
Tho' her parting dims the day,
Stealing grace from all alive,
Heartily know,
When half-gods go,
The gods arrive.