Contemplative Haven: Our Songs 
Our Songs
Forget me not, friend and fellow-blogger (at Beyond the Horizon II), has re-posted, at my request, her very moving poem, All I Can Give. Forget me not has acknowledged that her heart-gripping imagery and cries to the Lord stem from years of childhood abuse. Her original posting of this poem, back in July on her old blog, was also intended to introduce us to Mary's Hope, an organization dedicated to offering spiritual healing and recovery for childhood abuse of any kind.
Forget me not relates how her poem was based on a reflection by the French poet Marie Noel, entitled, "The Rag Collector". Profoundly moved by forget me not's poem, and never having heard of Marie Noel before, I searched for her poetry online. I was not able to find any in English to which I could link, but here is a site with some of her poetry in French: Marie Noel
As I read through her poetry, one line stayed with me for days from her poem entitled, 'Prière du poète' (The Poet's Prayer): "Donne-moi du bonheur, s'il faut que je le chante", she says to the Lord. "Donne-moi du bonheur, s'il faut que je le chante" - "Give me happiness if I must sing of it."
I began to realize how blessed we are by all those who sing anyway, of the grief and of the pain, even though they may believe the Lord would prefer them to sing of joy, or they would naturally prefer that themselves. Are not the Psalms abundant with songs of both kinds? Each one of us has a unique song; some are written and sung while in the depths of despair, while enduring the anguish of a dark night. Others are written and sung during the process of healing. Still others go beyond the process of healing, to the glory of the Lord, for there are many whom He has called to triumph over man's evil and show others the way. I think of these words of Jean-Pierre de Caussade, in Abandonment to Divine Providence:
"Souls who walk in light sing the hymns of light; those who walk in the shadows chant the hymns of darkness. Each must be allowed to sing through to the end the words and melody which God has given him. Nothing must be changed in what he has composed."
Forget me not, by the grace of God and through her own sweet soul and hard work, has triumphed over man's evil. She herself is like a song that the Lord is singing, and she desires to help many, not only through her online writing but perhaps in other venues.
As a description for her blog, forget me not uses a quote from Etty Hillesum: "One would wish to be a balm for so many wounds." There is no doubt in my mind that forget me not is, and will be, exactly that. I don't think she would mind if I shared a little something she told me, since forget me not has already spoken of her experiences online; it is something she revealed to me recently, before she knew the exact subject-matter of my reflection on Marie Noel. She said, "My Soul Magnifies the Lord is the song I sing deep inside as I ponder God's goodness to me."
I thank God for forget me not's powerful healing. May she continue to sing all the days of her life.
Forget me not relates how her poem was based on a reflection by the French poet Marie Noel, entitled, "The Rag Collector". Profoundly moved by forget me not's poem, and never having heard of Marie Noel before, I searched for her poetry online. I was not able to find any in English to which I could link, but here is a site with some of her poetry in French: Marie Noel
As I read through her poetry, one line stayed with me for days from her poem entitled, 'Prière du poète' (The Poet's Prayer): "Donne-moi du bonheur, s'il faut que je le chante", she says to the Lord. "Donne-moi du bonheur, s'il faut que je le chante" - "Give me happiness if I must sing of it."
I began to realize how blessed we are by all those who sing anyway, of the grief and of the pain, even though they may believe the Lord would prefer them to sing of joy, or they would naturally prefer that themselves. Are not the Psalms abundant with songs of both kinds? Each one of us has a unique song; some are written and sung while in the depths of despair, while enduring the anguish of a dark night. Others are written and sung during the process of healing. Still others go beyond the process of healing, to the glory of the Lord, for there are many whom He has called to triumph over man's evil and show others the way. I think of these words of Jean-Pierre de Caussade, in Abandonment to Divine Providence:
"Souls who walk in light sing the hymns of light; those who walk in the shadows chant the hymns of darkness. Each must be allowed to sing through to the end the words and melody which God has given him. Nothing must be changed in what he has composed."
Forget me not, by the grace of God and through her own sweet soul and hard work, has triumphed over man's evil. She herself is like a song that the Lord is singing, and she desires to help many, not only through her online writing but perhaps in other venues.
As a description for her blog, forget me not uses a quote from Etty Hillesum: "One would wish to be a balm for so many wounds." There is no doubt in my mind that forget me not is, and will be, exactly that. I don't think she would mind if I shared a little something she told me, since forget me not has already spoken of her experiences online; it is something she revealed to me recently, before she knew the exact subject-matter of my reflection on Marie Noel. She said, "My Soul Magnifies the Lord is the song I sing deep inside as I ponder God's goodness to me."
I thank God for forget me not's powerful healing. May she continue to sing all the days of her life.
posted by Gabrielle at 10:00 AM
1 Comments:
forget me not inspires me... and i do need inspiring! thank you both.
mxx
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