Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Use Of Sorrow

Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness

It took me years to understand
that this too, was a gift...

~~Mary Oliver~~~

11 comments:

Laura said...

oh Ernestine...no words for this one...just my hand resting on my heart.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Dear LauraX - when I read this poem - I smiled. It is a good thing :)

the wild magnolia said...

The posting of these words, dear One Woman, is a gift to each one who reads them.

Years ago, I could not have understood these words, or affirmed that it is so.

Thank you for sharing!

Blessings to you.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Oh yes, WM - a gift of freedom and life.........

Lonely Rivers said...

Years and years and years. Too many.

shannon said...

Oh to be able to understand the "gifts" and accept without understanding at the time, that is the gift to me

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Lonely Rivers - I am right there with you.
Shannon - Yes it seems to take time...

Marcie said...

Mary Oliver is always wise and her words have a way of going straight to my heart. Thank you for these words, Ernestine. I have always believed that we would not understand the beauty of the light without the contrast of the shadows.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Aisling, Mary Oliver's poems also go right to my heart. This winter have been reading a lot of her poetry. Stay warm..

Sharon said...

Another gem by Mary Oliver that is new to me. Thank you for sharing.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Sharon, thanks for visiting and goo luck and re entering the job market...