A Reflection on Light
A Reflection on Light by Mother Ren of The Seven Sisters and Beachy Head Lighthouse. Quote hidden found by chance and possibly attributed to a Jonathon Lockwood Huie.
The alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought. Leafing through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus.
The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the spot where he fell a flower was born, which was called the narcissus.
But this was not how the author of the book ended the story.
He said that when Narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.
“Why do you weep?” the goddesses asked.
“I weep for Narcissus,” the lake replied.
“Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus,” they said, “for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand.”
“But . . . was Narcissus beautiful?” the lake asked.
“Who better than you to know that?” the goddesses said in wonder. “After all, it was by your banks that he knelt each day to contemplate himself!”
The lake was silent for some time. Finally, it said:
“I weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, I could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty reflected.”
“What a lovely story,” the alchemist thought.
Prologue to the Alchemist written by the philosophically great Paolo Coelho and then translated in to English by Clifford E. Landers
Good morning/afternoon/evening my vagabonds, wherever and whenever you are reading this in time and space, are you having fun? I have a desperate urge to chat to you, so, I thought I would share with you our latest adventure and something I learnt along the way.
So, with no further ado, where did we head to this time? In honour of the three sibling vagabonds, Chris, and I took Blue on her first proper holiday to visit the Seven Sisters (and one biological sister, a brother in law and the most adorable, and clever, of nephews) in Eastbourne. After the trials and tribulations of the life we all share, the ocean was also desperately needed to restore my cockles, as I butcher a common quote my Dad used to say.
We arrived in the middle of the night in a borrowed, blue steed to the most charming and eclectic hotel we have had the pleasure to stay in, 17 Wilmington Gardens. Chris was exhausted after the long drive drive in a strange vehicle after a full day of hard toil, but Blue was quite literally chomping at the bits to bite those waves. So, as any great man would do with both a dog and a partner beyond eager to look out over the endless sea in to the beyond, he got us unloaded, put on his boots, and asked me if we had poop bags. I knew he was the man for me in that moment. He needed a break, was absolutely exhausted, but he knew how excited we both were and he joined us none the less for a midnight walk amongst the crashing waves. Oh, how I wish you could have seen it with me also.
The moon suspended amongst a night sky dazzling with stars peeking out from behind speeding clouds that have whisked across the ocean from distant lands separating as they hit the moors exposing a fraction of the universes rich tapestry and yet filling our world with luminescence. The light from the moon cascading down to reveal the vision behind the almighty roar, the shimmering of the waves breaking violently against against the shore like an explosion.
The pebbles moved by the push of the tide sparkled and shimmered as these time smoothed stones reflected back the light from one rock to another. It reminded me somewhat of a scene from a movie called The Mummy (Brendan Fraser edition, not Tom Cruise), whereby I was taught how the Ancient Egyptians could light a building with no windows (personally I think they were missing a trick not to add French patio doors to their pyramids, think of the balcony view potentials. But, I digress . . .) with just some strategically placed mirrors. The sun, the moon, the earth, and the sea worked in that way for Chris, Blue and I that night. I could have sworn the light from your own vagabond souls was reflected in those lunar rays, reassuring me you were also seeing the moon anew in the light of our new adventures. You were with me, and I was with you, worlds apart yet warmed by each others light.
The turbulent, tempestuous sea beckoning to the moon to gaze upon his beauty in her mirror like surface, which he eagerly obliges. Much like Narcissus and the lake in the short story I shared above authored by the brilliant Paolo Coelho in his epic, The Alchemist. (I know you used to roll your eyes at my reading suggestions but I highly encourage you to read The Alchemist. It is a life changing bible to vagabonds everywhere.) For just like the lake I could once see my own beauty and flame reflected in your eyes, as I hope I was able to return ten-fold to you my magnificent vagabonds. And, that night I was there again, transported to your eyes, from where your soul shines like a beacon beckoning others to follow the light and look deeper within.
The world is full of lighthouses, not just the literal, and not just the human, like all us vagabonds are. The moon is but one of Mother Earths beacons to a soul that links us all, a light source we all come, share and leave from. A cosmic brilliance that illuminates the path forward and connects us to those whose paths we once crossed, or tarried for a while. A radiant reminder that we carry the same light within each of us and when we shine that torch out towards the universe, she will burn brightly right back at you.
There is so much more I would love to share with you about our travels to Eastbourne but I fear this would turn in to a trilogy considering a 45 minute walk has turned in to War and Peace. However, I would like to tell you of the sweetest little signs Chris and I witnessed, but first I must set the scene (I promise this will be short…er).
It was a horrifically wet, and windy day. My bones were still damp from a sun-less rise walk Blue and I had taken much earlier that morning. Chris had planned an outing for us at Sovereign Harbour so we could look for our “future yacht”. I love that man, he just gets me. We arrive, and, let me tell you, never being able to afford such skilfully made craft makes for some crazy intrusive thoughts. I considered taking every single boat and starting my own slightly safer and far more luxurious version of Waterworld. They were phenomenal and some of them like water hotels. Anyway, as we are returning, empty handed of even one captains wheel, Chris with his hawk like vision spots a seal in this quiet, little harbour free of boats. Then another, and another. Three little seal pups frolicking about in the calm waters protected from the raging seas and winds.
Not only were there three of them but they all seemed to have very unique personalities. One of them was full of energy and playfulness, dashing through the waters, leaping through the air before barrelling in to his sister who gave as good as she got, believe me. The two rolling around in the waters, seemingly oblivious to the storm that raged beyond the walls of their haven, playing and having a whale of a time (It was punny! Don’t roll your eyes!). The last, and apparently more “mature” of the pups was hanging back and observing, content to chill, listening to the music of the small, safe world around her. They were happy, and safe, sheltered from the turn in the weather and more than that they were having fun doing it. That moment my heart was filled with joy and knowing that in each of the seal cubs I could see that you too are remembering to play, to have fun and that you are continuing to support each other through all of life’s changes. I couldn’t be more proud.
Do not be afraid to let your fire burn bright enough to bounce off the moon because you are meant to shine my vagabonds. Help others to see their own beauty in your light.
I love you to the moon and back my vagabonds, as I feel your love reflecting back also. Always, your Mother x