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Wendy  Gray's avatar

Absolutely as lovely as any you have written, Rose! What is it that moved me so? That once the read was done, I fell into such quiet contemplation? Maybe it's my increasing age and thoughts about this aging face? Or likely, it is because I saw the faces of my grandmothers, and of the wise man at 106 who would stop in at our families café with his wife of over 75 years. The images that surfaced...evidence of your words as they gave story of the years of life pricelessly painted in every line on their glorious faces. These remembrances for sure. Yet, even more so...I think, it is the reverence in this poem, the love and acceptance of aging (which so many want to avoid or cannot see) reflecting the beauty within your heart that gave me such appreciative pause. These thoughts are a rarity in youth. Wonderful to see it! Most beautiful imagery and contemplation is present in this piece.

The lines that caught the breath in my chest were these:

"We are the ones

shaping the contours of our faces,

painting the lines of our lives."

"And with that wish,

I smiled -

inviting joy into my being,

thereby putting myself to work

with a mindset

that paints our lives

with beautiful lines

allowing grace to branch out and take root

in my face."

So, lovely; so very lovely.

Many blessings and MUCH LOVE,

~Wendy💜

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Rose Jah's avatar

Thank you so much, Wendy, for your incredibly generous feedback. Your words truly moved me, and I’ve been sitting with the depth of what you shared and I imagined your grandmothers and the wise man at 106... It’s difficult to fully describe how it touched me—perhaps the right words will come in time—but for now, I just want to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts; it means more than I can say. 💛

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