Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts,
the depths where neither sin nor desire can reach,
the person that each one is in God’s eyes.
If only they could see themselves as they really are.
If only we could see each other that way,
there would be no reason for war, for hatred, for cruelty…
I suppose the big problem would be that
we would fall down and worship each other.

- Thomas Merton

(via jennifershesaid)

At times you sink, you fall
into your hole of silence,
into your abyss of proud anger,
and you can scarcely
return, still bearing remnants
of what you found
in the depths of your existence.

My love, what do you find
in your closed well?
Seaweed, swamps, rocks?
What do you see with blind eyes,
bitter and wounded?

Darling, you will not find
in the well into which you fall
what I keep for you on the heights:
a bouquet of dewy jasmines,
a kiss deeper than your abyss.

Do not fear me, do not fall
into your rancor again.
Shake off my word that
came to wound you
and let it fly through the open window.

It will return to wound
without you guiding it
since it was laden with a harsh instant
and that instant will be disarmed in my breast.

Smile at me radiant
if my mouth wounds you
I am not a gentle shepherd
like the ones in fairy tales,
but a good woodsman who shares with you
earth, wind, and mountain thorns.

Love me, you, smile at me,
help me to be good.
Do not wound yourself in me, for it will be useless,
do not wound me because you wound yourself.

- pablo neruda

quote by hafiz

Make her a flower in late December

When the sun is not shining on her

Write her a love song

And play it all day long

To remind her of all that she is worth

Take her on long drives for ice cream by seaside

Give her your coat when she is cold

Tell her you miss her when you’re close enough to kiss her

And that you’d walk a thousand miles to tell her so

~ song by rosie thomas / photo via we heart it

amy wadge, an ingenuous songwriter with a lovely voice, wrote a beautiful ballad called tell her that addresses the all-too-often unexpressed adoration between two lovers. for ostensible reasons, we put our fragile hearts up on a shelf to protect it from the thing we most want. after years of unbearable disappointment and broken promises, hope is abandoned to prevent future letdown while intimacy takes a back seat to the inevitable dilemmas we all face. sincere words delivered from one heart to another have enough power to demolish the stone walls we inadvertently build and restore the unyielding faith we once possessed.

tell her that she’s beautiful

before it’s too late

tell her that she’s wonderful

before your heart gives up and breaks

hold her like you won’t let go

tell her what she needs to know

cuz who knows how fast time will go

tell her that you care

tell him that you love him still

even after years

you’re happy that your ups and downs

were up and down with his

let him take your hand to hold

love him like he’s not so old

cuz who knows how fast time will go

tell him that you care

words by hafiz

For every emotion I experience, a song suddenly shows up in my life identifying the immense feelings through precise words and melody, as if i wrote it myself. Some tunes hold more power than others, but each one conveys a hidden inkling needed to disencumber an unsolved mystery. I’ve Loved You Before, which I discovered haphazardly a few months ago, sheds light on the deep connections often produced with another individual, whether it is a lover, a friend, a child or an angel that has stopped by for a brief visit. Each collision is unique, indescribable, and unforgettable. This song interprets the familiarity evoked before a meeting is assembled, the emotion sparked before a word is spoken, the fire fueled before a touch is executed, the understanding awakened before a story is told, the longing induced before a goodbye is conceived.

The unexpected encounters (or possible reunions from a past life) between two souls contain mysteries that words alone cannot fathom. Some things cannot be explained and precious moments are often incomprehensible, but Melissa Etheridge beautifully articulates these magical enigmas better than any artist I have yet detected.

I could not find a good version of this song on youtube to include in this post, so I leave it up to enquiring minds to download it if the lyrics strike your fancy. I recommend listening to it really loud in a solitary, quiet place where the words can penetrate every cell of your being. Absorbing it with the ears alone are simply not enough.

I’VE LOVED YOU BEFORE

When I think of how you know me…

No doubts, no thinking twice

When your smile can be so soothing…

A familiar paradise

When there’s no one else that makes me whole,

I am never needing more

I get this feeling that I have loved you before.

Were we lovers in an army

Marching off for Rome?

Side by side in battle, did we bravely leave our home?

Did I hold you in my arms as you were taking your last breath?

Did I shout to all that gods that I would love you beyond death…

or more?

I swear I’ve loved you before.

Did we hide in the dark ages

From a vengeful god above?

Were our names too unfamiliar to ever speak of love?

Did I cling to every moment with you, every parting glance?

An accidental touch…

Did we ever take the chance for more?

I know I’ve loved you before.

Have I wandered through the desert?

Have I looked to the north star?

Have I rode the days and nights on rails

To get back where you are?

And every time I found you

It’s your eyes I know for sure…

(photos via visualize / quote unknown)

this song celebrates the extraordinary beauty living inside each of us, magnifying the significance of individualism and eccentricity. in a world full of mundane predictability, our idiosyncrasies and colorful character make life a little more charming.

quote by rilke/photo via weheartit

i fell in love with this song the first time i heard bob dylan sing it. every word is so incredibly beautiful. it has been covered by so many artists, in so many ways, and i love them all.

lilt me your lips, our lost breath intermingling.

synchronize our silence as lazy hours ease by.

waft cocoa, hazelnut, cinnamon scents around me.

tremble with me in paralyzing pauses.

i may no longer breathe without breathing you.

(judith pordon)