Voyages of Discovery

How could I have expected
that after a long life I would
understand no more than to wake up
at night and to repeat: strange,
strange, strange, o how strange, how
strange. O how funny and strange.

Czeslaw Milosz

I notice that today is the anniversary of many things, but they include how on this day a long time ago Christopher Columbus launched off on his last voyage of discovery. And, on this day not quite so long ago the Beagle launched, carrying Charles Darwin on his voyage of discovery.

Here I am now racing toward sixty and with Milosz I find that the great gift of my life is learning that it truly is a voyage of discovery, as well.

I open my eyes, and – Strange!

How strange!

How funny and strange!

How sad and strange!

And in that moment, once again (and in a heartbeat to be forgotten) I learn that I have been transformed

again.

New life.

New shape.

Where will it go this time I open my eyes?

This voyage of discovery