A word from T.S. Eliot as we begin a new year.
This selection comes from Burnt Norton (No. 1 of the Four Quartets)
At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent or decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.
And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time.
The inner freedom from the practical desire,
The release form action and suffering, release from the inner
And the outer compulsion, yet surrounded
By a grace of sense, a white light still and moving,
Erhebung without motion, concentration
Without elimination, both a new world
And the old made explicit, understood
In the completion of it partial ecstasy,
The resolution of its partial horror.
Yet the enchainment of the past and future
Woven in the weakness of the changing body,
Protects mankind from heaven and damnation
Which flesh cannot endure.
Time past and time future
2 comments:
"the still point" is not only the poetic/literary symmetry of time measurement, the location of meaning and purpose, but it is the better perspective on time and space. We position ourselves best when we know the still point of redemptive history, the climax of divine grace come to earth. We live freely and safely when we can identify the witching hour, the midnight moment, the crux of the matter. We find our place in the one dance, stop stepping on toes and jig as we were designed to jig.
Great comments - thanks. I just discussed your thoughts with Ruth and she helped me gain a better perspective on your last sentence. She cited some examples from the Prince Caspian movie which our kids have watched at least four times during the holiday break.
Have a good New Year.
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