John and I were so disappointed this morning, when we realized that the weather conditions had once again foiled our plans to travel to the Jersey shores. The first was last month, to attend the funeral of Bud Ferragame. The second was today, to attend Bud’s wife, John’s Aunt Mary’s funeral. As I watched the titmice, junco, and winter sparrows feed on the mixture of seeds, cracked corn, oats and peanuts I’d put out for them on the back porch, I noticed two swan swimming in the creek. A rare sight, indeed, I’ve only seen swan on the creek once before. I couldn’t help, but think this was symbolic of Bud and Mary. It seemed to me to be natures’ way of acknowledging that they were peacefully and idyllically united again. As I watched the swan glide languidly across the chilly water, the thought of Mary and Bud, held prescient on my mind. I was delighted to then find this depiction of the meaning of swan(s). The swan graces vibrant traditions as the Hamsa bird. In the text, Saundarya Lahari (translated: Waves of Beauty, two swans (Ham and Sa) pair together, swimming around in the divine mind living on honey from the blooming lotus of knowledge. In the Celtic mind, the sign of the swan urged Celtic intuition to consider changes of mood (water) and heart (love). The swan represents the rising glory of a new day as well as the farewell of an old day with the setting sun. Celtic myth also indicates when inhabitants of the Otherworld required passage to the physical land of life; they would take the shape of the swan. Furthermore lore states they would travel out of the Otherworld in pairs, thus reinforcing the theme of union, bonds and partnership. Although we can’t be physically there to support John’s family today, something we truly wanted to do; I feel comforted in the knowledge that the Universe is eternal and boundless and supports us all, in mystical ways. The Universe, in this most unusual and metaphorical way, allowed us to have a glimpse of the eternal bliss that Bud and Mary are enjoying now. And that in our times of grief and sadness, we must never forget, that Eternal Joy really does exist.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:01:44 +0000
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