The first time I read this statement by e.e. cummings it resonated with me. Not because I think of myself as a rebel that wants to do whatever she wants whenever she wants to (we’ve all seen disastrous examples of that lately haven’t we?) Instead what it means to me is that it is necessary to resist all the exterior forces that are bound and determined to make us into compliant and numb individuals. While I do believe we are all connected, I don’t believe we are all the same. To be honest, I think we are all here to express and experience our own unique nature. So yeah, this quote speaks to me and is something I need to read over and over again.
And in case you want more full inspiration, here’s more from his A Poet’s Advice To Students:
“A poet is somebody who feels, and who expresses his feelings through words.
This may sound easy. It isn’t.
A lot of people think or believe or know they feel — but that’s thinking or believing or knowing; not feeling. And poetry is feeling — not knowing or believing or thinking.
Almost anybody can learn to think or believe or know, but not a single human being can be taught to feel. Why? Because whenever you think or you believe or you know, you’re a lot of other people: but the moment you feel, you’re nobody-but-yourself.
To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”
From one of my very favorite saints…. “Be who YOU are and be that perfectly well”. St. Francis de Sales
Hi Frances! I can see what St. Frances de Sales would be one of your favorites. And a very wise saint at that! ~Kathy
It was not until midlife that I learned to trust who I truly am and believe in my unique self. I wasted too many years trying to be what others wanted me to be or what I thought I should be.
It is difficult to wrap my head around the advice from a poet. Poetry is feeling, I never thought of it that way, which is an example of what he is talking about!
Hi Michele! Yes isn’t a wonderful gift to getting older to be more and more free to be and celebrate our unique self? And didn’t that idea about poetry and feeling “feel” interesting. I liked it and I guess you did too. ~Kathy
I like the quote. But I like yours better: “I do believe we are all connected, I don’t believe we are all the same.”
Hi Tom! Thanks. Recognizing our connection WHILE appreciating our differences is a paradox that isn’t always easy. Just so important! ~Kathy
Hi Cathy – this has been one of the greatest gifts that Midlife has bestowed on me – being able to give myself permission to stop squashing myself into other people’s boxes and to discover who I truly am under all the layers of expectations I’ve worn for the last few decades. It’s such a liberating and joyful experience to just be yourself and to develop that “self” into all she can be – I’m loving it.
Hi Leanne! It is great isn’t it? I’m not sure what took us/me so long, right? Too bad that it isn’t more common knowledge so that so many of us wouldn’t resist getting older. It’s a wonderful trade off from my point of view. ~Kathy
Yep! I can see why that resonates with you. And with me! 🙂
Hi Liesbet! I am happy to know the unique and special YOU so I’m not surprised you like it either! ~Kathy
A great quote, Kathy. I find quotes enter my life when I need to hear the message. Something about when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I suspect you and I have discussed this before, since we both gravitate towards quotes. And then when you write “…something I need to read over and over again.” I get it.
And yes, “feeling” it. A great post, Kathy! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to connecting this week.?
Hi Erica! I know you are also a big fan of quotes so I’m not surprised you appreciate this one! And yes I look forward to chatting with you this week. You’ve been missed! ~Kathy
Great quotes and great advice, Kathy. I agree that we are all pieces to the puzzle, here to express and experience our own unique natures. Without this, the world’s puzzle is never completely whole.
Hi Donna. I’m a BIG fan of the idea that we are all pieces of a puzzle. Thanks for mentioning that. Sometimes we just have to zoom out far enough to see the big picture! ~Kathy
I deeply respect e e cummings — and love much of his poetry. I agree with you that it’s a lifelong effort to live a full, individual life and not get railroaded into mindless buying, mindless embrace of whatever religion & traditions we were raised in, or mindless fear of other people’s cultures and countries. E e cummings really lived out that idea, at some personal cost.
It’s sad to me that, for some people to embrace their own individual freedoms, rights, and self, they have to stop other people from embracing theirs. The world is so much more beautiful when we’re all able to express our true selves and appreciate the true selves of others without seeing them as a threat.
Hi Nancy. Yes to ee cummings and his poetry! And I think you know I totally agree with your statement about how it is important to appreciate our differences. As long as those differences don’t require us (or everyone else) to be like them it certainly makes the world much more interesting. And while I realize that some differences are extremely destructive and must be “contained,” I believe that only happens in a tiny portion of the population. The vast majority of us are simply uniquely different. Thanks for your thoughts on this. ~Kathy