Mtr Mary Trainor

I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day through  …*

Dear friend, 

The hope of recapturing golden moments, sweet gifts of the past—I suspect many of us know this hope all too well. Seeing someone, feeling something. Again.

As I read the Daily Office Gospel for today, “again” is the word that catches my interest. I must have read it dozens of times, but it is in this reading that “again” practically leapt off the page at me.

A blind beggar at the roadside, learning it is Jesus passing by, insists on getting to him. The blind beggar annoys others at the roadside, eventually catches Jesus’ attention, who asks that the man be brought to him.

Then Jesus said to the man, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “My teacher, let me see again.”

Again. Let me see again.

In that small cafe
The park across the way
The children's carousel
The chestnut trees
The wishing well

There is, for me, a poignancy in the beggar’s request. He’s known the gift of sight. And he wants it again. The poignancy, for me, stems from longing for something or someone once known—with the hope of catching even a glimpse, a touch, a waft of scented air, that brings it back to us, brings them back to us. Again. If only for a moment.

“What do you want me to do for you?” What would we answer? What would I answer?

Let me see again? Let me feel good again? Let me know no pain again? Let me find love again? Let me see all my loved ones again? All my dead dogs? If only for a brief moment.

Or maybe the lesson is, with seeing eyes, let me do good again, inflict no pain again, be love again, treasure family still here, love the dog I have with all my heart.

Not only seeing things that are gone, but also seeing—really seeing—what is around me now.

I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you  …

Mtr Mary

*I’ll be seeing you. Songwriters: Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal