As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves -- goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying What I do is me: for that I came.

I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is --
Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.
---Gerald Manley Hopkins

The first time I read this poem, I thought "what the...?" but I have been digesting its contents over the years. More so, I have found myself in this poem. We live life for a reason. Hopkins called it "inscape" -our inner capability of doing of what we are for. The 'selves' refers to us; each one of us do according to what we are.

Yes, we are humans, we make mistakes. But we have Christ that "plays in ten thousand places." This is my favorite sentence in the poem, since it has so many layers of meanings. It could either mean that we are created in God's image, or God is playing an important role in our 'selves.' He is constantly molding us into perfection.

Even though I feel like I have no particular direction in life, useless and sometimes stupid for not reaching my goals, I will try my best to live my life as a human being. I will love others just as I love myself. I will serve and love God above all. I hope you will do too.

So yeah, it can pretty sum up that I am an existentialist. I believe that there's a meaning of life, after all.

(written in February 23, 2007)