BORN IN INDIA, BELONGING TO THE WORLD

Venturing beyond the Gyllenhaals' contribution to the arts, to explore related issues of social justice in the broader context.

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Pocketful
of
Starlight

Monday, January 19, 2009

A Pocketful of Starlight, A Stocking Full of Dreams



Our last post here was to the Keeper of Dreams. In my life, my mother "catchafallingstar," the better half, the winning half of all my ventures, is indeed that Keeper. In 2006 profound changes were occurring within her as she prepared for a transition to another life. And as she worked through her own, she was witness to the changes in me. I was daring to dream. And to share those dreams with her. I dreamed and she held the dreams in trust for me. And still does two years after her passing.

People have often asked me why she chose her user name as catchafallingstar. She had chosen it on an impulse, quoting from a John Donne poem, "Go and catch a falling star." Interestingly, not long after her account was set up on Strike~Me~Gyllen, then under construction and awaiting launch, she actually fell. It's an old story and many know it. From the apparent irony and sadness of it though, arose hope and new beginnings.

Reminding me of the popular song from the last century:

"Catch a falling star an’ put it in your pocket,
Never let it fade away! Catch a falling star an’ put it in your pocket,
...
...
Just in case you feel you wanna’ hold her,
You’ll have a pocketful of starlight! "


Today it's been two years since the star fell and we caught her essence. I wrote this in my journal as I recalled how I've sustained myself through two difficult years just knowing I had the starlight in my pocket. Kim told me to share the post and here it is:



Caught, Falling ...

Put in several pockets, saved for several rainy days.
Risen again in many places, minds and hearts.

Indeed we fall so we may ascend, set so we may rise, depart so we may arrive and be welcomed.

As you fell, you brought down with you a shower of gifts. The best of those were faith, hope and love; of them, love the first among equals.

And then you were actually "fished out of pockets" around the globe. In London you emerged from under a carpet, in Texas you sang behind the curtain, in Toronto you hitched a ride on a shoulder and in plain old Kolkata you did what you always love - you took a walk and met up with a new friend like she was an old one! Needless to say, you ride on my heartbeat(or do I ride on yours?) 24x7.

Dear catchafallingstar - it's your day today. What can we say but "Rise and Shine" as we raise and cheer!



Those who haven't already can read catchafallingstar's Farewell Message dating back to February '06.