Imagine to Remember

“It had always seemed to Emily, ever since she could remember, that she was very, very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain; she could never draw the curtain aside– but sometimes, just for a moment, a wind fluttered it and then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond– only a glimpse– and heard a note of unearthly music.”

L.M. Montgomery, Emily of New Moon

In reading Emily of New Moon I learned that other shared this wondrous experience, which Emily calls “the flash”. When I was young girl I had these brief but intense moments of awe, most often in nature. I felt as though in those moments I could glean the divine design behind all things. Just for a fleeting a moment, and then I would come falling back to earth. And like Emily, I would bask in the after glow of these thrilling encounters, on a high that would last for days. 

It is one of the few upsides of lonely childhood, the isolation provides for more time to ponder and imagine. It is no surprise that so many of lose our selves, in a sort of rapture, to the wonder of imagined worlds and into nature herself. Worlds where we can escape the dreariness of our own lives and find the the friends and family and for which our hearts ache. 

These moments occur to me less and less as I get older. Like Emily I can “never recall it – never summon it – never pretend it”, they are from the world that is both beyond and simultaneous to our own, just beyond the veil. I can’t help but wonder if experiences like are becoming less common. Not just for children but for all of us. Disconnection from the the natural world, from community, from the soul itself may be the price we pay for the comforts of our modern lives.

How can one hope to hear the “unearthly music” if it is drowned out by the noise of our crowded lives? 

S.R.