Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of victory
As he defeated – dying –
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
EMILY DICKINSON
I recall reading this poem in my American Literature class in high school. I memorized it. It stuck. What is Dickinson saying?
The loser understands victory more than the winner?
I am learning that this is true for many other things in life. Notice I said learning. I don't know all the answers. I don't understand everything. I am seeking for the answers and understanding and only hope that I will continue to do so throughout my life...
In a previous post, I referenced Rybczynski's book, Home: A Short History of an Idea. Rybcznski spoke about comfort. How do we know what comfort is if we have not experienced discomfort? I think this poem illustrates the same concept. We can receive full understanding of something when we have experienced its opposite.
My thoughts... how does this affect our desire for a home? Our desire for a place. Is it attainable here? Has anyone experienced it yet?
