photo by Jenna Penielle Lyons

“Would you please look me in the eyes?”

There’s a Tibetan saying:

“When you open your eyes, I see your heart. When I close my eyes, I see the world.”

But this is problematic because your heart is the world to me.

I think that sometimes, our minds deceive us. We formulate and craft situations that aren’t real. And when we open our eyes and see things that coincide with those situations, we tend to be upset, hurt or disappointed. We think with our eyes closed, and when our eyes are open, we don’t think, but rather see with truth.

I know I don’t often make eye contact, but look me in the eyes. See that I feel your pain, your happiness, your thoughts. And hopefully you can see mine too. Hopefully you can look into mine and see stormy waters, tumultuous rains falling, and maybe—just maybe—you can see that at the center is black night. Serene. Peaceful. Loving.

Remembering how things used to be and wanting them again. Acknowledging the things I could do to better understand you and what you feel.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.

This culture—one that discourages open communication—is complicated.

Love is complicated. Time is complicated. Place is complicated.

Sometimes I feel as if the only plane I can identify with you on is the one within your eyes…I’m trying to see them and trying to let you see mine. Just look. Open them. Meet me on the plane we both share from time to time.

I know that space is important. But so is color, so is sharing color, and I’m not afraid to look you in the eyes anymore. Meet me in the field that’s ours—our eyes, our hands, our hearts, our laughter, our souls.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” 

And however long that takes—however much time you need to meet me there—I’ll wait.

And when you finally get there, I’ll be there for you with eyes wide open. Even if it’s in the next day, the next week, the next year, the next moment, or the next life. I’ll be there, storms and stars looking right at you.

Jenna Penielle Lyons was born in Portales, New Mexico among sage and sand. Raised in Pocatello, Idaho among the black rock and juniper, she grew up wandering in cowboy boots, running, riding bikes, skiing, climbing, painting, and studying classical ballet. She is a scholar of English Literature, a poet, painter, photographer, musician and outdoorswoman. She winters in Missoula and spends the summer working for Snake River Hotshots. She is a lover of mountain bluebirds & elephants, tea and good coffee, Carl Jung, Salvador Dali, skiing, climbing in the desert, yoga, harp music and sagebrush. Her favorite foods are borscht and any combination of chocolate and cayenne pepper. Check out her work on Etsy (The Lyoness Den) and follow her adventures at http://www.thelyonsroarliterature.blogspot.com.

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Ed: Lynn Hasselberger