"You were in luck--there was a forest."

Recognizing the miracle of staying alive

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Could Have

by Wislawa Szymborska

It could have happened.
It had to happen.
It happened earlier. Later.
Nearer. Farther off.
It happened, but not to you.

You were saved because you were the first.
You were saved because you were the last.
Alone. With others.
On the right. The left.
Because it was raining. Because of the shade.
Because the day was sunny.

You were in luck -- there was a forest.
You were in luck -- there were no trees.
You were in luck -- a rake, a hook, a beam, a brake,
A jamb, a turn, a quarter-inch, an instant . . .

So you're here? Still dizzy from
another dodge, close shave, reprieve?
One hole in the net and you slipped through?
I couldn't be more shocked or
speechless.
Listen,
how your heart pounds inside me.

from View With a Grain of Sand, trans. Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1996)

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Creative Invitation

1. How have you been stunningly, wondrously lucky in your life?

   1. You’re alive! Incredible. All the things that could have killed you didn’t succeed!

   2. You can read, you are educated and you have leisure time!

   3. You have a phone or computer!

   4. Somebody loves you! (Keep filling in the alphabet.)

Wislawa Symborska’s poem, “Could have” reminds me of my favorite childhood book, Fortunately by Remy Charlip. On bright, minimalistic pages, a character named Ned tries to get to a party. His fortunes shift from bright promise to mortal danger at every turn of the page.

Ned’s journey is a marvelous lesson in perspective—and in how to continually solve problems and not get attached to their stories. This book shaped my brain as a how-to text about life. What books did that for your young mind?

Fortunately one day, Ned got a letter that said, “Please Come to a Surprise Party.” Unfortunately the party was in Florida and he was in New York.
Fortunately a friend loaned him an airplane.
Unfortunately the motor exploded.
Fortunately there was a parachute in the airplane.
Unfortunately there was a hole in the parachute.
Fortunately there was a haystack on the ground.
Unfortunately there was a pitchfork in the haystack.
Fortunately he missed the pitchfork.
Unfortunately he missed the haystack.
Fortunately he landed in water.
Unfortunately there were sharks in the water.
Fortunately he could swim.
Unfortunately there were tigers on the land.
Fortunately he could run.
Unfortunately he ran into a deep dark cave.
Fortunately he could dig.
Unfortunately he dug himself into a fancy ballroom.
Fortunately there was a surprise party going on.
And fortunately the party was for him, because fortunately it was his birthday!

What is your fortunately and your unfortunately and your fortunately again?