Rilke and the Sophia Connection...

Rilke has been one of my favorite poets for years (along with Rumi of course)...but did I know that he actually had a Legacy of Sophie connection in his life as well? I must have...must have known that his mother's name was Sophia (Sophie)...and that she dressed Rainer up in girls clothes and called him Sophia until he was five (to compensate for his older sister, Sophie, who died)...so apparently Rainer Maria Rilke also had a legacy of Sophies in his life.
Ironic.

Interesting that in "that day" this wasn't uncommon as Vincent Van Gogh was called Vincent after his older brother who had died as an infant. What a legacy to live through...and still give so much beauty to the world as their own legacy. Perhaps in living a legacy of shadow, they can more easily portray the beauty of light (be it through poetry or art -or anything for that matter).

On a more personal note: This picture, being held by my soul G'mom, Sophie-the Elder, was given to her by her "dahdy" when she was 8 years old...she's now 86 and has kept the picture, the memory, and all that it represents close to her all these years.

Words to live by: "Look well, to this day!"

Look to this day,
For Yesterday is already a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, lived well, makes every yesterday
A dream of happiness --and every tomorrow
A vision of hope -- Look well, therefore,
To this day ---
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn.

(I'll have to look up this poem to find the true author)