By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

THERE is no scientific evidence that we can sense what happens to a loved one whom we have not seen for a long time. This heightened sense of awareness is explained away by science as anticipatory grief. However, science does not explain the sudden thud in the heart (mind? thalamus?) in the absence of anticipatory grief, at a moment when you least expect it.

Often, this sensing happens in a dream, when the mind is free from the clutter of reality, but it also happens at any moment, say, while drinking a fresh brew from a favorite café, or while crossing a traffic light. I call these occurrences “gypsy flashes”.

Gypsy flashes may occur once for a specific “sensing”, but may repeat itself when the mind (heart? thalamus?) is unprepared to accept. In my experience, the feeling becomes persistent, even when deliberately ignored, and when you least expect it, it happens, whether you like it or not.

There is no way to silence a gypsy flash, joyful or sad. The flashes could be events unrelated to your present existence, but may impact on a future engagement with people and work. Or they can happen within minutes, catching you flat-footed and defenseless. Without any precondition, an image in your mind may just manifest in front of you.

Song of the gypsy
20250717

When the phone rings
and it’s not you, but a gypsy
singing, telling me,
you’ve turned
Into dust, but is still here
waiting to be blown
by the gentle wind
to me, to relive memories
of conversations
gentle words of tenderness
of a friendship so accepting
demanding nothing
just listening, caressing
the silence of wounds
“I’m not leaving”, you whisper
And I? I listen to you whisper
I don’t believe you
but take your hands,
in surrender,
as if I do

The wind today
20250718

I felt the cold
wrapping around my body
almost like ice, the iciest
the wind could ever be
even when, it is blowing
gently, as yesterday

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