Listen, 
perhaps you catch a hint of an ancient state
 
not quite forgotten; dim, perhaps, and yet not altogether

 unfamiliar, like a song whose name is long forgotten,

and the circumstances in which you heard completely

unremembered. Not the whole song has stayed with

you, but just a little wisp of melody, attached not to a

person or a place or anything particular. But you

remember, from just this little part, how lovely was the

song, how wonderful the setting where you heard it, and

how you loved those who were there and listened with

you.
 

The notes are nothing. Yet you have kept them

 with you, not for themselves, but as a soft reminder of

what would make you weep if you remembered how 

 dear it was to you. You could remember, yet you are

afraid, believing you would lose the world you learned

since then. And yet you know that nothing in the world

you learned is half so dear as this. Listen, and see if you

remember an ancient song you knew so long ago and

held more dear than any melody you taught yourself to

cherish since.
 

       Beyond the body, beyond the sun and stars, past

everything you see and yet somehow familiar, is an arc

of golden light that stretches as you look into a great and

shining circle. And all the circle fills with light before

your eyes. The edges of the circle disappear, and what is

in it is no longer contained at all. The light expands and

covers everything, extending to infinity forever shining

and with no break or limit anywhere. Within it

everything is joined in perfect continuity. Nor is it

possible to imagine that anything could be outside, for

there is nowhere that this light is not.
 

       This is the vision of the Son of God, whom you

know well. Here is the sight of him who knows his

Father. Here is the memory of what you are; a part of

this, with all of it within, and joined to all as surely as all

is joined in you. Accept the vision that can show you

this, and not the body. You know the ancient song, and

know it well. Nothing will ever be as dear to you as is

this ancient hymn of love the Son of God sings to his

Father still.
 

       And now the blind can see, for that same song they

sing in honor of their Creator gives praise to them as

well. The blindness that they made will not withstand the

memory of this song. And they will look upon the vision

of the Son of God, remembering who he is they sing of.

What is a miracle but this remembering? And who is

there in whom this memory lies not? The light in one

awakens it in all. And when you see it in your brother,

you are remembering for everyone.