Here is another poem by Mary Oliver that I absolutely love. The first sentence, alone, has sustained me in times of trouble:
Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Beautiful:)
Love and life of joy and peace this day…I missed reading your every day post, have had lovely house guest from Australia (17 year old that lived here until she was 4 and played with Parker:) for the last two weeks and the kids have brought me youth and many things to do lol.
Thank you for being such a open sweet soul.
XOXOX
Grace
Yes, Mary Oliver is amazing and that’s one of my favorite pieces by her.
I missed YOU! I knew you were happily involved with your guest. Isn’t it wonderful to be in all that youthful energy?
Thank you for being a positive mirror. You’re a blessing.