Go Out and Sing

In the middle of January on a bright cold day I could worry about so much that is wrong in the world. But today I have decided to

Go Out and Sing

There is a fresh coating of snow on the ground and only a single set of tracks drawing a diagonal line through our back yard, across the pond, and up the hill beyond. I wonder, was it the fox that we see sometimes who made those tracks?

I Worried

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.
Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?
Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.

   — Mary Oliver

Storms Come and Go

Yesterday the birds stayed home (wherever that is), not venturing out into the snowstorm. But today my bird feeders are filled with birds and a squirrel is climbing the hydrangea tree near the feeders hoping to figure out a way to get at the contents of the (so far) squirrel proof feeders.

The shadows of the trees look blue on the new snow in today’s bright sunlight. Yesterday I made several photographs of the pond during the snowstorm (through our living room windows). Three of the photos are mystifying me today. All three show the same interesting light pattern.

Do you see the bright oval in the lower right and the rays of brightness? I have no idea what caused it. I’m guessing that something was reflecting from the window I was looking through. But I don’t remember seeing it when I made the photographs. It makes me smile when I see it now, because I remember thinking how dreary it looked with the cloudy skies and light snowfall all day yesterday. Somehow it feels like a reminder from the universe that

Life is Full of Little Mysteries

My amaryllis flowers are continuing to delight me every time I go out to the dining room where they live. They help me remember to give thanks for the beauty of the world.

What do you think my friends? Will you let go of worry and go out and sing this weekend?

May you walk in beauty.