The Journey

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice–

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

“Mend my life!”

each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do–

determined to save

the only life you could save.

~Mary Oliver

My long-time friend Kate stretched me a bit on our call this morning.  She wanted us to bring more ‘dimension’ to our calls, since we so rarely get to see each other in the flesh.  And so we deviated from our regular routine, me following her lead.  She began by reading me two poems and gave me the ‘homework’ of looking this one up.  She then asked me to sing her a song, saying she missed the sound of my voice.  Although baffled a bit by this request, I’ve learned that magic happens when I play in the same space as her.  It was, as expected, quite a wonderful time.  Thanks for an inspiring start to my day, dear friend!

Photo Credit: Patrick Tomasso from Unsplash