Mary Oliver

Sigh. Mary Oliver is gone.

Even the animals are feeling it —

“The fires

and the black river of loss...”

Resolution

At the end of the day I ask myself:

Was I true to myself? Was I honest?

Did peace and acceptance flow through me

and out into the world? And if not —

Can I forgive myself and resolve to try again?

Yes or no?

Do yourself a favor: don’t say yes

When you really want to say no.

Those inadvertent yes’s can cast

Incredibly long shadows...

(and don't say no when you really want to say yes!)

Wisdom in your dreams

Listen for the wisdom in your dreams:

They may illuminate the path

to a brighter, lighter, more colorful future.

Glow anyway

Life can get messy and complicated:

Glow anyway. Do your best, and try to stay

connected to that which feeds you.

Some days the only reward for breathing is air.

Reflections

What light you see in me is but a wobbly reflection

of the One True Light, just as

the faults we see in others serve as mirrors

for the faults we can’t acknowledge in ourselves.

Infinite resourcefulness

Look around you, at all the different ways

of being in the world — each so fascinating;

each so complex. The infinite resourcefulness

of all this creativity is astounding — and humbling...