Fear of the future

It’s hard, when the sky looks like this, 

Not to be thinking of smoke and flames:

 It feels like a harbinger of wildfires to come. 

While surely it’s wise to be wary, 

Don’t let fear of the future detract 

 From the wonder of Now.

Delicious

The sky has been so beautiful 

 Both last night and this morning 

That though I know 

 I should save some for the future 

I cannot seem to choose just one 

To share with you.

 Like a chocolate cake or potato chips, 

Just a taste is never enough!

Noticing

All the choices that we made 

Whether wise or foolish 

Have brought us to this moment now: 

Standing here, beside the car, 

Preparing to leave, 

Watching as this bird pauses briefly on this branch. 

Now is all there is; This brief, precious connection, 

Until she flies away. 

Be present. Notice. Breathe.

Wishing you peace and joy

May you find some quiet time today, 

And use it to find peace and joy 

Within yourself, and then send both 

Out into our troubled world.

The invitation

The invitation is always there: 

To walk through the weeds — 

However distracting and appealing they might be — 

And step into a deeper, richer, consciousness, 

 To discover a new clarity of purpose.

Flocked

We got flocked yesterday 

By local high school students 

Raising money for a substance-free 

Graduation party. 

True confession: 

I loved having those flamingos in my lawn; 

Loved the ingenuity as well, 

And the sense that we are part 

Of this community.

But most of all I loved 

The little white one in the middle. 

I think the fawns are getting to me…

Accepting our boundaries

Whether you’re on the outside looking in 

Or on the inside looking out, 

Curiosity is clearly not unique to humans. 

That said, it can be counterproductive 

 To focus too obsessively 

 On what we cannot have or do 

And the boundaries of our circumstances 

 While failing to appreciate 

 The life we lead inside them…