My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the
hummingbird –
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there
the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the
speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat
torn?
Am I no longer young, and still
not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still
and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and
the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since
all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a
mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give
shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the
sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over,
how it is
that we live forever.

~ Mary Oliver

You may also be interested in these posts:

1. Cutting up the past Once upon a time, I wore really ugly clothes. I’m...
2. Cooking with Mary This is the story of how I found Catherine Doherty’s...
3. The velveteen rabbit all grown up “A human being must become real before it can expect...
4. #organization I’m overhauling all the ecosystems of our life. Freshening up...
5. Conditions A conversation I had with my dad recently was quite...