Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way: A Poem ~ by Mary Oliver
If you’re John Muir you want trees to live among. If you’re Emily, a garden will do.
Try to find the right place for yourself. If you can’t find it, at least dream of it.
When one is alone and lonely, the body gladly lingers in the wind or the rain, or splashes into the cold river, or pushes through the ice-crusted snow.
Anything that touches.
God, or the gods, are invisible, quite understandable. But holiness is visible, entirely.
Some words will never leave God’s mouth, no matter how hard you listen.
In all the works of Beethoven, you will not find a single lie.
All important ideas must include the trees, the mountains, and the rivers.
To understand many things you must reach out of your own condition.
For how many years did I wander slowly through the forest. What wonder and glory I would have missed had I ever been in a hurry!
Beauty can both shout and whisper, and still it explains nothing.
The point is, you’re you, and that’s for keeps.
As luck, or God and the Universe, would have it, I could not have picked a better day to run into my old friend, Marietta Watts. I’d been handed some discouraging news this morning, but by the afternoon I was surrounded by some of my favorite library colleagues and Marietta. Just being with them made me feel better, and Marietta, being one of the smartest, most compassionate people I’ve ever met, helped us all. Her spirit is so giving that she helps people without even trying. I mean, look at her smile! She lights up a room. The world is a better place with Marietta in it, and my life is deeply enriched by her friendship. Thank you, Marietta, for being you.
Shirley Terry
My beautiful baby girl, Kopana. Good picture.
Shirley Terry
Love this picture of you! The best I’ve seen in a long time. Luv u…