Letting GoJanuary 28, 2019

As I was pondering about a reflection for this week, I was graced with poems of Mary Oliver who recently passed. And so I chose two to share that seem fitting for us.

Storage

When I moved from one house to another

there were many things I had no room for.

What does one do? I rented a storage

Space. And filled it. Years passed.

Occasionally I went there and looked in,

But nothing happened, not a single

twinge of the heart.

As I grew older the things I cared

About grew fewer, but were more

important. So one day I undid the lock

And called the trash man. He took

everything.

I felt like the little donkey when

His burden is finally lifted. Things!

Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful

fire! More room in your heart for love,

for the trees! For the birds who own

nothing-the reason they can fly.”

To Live in this World

TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD, YOU MUST BE ABLE

TO DO THREE THINGS; TO LOVE WHAT IS

MORTAL; TO HOLD IT AGAINST YOUR BONES

KNOWING YOUR OWN LIFE DEPENDS ON IT;

AND WHEN THE TIME COMES TO LET GO,

TO LET GO.

- MARY OLIVER -

Sister Ann Winters