A quote from one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver…
“When I walk into the world,
I take no thoughts with me.
That’s not easy, but you can
learn to do it. An empty mind is
hungry, so you look at everything
longer, and closer. Don’t hum!
When you listen with empty
ears, you hear more. And this is
the core of the secret: Attention
is the beginning of devotion.”
Like a long stretch of beach, the solitude of summer beckons me. I know from experience that the grains of minutes will go by too quickly, that my plans for relaxation and creative expression will bud, blossom and fade with the August doldrums. Still, my excitement builds. So many choices unfold. Will I slip out of bed early for a sunrise stroll, or laze sleepily on soft sheets while the whirring ceiling fan stirs my dreams? Will the sparkle blue of the pool draw me in for some lap swimming, or will I drag my bike down the stairs and pedal off to look for feeding eagle rays beneath the seven mile bridge? Perhaps my kayak will invite me for a paddle among the mangroves where I’ll listen for the huffing breaths of manatees and see snowy white herons feeding in the shallows. Hubby and I will spend weekends on photo adventures or snorkeling in clear ocean depths. The joy of summer lies in the breadth of choices or the option of doing nothing; in the grains of minutes that trickle and then cascade, that roil in the gentle surf, and finally come to rest on a long stretch of beach.
Heading out for a night walk with dog and hubby. The soft, tropical darkness and scent of night-blooming jasmine sends me to dreamland. Lucky to live where ocean sounds drift on the night air. Inspired already and the walk yet to come!
illucidation 