☀️ The Daily Boost #852
Give up the worry?
The Daily Boost (published weekdays) is one of the newsletters of The Raft, the online community of author Phyllis Cole-Dai. We Rafters ride the river of life buoyed by music, poetry, and other arts, along with open spiritual practice. Most everything here is free, but patrons (paid subscribers) get some special perks because Phyllis is extra grateful for their support. Sign up here:
I WORRIED
Mary Oliver
I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.
Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?
Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And I gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.
(My thanks to Mary Oliver, via Mindfulness Association.)
The Gentle Nudge
LAY A BLESSING STONE: Visit this link
THURSDAY: Poetry Pick-Me-Up (Zoom, 12:00-1:00PM Central, at this link)
Thank you for this beautiful reminder of the futility, though human, of worrying 😟
I can't seem to attach a photo to this post so I will link to one of my favorite paintings "The Song of the Lark" by Jules Breton which I have always coupled in my head with this poem. I have a postcard of this painting which reminds me to let go of worries and start the day singing! https://www.artic.edu/artworks/94841/the-song-of-the-lark
Thank you Phyllis!