"Every day
I consider
the lilies-
how they are dressed-
and the ravens-
how they are fed-
and how each of these
is a miracle
of Lord-love
and of sorrow-
for the lilies
in their bright dresses
cannot last
but wrinkle fast
and fall,
and the little ravens
in their windy nest
rise up
in such pleasure
at the sight
of fresh meat
that makes their lives sweet-
and what a puzzle it is
that such brevity
the lavish clothes,
the ruddy food-
makes the world
so full, so good."
~Mary Oliver
Yesterday I shared this poem as a part of worship. It seemed the perfect piece of beautiful language to go with two of the scripture readings, Proverbs 8 and Psalm 8, both speak of the beauty and fragility of the created world. I commend them both to you. Proverbs speaks of our search for wisdom among the gifts of Creation while the psalmist lauds God's work in Creation asking what the human purpose is in the midst of it all.
These two scriptures and the poem created a kind of perfect storm of words to bless my experience of yesterday. It was, in truth, a nearly perfect summer day. Warm and sunny with a marvelous rain storm that came in late afternoon. The brilliance of all that is blooming…..trees, flowers, plants…..created a palette of color that dazzled the eye. Outside the entrance to our church, pink and red shrub roses line the walkways and labyrinth creating a welcome of both sight and sweet scent. The rain not only cooled things and gave a free watering to plants fresh to the ground but also brought about an end to those flowers which had been lingering past their spring prime. What had looked bright and beautiful in the morning, seemed a little aged and worn by day's end.
If we are awake to the daily movement of the season's work, we can honor this brevity of beauty, the elusive nature of it all. It is, I believe, an important life lesson to learn that a rose will not always be as beautiful as it is in the first days of blooming. The same may, of course, be said of so much of our living. The sweetness of an infant, the precocious nature of a three-year-old, the poignant longing of an adolescent, the wide-eyed wonder of someone newly in love, all change and come to some kind of end. Those who spent time honoring our fallen veterans on this Memorial Day know this fragility all too well. So the ability to be present to the fullness of miracle in each day, in each stage, is something to practice.
The invitation is ours each morning to awake with the blank slate of the every day looming before us. As our eyes open, and I dare say our hearts as well, we can come to know the fullness that is this life, which is pure gift. This day can never be repeated so, perhaps, it would serve each of us well to consider wisely what we choose to do with it, how we will choose to hold its precious minutes and hours.
The beauty,the fullness, the goodness awaits. Are you ready?