devotions

Sarah and I have bought eachother an identical present! We have always shared a love of poetry (I inherited that from my own mother, who inherited it in turn from her father) and we often send each other poems we have discovered. Both of us like Mary Oliver, so I suppose it was inevitable that we both see her latest collection as a perfect gift. All that remains is for us to write a dedication when we see each other next month. Sarah writes very nice dedications - almost better than the book itself :-)

My all-time favourite Mary Oliver poem is Wild Geese. I have read some of the verses in this book and I think I know which one I shall quote when I write in Sarah's copy (wouldn't it be funny if she chose the same?).

Anyway, here's a bit of her writing which I was quite taken with. It's called "Don't Hesitate"

If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the
case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.