Greetings!
Last Father’s Day, Jake gave me a book of poetry by Mary Oliver. It sits by my bed and provides me moments of quiet enjoyment. Here are two favorites…
The Gift
Be still, my soul, and steadfast.
Earth and heaven both are still watching
though time is draining from the clock
and your walk, that was confident and quick,
has become slow.
So, be slow if you must, but let
the heart still play its true part.
Love still as once you loved, deeply
and without patience. Let God and the world
know you are grateful.
That the gift has been given.
A Voice from I Don’t Know Where
It seems you love this world very much.
“Yes,” I said. “This beautiful world.”
And you don’t mind the mind, that keeps you
Busy all the time with its dark and bright wonderings?
“No, I’m quite used to it. Busy, busy,
all the time.”
And you don’t mind living with those questions,
I mean the hard ones, that no one can answer?
“Actually, they’re the most interesting.”
And you have a person in your life whose hand
you like to hold?
“Yes, I do.”
It must surely, then, be very happy down there
in your heart.
“Yes,” I said. “It is.”
Parents bear witness to the emergence of a child into an adult. We contribute upbringing to genetics and, with life experiences and expanding interests, they take it from there. Hopefully this alchemy yields something special—we were fortunate enough to win that derby three times. Happy birthday, Jake.
Dad
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