Breathing Deeply

I traveled to the North Carolina mountains with a friend this past week. For three days, I surrounded myself with trees brightly changing colors, waterfalls cascading down rock formations, and the quiet sounds of nature. I paused and breathed deeply. And then I was ready to enter the world again.

"When I Am Among the Trees"
by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows, and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks, and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy to be filled
with light, and to shine."