“…to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.”*
Dear Friends,
The light returns.
The light returns.
Blessed be.
The light returns.
~~~
I am practicing Mary Oliver’s invitation in our title, to go easy.
In that mode, today’s blog draws on the brilliance of two remarkable women, Mary Oliver and Nina Simone.
~~~
First, here is Our Mary, with her amazing capacity to weave together words that speak both the simplicity and the profundity of our oneness with nature. For this week of returning light, of light born on earth, here is her poem, Among the Trees:
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.”
~~~
And now, Nina Simone. Classical musician, jazz musician, singer, activist, remarkable performer and artist—a woman extraordinaire, whose tagline, an artist’s duty is to reflect the times, says it all. And reflect them, she did.
Here is her remarkable version of Here Comes the Sun. Please access it through your preferred musical channels.
~~~
Dear Friends,
May we go easy.
May we be filled with light.
May we shine.
And when we forget,
When we are not able,
Let’s welcome ourselves
To the human dilemma
With
Breathe,
With relaxation,
And
With
Kindness.
Dear Friends—
Happy every-single-holiday,
Stay blessed,
Aruni
*Mary Oliver quote