“I stood willingly and gladly in the characters of everything—other people, trees, clouds. And this is what I learned: that the world’s otherness is antidote to confusion, that standing within this otherness—the beauty and the mystery of the world, out in the fields or deep inside books—can re-dignify the worst-stung heart. Real attention needs empathy; attention without feeling is just a report.” – Mary Oliver
This past Sunday, this is one of a few excerpts I shared from the writings of Mary Oliver on interdependence. Her work has been so resonant and integral in my personal journey, especially over the last two years, and I see the way that collectively people experience her poetry and prose as deeply touching. Especially in times like these, these times in which so much darkness is being exposed, her call for a wider lens and a more intimate connection to life is needed.
When I find myself slipping into burnout or overwhelm, practicing Mary Oliver’s call to move upstream and to be of service to the future ones is a gentle way of bringing me back to those broader perspectives.
A statement that has been living in my heart recently beyond my sharing on Sunday are the following words from her that I’d like to leave you with today: “Something is wrong, I know it, if I don’t keep my attention on eternity.”
Upcoming Happenings:
Mindful Movement in the UUFM Sanctuary, Mondays at 11am in March
(*Note: there will be no 3/23 session)
RSVP here: https://uufm.breezechms.